Michael Jordan can survive a bad shooting night. But can he survive a viral clip?
On February 15, during the Daytona 500 celebration, a video showed the 62-year-old NBA Hall of Famer reaching toward a young boy, tugging at his T-shirt and touching his legs while speaking to him. Within hours, social media did what it does best. (Watch the video here)
One user posted, “What is Michael Jordan doing?” Another wrote, “Interesting celebration choice by Michael Jordan after winning the Daytona 500.” A third escalated it: “Michael Jordan is currently facing backlash after inappropriately touching a child during live television.” Someone even quipped, “Michael ‘Jeffery’ Jordan,” dragging Jeffrey Epstein’s name into the mix.
Others shrugged it off. “Typical uncle vibes nothing crazy,” one supporter argued.
As of February 16, neither Jordan nor 23XI Racing had addressed the chatter. That silence only added fuel to the debate. Timing didn’t help either. Just weeks earlier, in December 2025, Jordan and NASCAR settled their antitrust lawsuit in North Carolina after eight days in court. NASCAR agreed to grant teams permanent charters, a big win for 23XI Racing, which launched in 2021. Jordan had accused the organization of acting like a “monopolistic bully.”
Speaking to Fox at Daytona, he sounded focused on progress, not drama. “The thing is that both sides had been somewhat at a stalemate, and we both needed to have conversations about change, about how we can grow this sport,” he said. He added, “Don’t forget about the fans. The fans make this game so enjoyable to watch. As much as we can listen, change, please the fans, please the teams, and continually grow the sport, I think everybody is going to be ok.”
But will this actually dent Air Jordan sales?
History suggests otherwise. Jordan Brand, now part of Nike’s empire, moves billions for Michael Jordan annually. Sneaker culture thrives on nostalgia, resale value, and limited drops. Most buyers line up for the silhouette, the history, the status. Not a viral clip from a racing event.
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