Stephen A. Smith defends Michael Jordan amid backlash over viral Daytona 500 celebration
Michael Jordan added another ring to his collection at the Daytona 500.
Tyler Reddick won ‘The Great American Race’ — NASCAR’s biggest event — in a car co-owned by the NBA Hall of Famer.
A last-lap pass at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday saw Reddick secure a dramatic victory, and it was one that sent the greatest basketball player of all-time into a frantic celebration.
Jordan bear-hugged his 23XI Racing driver in the victory lane, and the pair hoisted the Harley J Earl Trophy together.
But one moment from MJ’s celebrations went viral online.
Michael Jordan moment turns heads at Daytona 500
As the celebratory scene unfolded, the six-time NBA champion and Chicago Bulls legend was seen with Reddick’s six-year-old son, Beau.
Jordan made pinching motions towards the back of Beau’s T-shirt, as it appeared wet.
He also appeared to brush over the boy’s legs.
Footage of the moment quickly went viral on social media, and has been viewed more than 20 million times on X alone, with thousands of people commenting.
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has now weighed in on the incident with his own thoughts.
Stephen A. Smith slams Michael Jordan critics
Speaking on his Straight Shooter show, one of the loudest voices in American media — who is said to be considering a run for president — took aim at those trying to trash MJ.
“In the aftermath of that victory, Jordan was playing around. There’s a video circulating about him with some little kid. It happened to be Tyler’s kid, by the way,” Smith began.
“Jordan was tickling his leg or what have you. And a lot of people use that as impetus to touch on the inappropriateness involving Michael Jordan.
“And I’m not going to get into all of that, to be quite honest with you. I’m not here to comment on viral clips without full context. You’ve got to contextualize these things properly. Let me try to do that for you.
“It’s a kid that Michael Jordan loves like it’s his own kid. It’s a kid that he’s known for years. That’s the son of a driver that just won the Daytona 500. It’s also a kid that Michael Jordan knows very, very well.
“If you see (other) footage, if you see pictures, he’s holding the kid in his arms, he’s walking around playing with them, and what have you.
“It’s not the first time he’s been seen with the kid. Not the second time either. He’s very, very familiar with the kid. He knows him. He’s got a lot of love for his family.”
Smith went on to say that while he is not in a position to ‘absolve anybody from anything,’ he noted that the eight-second clip could easily be taken out of context, and that things ‘could be distorted’ online.
“It’s par for the course in today’s day and age,” he added.
“But we also have to understand that you should be very, very hesitant to impugn the integrity of certain people who are as accomplished and who have done as much as Michael Jordan has done.
“Today is his 63rd birthday. Just won the Daytona 500. Playing around with a kid while his father was standing right there. And that’s the kind of conclusion that we jump to.
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“Again, you can understand in this day and age how some people would take things. But I saw the video. It’s a non-story in my opinion, based on what I saw.”
Tyler Reddick breaks silence on Michael Jordan moment
It isn’t just Smith who has commented on the viral MJ incident.
Reddick himself has opened up on his relationship with the basketball icon, and revealed he was happy to see the whole team celebrating together on Sunday.
“From my perspective, I’ve gotten to know Michael and his family very well over the years I’ve been here with 23XI, and I don’t see what other people see when it comes to this,” he said, dismissing the controversy.
“For me, it’s a huge moment; this is the biggest moment of my career. It’s a huge moment for my family and for his family.
“I just put that off to the side and think about the look on (Michael Jordan’s wife) Yvette’s face and the whole family, and his whole group when they got to victory lane too, just how happy everybody was celebrating together.
“So, that’s where I’m at with it.”
In the eyes of both Smith and Reddick, the reaction to the eight-second clip of Jordan has been wildly overblown.
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