Michael Jordan is arguably the most famous NBA athlete to have marked his presence worldwide. The Chicago Bulls legend became a household name due to his fierceness and zeal to win every time he stepped on the court. Moreover, Jordan’s sensational performance and consistency on the court, along with his popularity off it made him an invaluable asset for the NBA and endorsement brands. Despite being open with the people and media, Jordan refrained from sharing his beliefs about political situations. However, Michael Jordan once took a rare political stance about the Persian Gulf War in support of his elder brother.

Michael Jordan was concerned after hearing about the America-Iraq war in January 1991 as his brother was in the military. The emotional moment for Jordan ended up triggering a rare political comment from the six-time NBA champ.

Michael Jordan made a rare political comment in 1991

As per Sam Smith’s book The Jordan Rules, The Bulls traveled to Orlando on January 16, 1991, to kick off a four-game road trip. However, around half an hour before the game, the news about America commencing the bombings on Iraq quickly spread.

Smith reckoned that the Bulls team ended up watching the TV news reports instead of their usual routine of going through pregame footage of their opponents before the game. However, the news also turned out to be an emotional one for Jordan as his elder brother, Ronnie James, was stationed in Germany at the time.

After figuring out that his brother might be called for the war, Jordan ended up making a rare political comment after the initial reports spread around. As per the book, Michael Jordan said, “We’re gonna kick their a**es. We’re gonna show them, they can’t mess with us.”

Sam Smith reckoned that while the response from Jordan was not uncommon, he could sense MJ’s worries about his brother during an emotional situation for the nation, which became more important than the game.

Jordan once applauded his brother’s service to the nation

Back in 2010, Michael Jordan was sworn in as an honorary member of the Army National Guard. The Bulls legend took his oath at the Army National Guard Readiness Center. MJ talked about being close to the military because his brother Raymond Jordan was a retired Command Sgt. Major. While praising his brother, Michael Jordan said, “I have a brother who has been in the service for 31 years and he represents more than what I’ve done on the basketball court. He’s really my hero.”

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Jordan reckoned that his brother had been his role model while putting Ronnie’s service to the nation above his own achievements in the NBA.