Legendary basketball player Michael Jordan says he went into his lawsuit against NASCAR with the same mentality that won him six NBA championships.
While much of the terms of his settlement with the organization are not known, Jordan made one thing clear in a recent interview; he wasn’t going to back down.
‘I was all in. I was going to win.’
As owner of 23XI racing team, Jordan sued NASCAR in October 2024, claiming the organization used unfair practices to decide which teams can participate. The parties have since agreed to a settlement, with Jordan revealing in a recent interview that he felt he had to take up the legal battle in order to protect the future of the sport for its racing teams and drivers.
Having always been a fan of NASCAR, Jordan said that when he was focused on basketball, he didn’t quite grasp its inner workings, but when he got into the series, he started to “see how things [were] operating.”
“It was lopsided. It was wrong. The sport was not set up for success long-term for the individuals that’s involved in the sport,” Jordan told “CBS Sunday Morning.”
The basketball hall of famer pointed to an unequal system between NASCAR ownership and the racing teams.
“Now, up top, yeah, you know, they were making a good living,” he told host Gayle King.
Jordan said his motivation to make a lasting impression on the sport pushed him to go through with the lawsuit, compelling him to make his mark whether he won or lost.
“I was nervous. Any courtroom makes me nervous ’cause that’s not where I want to be, really. 100%,” he continued. “But I was all in. I was going to win.”
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The 63-year-old Jordan said it was never his intention to “attack NASCAR,” but at the same time, he still went in to the lawsuit with a fighter’s mentality.
“This fight was needed. And if I got kicked out, at least I made people aware that change needs to happen in this sport. So I went in with the idea that even if I lost, I won.”
Jordan followed up the December 2025 settlement by going on a tear to start the 2026 season; driver Tyler Reddick won the first three races of the season for 23XI racing team, something no team had ever done in the previous 77 years of NASCAR.
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Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
During his recent interview, Jordan spoke on his unending competitive spirit, and he said that he uses NASCAR to compensate for a “huge piece” of him that still wishes he could play basketball.
“[It’s] not the same as me playing in Chicago … but it’s something that I think keeps me alive,” Jordan said, comparing his current temperament to his playing days.
“That urge, the dream, that I wish I can still pick up a basketball. …Yeah, I would definitely love to do that.”
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