Michael Jordan may have been one of the toughest competitors to ever play in the NBA--but off the court, he’s not worried about keeping up that same persona.
Since his time playing basketball, the Chicago Bulls legend not only became a father, but a grandfather. And according to his eldest daughter, Jasmine Mickael Jordan, the star we all know and love is unnrecognizable in his new role as a grandpa.
“Michael Jordan, the grandpa, is soft,” the 28-year-old said in a video feature for Togethxr. “My son definitely has my dad wrapped around his finger.”
She went on to say, “He loves being a grandfather, and my son is his first grandchild.”
The basketball icon is also a father to Jeffrey Michael Jordan, 32, and Marcus James Jordan, 30, whom he welcomed with his first wife, Juanita Vanoy. After splitting from Vanoy in 2006, the Bulls baller went on to marry his current wife, Yvette Prieto , in 2013. Together, they share 7-year-old twins Ysabel and Victoria Jordan.
While MJ isn’t quite as fierce off the court, that doesn’t mean he didn’t instill that same work ethic he’s famous for in his children.
Jordan-Christmas joined Togethxr for the latest episode of its “More Than A Name” series, set out to explain a woman’s value beyond the famous professional athlete with whom they share their last name. They have previously featured Maya Brady, Trinity Rodman, Asia Irving, Sydel Curry, and more.
“I love to work,” Jordan-Christmas told the outlet. “I love knowing that, at the end of the day, my son gets to see me get up and go after it versus just sitting at home, riding on the coattails of my father. He instilled hard work and commitment, and it was all I saw.”
She continued, “When people say that I‘m only me because of who my father is, I laugh. There’s not one person that has encountered or worked with me that would agree with that statement....I’m gonna make sure that when I enter a room, you hear ‘Jasmine’ before you hear ‘Michael Jordan’s daughter.’”
