Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
Sport
Phil Thompson

Michael Jordan's kids show a different side of their dad during podcast interview

CHICAGO _ "The Last Dance" docuseries already has revealed much more about Michael Jordan than many basketball fans thought they knew about the Bulls legend, but his three adult children shed a bit more light about him during a video chat interview on Thursday.

Jeffrey, Marcus and Jasmine Jordan have been on something of a media tour lately, going on the "Today" show and "Strahan, Sara and Keke" and granting other interviews together and separately to talk about the appetite for all things MJ that has been generated by "The Last Dance."

And what they told "Dish Nation" co-host Headkrack reaffirms what we've come to know about Jordan: There's rarely an off switch for that G.O.A.T. mentality.

When Jasmine and former Pacers and Syracuse forward Rakeem Christmas welcomed a son in May 2019, "it definitely took (Michael) a little while to embrace that grandpop name and that role," Jasmine said of her father, who had twin daughters with his second wife, Yvette, in February 2014. "He literally wanted my son to call him 'Michael' for the first year. And I was like, 'No, we're not doing this.'

"It's like, you've got to accept it. You are a grandfather," Jasmine said. "It is what it is. So now he's officially like embracing it, but it's definitely a journey and he just loves my son. So it's awesome to see them get together."

Jordan's oldest children gave other peeks into his personality.

"He's got to be drinking his tequila to be in a dancing mood," Marcus said.

"I think the only (social media) we would try to get him on is maybe Twitter," Jasmine said. "But then again, as you can see, his (expletive) talk is already reckless."

Jeffrey remembers dad being on the phone "the most" with the late Kobe Bryant, who died with 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash in January.

"I just remember overhearing those conversations where it was just like any other friend, just catching up, cracking jokes _ 'How are the kids?' " Jeffrey said. "But then it starts to descend into this serious strategy, supreme-mindset conversation, which was super dope to see. And that's kind of the level that I feel like they really genuinely connected at the most.

"It's definitely dope to see him reacting with some of his peers back then and even now."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.