Michael Jordan’s net worth flex when he gifted Charles Barkley a $20,000 diamond earring just for mind games during 1993 NBA Finals: “What’s $20,000 to me? I hate that fat f**k”

NBA legend Michael Jordan’s net worth has reached as high as over $2 billion since his retirement. This comes from a combination of his career earnings, sponsorships from companies like Nike and his ownership of the Charlotte Hornets. So it’s safe to say that Jordan will never have to worry about finances again.

However, it appears Jordan felt the same way during his playing days as well. He reportedly gave an expensive gift to one of his top opponents just to try and get a slight competitive edge.

Back in 1993, Jordan’s Chicago Bulls were facing fellow Charles Barkley’s Phoenix Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals. Barkley was the reigning NBA MVP at the time. In between Game 3 and Game 4, with the Bulls up 2-1, Jordan decided to take Barkley out for 48 holes of golf. He then proceeded to gift Barkley a $20,000 diamond earring.

It was reported that Chicago Bulls assistant coach Johnny Bach later asked Jordan why he did it. Jordan then told him that he did it to trick Barkley into thinking they were friends. That way Barkley would stay out of his way for the rest of the finals.

“He won’t get in my way the rest of the series. What’s $20,000 to me? Charles thinks we’re great friends. I hate that fat f**k,” Jordan said.

Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls went on to win Game 4 with Jordan dropping an NBA Finals career-high of 55 points. He followed that up with 41 points in a Game 5 Loss before scoring 33 in Game 6 to close out the Suns. The win would mark Jordan and the Bulls’ third straight championship, and the first of the franchise's eventual two 3-peats.

It’s unclear if Jordan’s fake friendship with Barkley impacted Barkley’s mentality at all. Barkley still finished with 32, 24 and 21 points respectively in Games 4, 5 and 6. He also had a triple-double in Game 4. Nonetheless, it was still a massive flex that demonstrated Michael Jordan’s net worth and competitive edge.

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What is Michael Jordan’s net worth as of 2022?

Michael Jordan’s net worth as of 2022 is estimated to be around $1.6 billion. It has dropped by $500 million since 2020 when it was reported to be $2.1 billion. Back in 2020, Forbes reported that Jordan was the richest former professional athlete in the world.

Michael Jordan’s net worth includes $90 million from his playing career. However, a majority of Jordan’s earnings have come from his royalty deals with Nike as well as his ownership of the Charlotte Hornets. It’s been reported that the Hornets franchise has risen in value from $175 million in 2010, when Jordan purchased the team, to $1.5 billion today.

For more on Michael Jordan's net worth as of 2022, click here.

Also read: Understanding the Isiah Thomas vs Michael Jordan rivalry: Why it started and how has it developed since