Michael Jordan Releases A Statement On George Floyd And Those Who Have Been ‘Senselessly Taken Through Acts Of Racism And Injustice’

Michael Jordan, arguably the most famous athlete on the planet, has joined the chorus of prominent voices condemning the murder of George Floyd and calling for racial reconciliation in America.

Floyd, 46, was killed by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin last Monday after Chauvin held his left knee on Floyd’s neck for for 8 minutes, 46 seconds — 2 minutes, 53 seconds of which occurred after Floyd was non-responsive. Chauvin was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. No charges have yet been brought against the other three officers at the scene.

“I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry,” said Jordan, the six-time NBA champion recently featured in the 10-part ESPN documentary “The Last Dance.” “I see and feel everyone’s pain, outrage and frustration. I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country. We have had enough.

“I don’t have the answers, but our collective voices show strength and the inability to be divided by others. We must listen to each other, show compassion and empathy and never turn our backs on senseless brutality. We need to continue peaceful expressions against injustice and demand accountability. Our unified voice needs to put pressure on our leaders to change our laws, or else we need to use our vote to create systemic change. Every one of us needs to be a part of the solution, and we must work together to ensure justice for all.

“My heard goes out to the family of George Floyd and to the countless others whose lives have been brutally and senselessly taken through acts of racism and injustice.”

Jordan’s own father, James Jordan, who was in many way’s Michael’s closest friend, was murdered in 1993 when two 18-year-old men shot him and robbed him after he took a nap in his car on the side of the road, authorities determined. The two teens, Larry Demery and Daniel Green, were convicted and are serving life sentences.

The death of James Jordan led to Michael’s first retirement from the Bulls in 1993, after the team’s first three-peat. After a stint playing baseball, Jordan returned to lead the Bulls to a second three-peat between 1996-98.

Jordan was famously non-political during his playing days, once refusing to endorse Harvey Gantt, a Democratic candidate for Senate in North Carolina against the Republican Jesse Helms, famously saying, “Republicans buy sneakers, too.”

In “The Last Dance,” he amplified his original comment:

“I don’t think that statement needs to be corrected because I said it in jest on a bus with Horace Grant and Scottie Pipeen,” Jordan said. “It was thrown off the cuff. My mother asked to do a PSA for Harvey Gantt, and I said, ‘Look, Mom, I’m not speaking out of pocket about someone that I don’t know. But I will send a contribution to support him.’ Which is what I did.

“I do commend Muhammad Ali for standing up for what he believed in. But I never thought of myself as an activist. I thought of myself as a basketball player.

“I wasn’t a politician when I was playing my sport. I was focused on my craft. Was that selfish? Probably. But that was my energy. That’s where my energy was.”