Michael Jordan might have been fearless and laser-focused on the court but he developed a phobia after two incredibly traumatic experiences in his life.
Jordan’s skill level was innate but so too was his elite mentality, hence why he always showed up in clutch moments and won six NBA titles.
But as a youngster, the six-time world champion was greatly affected by two events that would change his life forever.
At the age of seven, Jordan’s friend lost his life after an accident in the sea. The Chicago Bulls icon held his companion’s hand as tightly as he could but he could not compete with the current and had to make the difficult decision to release.
Recalling the tragedy to Playboy magazine in 1992, he said: “I went swimming with a very good friend one day, and we were having fun catching waves.
“At one point, the current was so strong that it swallowed him, and he grabbed onto me. It’s called ‘the death lock’ when someone can die. I practically had to break his hand, he was going to take me with him.”
That ordeal was difficult enough for a young person but another distressing event witnessed by Jordan happened just four years later.
Image: Alamy
He had a drowning scare while at baseball camp at the age of 11 and then while at college, his girlfriend at the time drowned while everyone was away for vacation.
That led to Jordan suffering from hydrophobia, something he discussed openly in his autobiography ‘For the Love of the Game: My Story’.
“I’m not going in the water anymore,” he declared.
“Everyone has a phobia about something. I stay away from water.”
Michael Jordan’s yacht in Croatia. Image: Alamy
Thankfully, the 60-year-old was able to overcome that fear and gets around on an insane super yacht worth $80 million dollars.
Still, he does have some reservations, adding: “Only big ones [boats], not small ones, and I need a life jacket.”
