The Gators are on a four-game win streak. Their hooping journey will now take them to Queen City for their next matchup. But thanks to Michael Jordan, they could enjoy a little break. Yes, His Airness and his brand made sure to take care of not only the Gators but three other teams. They even locked up against each other to determine a winner. Shaquille O’Neal’s youngest, Me’Arah, got a taste of it, but seemingly only from afar for one of the more exciting activities.
On Wednesday evening, the team will face the Tar Heels in the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte. The four teams participating are Florida Gators, North Carolina, Michigan Wolverines, and Oklahoma Sooners. Before the matchup, the teams received gifts from the Jordan brand, which the Gators shared on social media. And after a stop at the hotel, their next destination was at 23 XI headquarters, Airspeed facility.
After a quick tour of the facility, it was time for a tire-changing competition. Eriny Kindred and Ra Shaya Kyle represented the women’s Gators and rather well at that. The two were done in seconds, receiving a loud cheer from their teammates as they won over the opponents. “found a hidden talent,” the team captioned, while Me’Arah took to her Instagram story to share the excitement with, “😭😭😭.”
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The Gators may have secured a win here, but looking at the game ahead, UNC is # 14 and has a seven-game win streak.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gators Women’s Basketball (@gatorswbk)
And for Shaquille O’Neal’s daughter, she is going through a rough patch. The 18-year-old has shown glimpses of her abilities but has not shown out consistently. Currently, she is averaging 6.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 0.8 assists across 10 games. Hopefully, for her, the Jumpman Invitational turns out to be the turning point. And the Bulls legend is facing turmoil of his own, in the same facility that Me’Arah O’Neal visited.
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Michael Jordan’s team’s future is at stake
For some time now, MJ and his 23XI Racing with Denny Hamlin are on a collision course against NASCAR. Along with Front Row Motorsports, they are the only two teams not to sign the 2025 charter agreement. Many suggest now that only winning the lawsuit can guarantee their fair participation next season.
The road hasn’t been easy at all. Federal Judge Frank Whitney denied their preliminary injunction request at the start of November, throwing both teams’ 2025 prospects in a shadow. Later, NASCAR went all in and stated, “‘Plaintiffs’ complaint reflects nothing more than dissatisfaction with business negotiations that didn’t go their way.”
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But Michael Jordan and Co. maintain that NASCAR has an unequaled amount of control over stock car racing, leaving them with no other options. The Bulls legend has no signs of backing down or hindering the joy at the facility as evident from the Gators’ visit.