Charles Barkley Describes Michael Jordan's Poker Strategy and it's the Least Surprising Thing of All Time
By Jerry Trotta
In terms of revealing the darker side of Michael Jordan, "The Last Dance" -- ESPN's documentary recounting the Chicago Bulls' dynasty in the 1990s -- did just that during episodes five and six on Sunday night.
The latest installment highlighted Jordan's gambling habits, including his heavily-ridiculed trip to Atlantic City during the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals, as well as his regular hefty spending during his golf outings.
MJ also took a great shine to poker, and Charles Barkley recently described the strategy the five-time MVP uses to come out on top. Let's just say that it's the least surprising thing ever.
In an interview with Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter, Barkley recalled that Jordan would casually make ginormous bets simply because he possessed more money than Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson, and the Chuckster.
"Me and Scottie don’t have as much money as Michael and Magic," said Barkley, "but we knew that no matter what the cards were, at the end of the night, or three or four times a night, Michael was always gonna try to buy the pot."
As "The Last Dance" has shown, Jordan is just as cutthroat and competitive off the hardwood as he is on it. Much like in basketball, the NBA legend didn't just try to take down the poker pot. He tried to humiliate his opponents in the process. No wonder half the Bulls team held separate games of cards in which they made small wagers. They couldn't afford to bet with their superstar teammate.
Jordan was all-in all the time in every aspect of life.