The life and career of NBA legend Michael
Jordan became a major topic of conversation
in April 2020, after the premiere of ESPN's
10-part docuseries, The Last Dance.
The project features never-before-seen footage
from the 1997–98 Chicago Bulls season, as
well as interviews with Jordan and his then
teammates, like Dennis Rodman.
Even former President Barack Obama had a cameo,
as he has a long history with the city of
Chicago.
Although many viewers are interested in the
revelations about the Chicago Bulls, others
seem preoccupied with the appearance of Jordan's
eyes.
Sports radio host Ben Maller tweeted,
"What's going on with Michael Jordan's eyes?
They look to have a shade of yellow."
Someone else posted,
"Can a medical professional explain why Michael
Jordan's eyes look like that?"
For reference, eyes that appear yellow can
indicate a health issue involving the liver,
according to the Mayo Clinic, or it could
signal a genetic disorder.
However, we don't want to speculate about
Jordan's well-being, so let's review everything
we know about his health during and after
his time in the NBA.
Although some fans are convinced that Jordan
has some sort of health issue because of his
eyes in The Last Dance, the speculation doesn't
seem to track with what his former personal
trainer, Tim Grover, told the Chicago Tribune
in 1996 about the athlete's commitment to
well-being.
Grover said at the time about Jordan's healthy
habits,
"I don't monitor Michael's nutrition plan
anywhere near as much as the younger players
I consult.
He's learned more each year what works for
him, what gives him the most energy and stamina."
That being said, Grover did note that Jordan
"tends to lose weight quickly" thanks to a
"high rate of metabolism."
The trainer addressed this issue by advising
Jordan to eat frequent and small meals throughout
the day.
As for the NBA star's fitness, Grover told
the Basketball Network in 2019,
"Michael would shut down everything outside
of basketball and just train.
Three workouts a day: workout, golf break,
workout, lunch, golf break, workout, dinner,
bed.
Every day."
"Michael forced the hand of a lot of players
to really dedicate themselves to off-season
training."
Now that Jordan is no longer a massive NBA
star, he feels more comfortable talking about
his fondness for what some might perceive
to be "negative influences."
Speaking about his passion for fine cigars
and alcohol, Jordan explained to Cigar Aficionado
in 2005,
"I'm stepping away from that public image,
from that other self that's been around for
so many years.
These are the things that I enjoy.
These are the passions that help me get from
point A to point B. The relaxation that I
get from it.
I'm not endorsing anything, or telling kids
they should pick up cigar smoking or drink
beer.
These are things that I enjoy.
This is my passion.
They are some of the things that I like to
do."
As for those who might criticize Jordan for
his choices, he had this to say:
"At some point, you have to take your life
back from the public, to enjoy it.
And I'm at that stage where now I'm taking
my life back from the public and doing the
things that I enjoy doing.
Yes, I enjoy working with kids and giving
them positive things to think about, about
how to get from where they are to where they
want to be.
But that doesn't mean that I can't be the
person that I want to be and do the things
that I want to do."
Although Jordan hasn't spoken in-depth about
his health, he has been forthcoming about
his desire to improve the well-being of others.
The athlete addressed this sentiment in 2019
when he launched the Novant Health Michael
Jordan Family Medical Clinic in Charlotte,
North Carolina.
The clinic offers care to Charlotte residents,
including underinsured and uninsured patients,
and boasts 12 exam rooms, an X-ray room, and
a physical therapy space, as well as a full-time
social worker to provide social support services
to patients.
Jordan said in a statement about his $7 million
dollar gift,
"I feel very fortunate to be able to give
back in this way, because I believe that your
ZIP code or neighborhood should not determine
the quality of your health care, or whether
or not you can even get care at all."
Circling back to the speculation about Jordan's
eyes, unless the ex-NBA star decides to address
the concerns, there's no way to prove whether
they're really valid.
By all accounts, he's a healthy 57-year-old
man, and thanks to The Last Dance, he's back
in the spotlight in a big way.
We wish him well.
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