Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan turned down $152 million for a two-hour appearance

Michael Jordan once turned down AU$152 million for a two-hour appearance, his agent has revealed.

Despite being no stranger to high-profile endorsements and marketing events, the NBA legend is known for selecting his associations very carefully.

And the 57-year-old’s agent, David Falk, has spoken of occasions when Jordan felt no need to take a chunky pay cheque for a short day's work.

He told WFAN: “(Jordan) turned down a deal to do a one-day golf appearance when he was in Asia a few years ago for a pre-season game with Charlotte.

“And some woman in the Philippines offered me seven million dollars for one day, wanted him to play in a golf tournament. And he turned it down.

“I brought him a deal three years ago for 100 million (US) dollars.

“And all he had to do, other than give his name and likeness, was make one two-hour appearance to announce the deal. And he turned it down.”
 

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Jordan’s sponsorship deals have revolutionised basketball and wider sport with Nike’s Air Jordan range earning the American around $200 million-a-year, according to Forbes.

After signing up with the likes of Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Chevrolet during his playing days, Jordan cut back his commitments after his third retirement but remains tied to a handful of brands, including Gatorade.

That kept the Chicago Bulls legend’s non-Nike earnings at a healthy $23 million in 2019.

Therefore it is little surprise that Jordan’s net worth to top $3.15 billion, largely down to his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets NBA team.

And while fans rarely get to hear from the basketball hero, he has recently drawn back the curtain to appear on ESPN’s The Last Dance documentary series.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission