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Drake Claims Michael Jordan Once Lost $20K on Ping Pong
The Chicago Bulls legend is apparently a relentless competitor in all things, on the hardwood and off.
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Alex Kirschenbaum is a Newsweek reporter covering sports and entertainment contentĀ based in Los Angeles. He has in-depth knowledge of all things basketball, particularly the NBA and WNBA. Alex joined Newsweek in 2024 and also has written for Sports Illustrated, Men's Journal, Hoops Rumors, Trailers From Hell, Memphis Grizzlies fan site Grizzly Bear Blues, Chicago Bulls fan sites Blog-A-Bull and Pippen Ain't Easy, among others. He is a graduate of Northwestern University. You can get in touch with Alex by emailing a.kirschenbaum@newsweek.com. Languages: English.
Writers PageContributing Sports Writer
Hall of Fame former Chicago Bulls shooting guard Michael Jordan has been praised for his skills on the court, his acumen as a businessman, and his instincts as a brand ambassador.
And though he's known to be a major gambling aficionado, the five-time league MVP swingman hasn't necessarily been thought of as an expert bettor.
During a new RapTV interview with Stake, multiplatinum hip-hop superstar Drake explained that the man many consider the NBA's GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) was the best gambler he's ever seen, too.
"Gambling GOAT? To me? Controversial take but Michael Jordan," Drake told Stake. "He'll gamble on anything. I think I remember it was All-Star Weekend [in] Toronto [in 2016], and he had an event to be at. I beat him at ping-pong, like, a couple times, and he just wouldn't leave the ping-pong table. He kept just betting me, like, bands. 10 bands [$10,000], 20 bands [$20,000]."
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Both superstars could afford to lose that kind of coin. According to Forbes in January 2025, Jordan is net worth an estimated $3.5 billion. Madison Freeman of Men's Journal pegs Drake's worth at $250 million.
Michael Jordan, NBA Hall of Famer and co-owner of 23XI Racing walks the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 27, 2024 in Homestead, Florida. Michael Jordan, NBA Hall of Famer and co-owner of 23XI Racing walks the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 27, 2024 in Homestead, Florida. James Gilbert/Getty Images"Just kept betting because he just couldn't stomach the loss, you know? He's definitely not a quitter," Drake said. "I respect him deeply for his gambling nature. So, yeah, I'd say Michael Jordan's definitely one of one."
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A gambler who loses $20,000 and doesn't know when to quit doesn't quite sound like the "best" gambler ever to us, but then again, we don't have $20,000 on hand to gamble, so who are we to judge? If by "best" Drake meant "most committed," then he may have had a point.
Jordan's legendary competitiveness inspired perhaps the best career in the history of the game. The North Carolina alum captured six NBA championships and six NBA Finals MVP awards in the span of eight seasons while obliterating rival Hall of Famers in his wake, and was the best two-way player in the game for a decade.
The 14-time All-Star remains the most prolific scorer in the history of the game, with a record career regular season average of 30.1 points on .497/.327/.835 shooting splits, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.8 blocks a night. He led the league in scoring 10 times and in steals thrice. Jordan was also an 11-time All-NBA Honoree, a nine-time All-Defensive Teamer, the 1988 Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time Olympic gold medalist.
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For more on Michael Jordan and the NBA, check out Newsweek Sports.
