"I got called ni**er lover"- Michael Jordan's childhood friend had to face abuse for being close to Mike

Michael Jordan was fortunate enough to attend a diverse high school, helping him make friends from all backgrounds and communities. He happened to meet one of his closest childhood friends, Bridgers, during that time. He was the son of a taxi driver from South Dakota and had moved to Wilmington.

Unfortunately, Bridgers' parents got divorced. As a result, he spent most of his childhood and high school days with the Jordans. His relationship with MJ grew at that time, and the two had an unbreakable bond.

So much so that, Bridgers stayed close to Mike, despite being abused to hang out with a black kid as a white kid. Here's what Bridgers had said about this years ago (via SI Vault):

"I got called ni**er lover and white trash, but he showed me how to ignore it. Once when I was visiting Mike up at a party in Chapel Hill, a fight broke out along racial lines. He got me out of there quick. Mike always said, 'Don't worry about race unless somebody slaps you in the face.' He's so positive. Every time I see him, it's a natural high."

Race has always been a sensitive issue and was much worse back then. However, Michael Jordan's positive attitude and composure off the basketball court and baseball field helped him handle things maturely. He didn't lose confidence or take grave offense at things he underwent as a black kid and ensured the ones around him also learned to deal with it.

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Michael Jordan managed to keep his emotions in check in his personal life

Michael Jordan's on-court and off-court personalities were entirely different. Very rarely did he express himself fully off the court. As his mother, Deloris Jordan, once said:

"Mike carries a lot inside him. I read that, and I knew."

Even now, Jordan doesn't appear in front of the media as frequently and very rarely have NBA fans seen him deal with his emotions. The incidents that led to those outbursts were also of a high magnitude.

That included his father's death, his Hall of Fame induction speech, Jordan reflecting on the adverse effects of his competitive fire in practice during his famous docuseries 'The Last Dance,' and his mentee and fellow NBA superstar Kobe Bryant's death.

Click here to read SI Vault's article on Bridgers' comments about Jordan.