The life and career of NBA legend Michael Jordan became a major topic of conversation
in April 2020, after the premiere of ESPN's 10-part docuseries, The Last Dance.
The project features never-before-seen footage from the 1997–98 Chicago Bulls season, as
well as interviews with Jordan and his then teammates, like Dennis Rodman.
Even former President Barack Obama had a cameo, as he has a long history with the city of
Chicago.
Although many viewers are interested in the revelations about the Chicago Bulls, others
seem preoccupied with the appearance of Jordan's eyes.
Sports radio host Ben Maller tweeted,
"What's going on with Michael Jordan's eyes?
They look to have a shade of yellow."
Someone else posted,
"Can a medical professional explain why Michael Jordan's eyes look like that?"
For reference, eyes that appear yellow can indicate a health issue involving the liver,
according to the Mayo Clinic, or it could signal a genetic disorder.
However, we don't want to speculate about Jordan's well-being, so let's review everything
we know about his health during and after his time in the NBA.
Although some fans are convinced that Jordan has some sort of health issue because of his
eyes in The Last Dance, the speculation doesn't seem to track with what his former personal
trainer, Tim Grover, told the Chicago Tribune in 1996 about the athlete's commitment to
well-being.
Grover said at the time about Jordan's healthy habits,
"I don't monitor Michael's nutrition plan anywhere near as much as the younger players
I consult.
He's learned more each year what works for him, what gives him the most energy and stamina."
That being said, Grover did note that Jordan "tends to lose weight quickly" thanks to a
"high rate of metabolism."
The trainer addressed this issue by advising Jordan to eat frequent and small meals throughout
the day.
As for the NBA star's fitness, Grover told the Basketball Network in 2019,
"Michael would shut down everything outside of basketball and just train.
Three workouts a day: workout, golf break, workout, lunch, golf break, workout, dinner,
bed.
Every day."
"Michael forced the hand of a lot of players to really dedicate themselves to off-season
training."
Now that Jordan is no longer a massive NBA star, he feels more comfortable talking about
his fondness for what some might perceive to be "negative influences."
Speaking about his passion for fine cigars and alcohol, Jordan explained to Cigar Aficionado
in 2005,
"I'm stepping away from that public image, from that other self that's been around for
so many years.
These are the things that I enjoy.
These are the passions that help me get from point A to point B. The relaxation that I
get from it.
I'm not endorsing anything, or telling kids they should pick up cigar smoking or drink
beer.
These are things that I enjoy.
This is my passion.
They are some of the things that I like to do."
As for those who might criticize Jordan for his choices, he had this to say:
"At some point, you have to take your life back from the public, to enjoy it.
And I'm at that stage where now I'm taking my life back from the public and doing the
things that I enjoy doing.
Yes, I enjoy working with kids and giving them positive things to think about, about
how to get from where they are to where they want to be.
But that doesn't mean that I can't be the person that I want to be and do the things
that I want to do."
Although Jordan hasn't spoken in-depth about his health, he has been forthcoming about
his desire to improve the well-being of others.
The athlete addressed this sentiment in 2019 when he launched the Novant Health Michael
Jordan Family Medical Clinic in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The clinic offers care to Charlotte residents, including underinsured and uninsured patients,
and boasts 12 exam rooms, an X-ray room, and a physical therapy space, as well as a full-time
social worker to provide social support services to patients.
Jordan said in a statement about his $7 million dollar gift,
"I feel very fortunate to be able to give back in this way, because I believe that your
ZIP code or neighborhood should not determine the quality of your health care, or whether
or not you can even get care at all."
Circling back to the speculation about Jordan's eyes, unless the ex-NBA star decides to address
the concerns, there's no way to prove whether they're really valid.
By all accounts, he's a healthy 57-year-old man, and thanks to The Last Dance, he's back
in the spotlight in a big way.
We wish him well.
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