Two decades after leaving the game, the competitive fire in Michael Jordan still burns. The Chicago Bulls legend may be long retired from the NBA, but his drive hasn’t faded. Now, as co-owner of 23XI Racing, he’s found a new arena to compete—proving his hunger to win never left.
Recently, in an interview with Gayle King for CBS Mornings, MJ touched on various topics, including his desire to pick up a basketball again, as the competitive fire still burns in his heart. When asked if he still has the urge to play basketball again, Jordan said, “100%. It’s not just a tiny bit; it’s a huge piece. I’ve compensated that feeling through NASCAR. That urge to dream that I wish I could still pick up a basketball, I would love to do that. Believe me. My competitive juices, yeah, I would definitely love to do that.”
Interestingly, Jordan’s team, 23XI Racing, is at the top of the NASCAR standings, and he celebrated with his driver, Tyler Reddick, after his fourth win of the young season in Darlington. “You never know what’s gonna happen, especially at Darlington,’ Jordan told FS1 after the win. ‘We just had to get the car right and [Reddick] kept his composure.”
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NASCAR is an extremely demanding sport, and though Jordan is not in the car or in the thick of the action, he is still deeply involved as a co-owner. So when he says that NASCAR has replaced basketball after retirement, it’s legit. He enjoys a much quieter life as a co-owner of an NASCAR team.
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“It’s a quieter life where I’m not really the show, even though as of late, you know, I’ve been in the forefront … a lot more than I probably anticipated,” he told King. “But I think the sport needs it to some degree, and my team needs it, and I want them to see the passion that I have for winning and for the– you know, being a part of the team.”
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“But it’s something that I think keeps me alive,” he added.
Jordan isn’t alone in this post-career pivot. Many legendary athletes have channeled their unrelenting competitive spirit into team ownership across various sports, staying connected to the games they love while stepping into new leadership roles.
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For example, Magic Johnson — another NBA icon — has built a significant portfolio of investments beyond basketball. He holds a minority stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB) and is a part-owner of Los Angeles FC (MLS), among other ventures. These investments have allowed him to remain a prominent figure in Los Angeles sports while pursuing business success off the court.
Similarly, baseball superstar Derek Jeter served as part-owner and CEO of the Miami Marlins (MLB) from 2017 to 2022. With a small ownership stake, Jeter oversaw day-to-day operations, bringing his on-field leadership and competitive mindset directly into the front office.
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This pattern extends further: LeBron James has taken minority stakes in teams like Liverpool FC (soccer), while others like Dwyane Wade (Utah Jazz) and various retired stars have followed suit in basketball and beyond. Jordan’s earlier majority ownership of the Charlotte Hornets (which he largely sold in 2023 while retaining a minority share) already placed him in this exclusive club.
His current NASCAR venture with 23XI Racing reflects the same hunger to compete, now expressed through team success rather than personal stats.
Even after 23 years of retirement, His Airness is often considered the best player ever to play basketball. People from that era support MJ as the greatest of all time. However, most fans from this era have their favorites. But the former Chicago Bulls star is unbothered about the GOAT debate and doesn’t believe in it.
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Michael Jordan shares his verdict on the GOAT debate
Michael Jordan is considered one of the best players to feature in the NBA. He has won the championship six times in his career while also securing several other honors. Other than having a sensational resume in the NBA, the Hall of Famer shaped an era of how basketball was viewed as a sporting product in the US and also across the globe.
Therefore, not only is he a legendary player, but he has also left an indelible mark on pop culture around the game with the introduction of his sneaker brand.
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For various reasons, he is hailed by fans, players, and analysts as the greatest player of all time. When he was asked about the GOAT tag and the debate around it, people expected a definitive answer, but the 63-year-old shocked everyone with his response.
“There’s no such thing as a GOAT, not to me. We’re all built from the ones before us. Every generation learns from the last and pushes the game forward. So to say one is better than the other, that’s not really right,” Jordan told King.
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It is surprising for fans to see a player who used to dominate the league and prove, day in and day out, that he was better than his fellow competitors. But his demeanor has completely changed after retirement, and when speaking about the legacy that he has left behind. The change makes sense even though it is surprising.
The GOAT debate has been an integral part of NBA discourse, and it is not restricted to fans. Even analysts set up sessions discussing the same. Players from different eras are often measured, compared, and their numbers dissected. Overall, it is good for discourse and the league’s culture.
But Jordan understands that players from different eras cannot be compared. The game has changed multiple times across eras; rules have also changed, and the playing style is different now compared to what it was in the 1980s and 90s. So the comparison between superstars from each era is actually futile.
Each generation of players builds on what came before them by learning, adapting, and adjusting to the league’s speed, rules, and style. So Jordan sees himself as part of that entire ecosystem, not someone above it.