Michael Jordan’s 27-year-old daughter Jasmine has opened up about what it has been like to get a glimpse into her father’s life as a superstar athlete while watching a docuseries about his time playing with the Chicago Bulls.
While Jasmine knows the NBA star simply as ‘dad’, the ESPN series The Last Dance has given her unique insight into the psyche of Michael Jordan, the heralded athlete – and the world that he occupied for so long before becoming a father.
The mother-of-one, who is Michael’s youngest child from his first marriage to Juanita Vanoy, wasn’t born when her dad won the first two of his six championships with the Chicago Bulls, so like many watching The Last Dance, there are some things about her father that she’s learning for the first time.
Insight: Michael Jordan’s daughter Jasmine, 27, has opened up about what it has been like to watch her father’s ESPN docuseries The Last Dance
Two worlds: The mother-of-one, pictured with her father as a baby, said that she has been texting with Michael every week to get his thoughts on each episode
‘Human’: Jasmine said she was surprised that her ‘very private’ father has shown so much emotion during the series, but said she is glad people are seeing his ‘human’ side
‘I’m definitely texting him nonstop,’ she said. ‘I think there hasn’t been an episode, a Sunday where I haven’t been like, “This happened-let me know your thoughts.”
‘I was super young, so I’m really taking this in as a fan.’
The 10-part docuseries, airing on ESPN in the United States and on Netflix elsewhere, details the 1998 Bulls’ season, Jordan’s final year with the team and the organization’s last championship.
While it focuses on the challenges and triumphs of Jordan’s illustrious basketball career, it also delves into personal tragedies, such as the murder of his father, and scandal, such as his public gambling habits.
The series has sparked several much controversy, with some stating that it sheds a light on the ‘dark side’ of Michael’s career, while others who knew him during the height of his career have been prompted to speak out about his ‘mean’ behavior both on and off the court.
However, for Jasmine, the series has given her fresh perspective about her father’s time in the NBA, and has allowed her to share a part of his life that she never had the chance to be hugely involved in before, and that is something she has treasured while watching.
‘It’s been incredible to watch,’ she explained. ‘You know, I didn’t get any previews or anything like that, so I’m watching it real time with everyone else and really just taking it in as a fan, essentially. So it’s been really eye-opening.’
One of the most interesting aspects of the series for Michael’s daughter has been watching the way her father dealt with pressure, with Jasmine praising him for his ability to ’embrace’ those expectations.
‘I think if you remove the basketball aspect and all the accolades he achieved for obvious reasons, I think I’m definitely learning that my dad was really trying to take in the pressures and the expectations and not allowing it to weigh on him and really manifesting it to his own,’ she said.
‘I’ve definitely been seeing him really take on that role and embracing that role and not running from it and really becoming the greatest player to ever play the game. That’s because he always wanted to do that.’
The great motivator: Michael would motivate his children to greatness with the same ‘energy’ that Jasmine saw on the courts, she revealed
Pushing ahead: She said that watching him trying to get ‘fire and tenacity’ out of his teammates reminded her of how Michael would push her to achieve greatness at school
‘Incredible’: Seeing the documentary unfold and he’s getting emotional and he’s sharing his insight… it’s been incredible to really see,’ Jasmine, pictured with her dad and brothers, said
Michael’s candor in the series has also surprised Jasmine, who describes her father as being ‘very private’, noting that he often marches to the beat of his own drum and doesn’t like to follow anyone else’s commands.
‘It’s definitely surprising because my father is very private,’ she said. ‘He doesn’t like to comment on social matters or he doesn’t like to respond to things when people want him to. He definitely likes to move methodically on his terms and on his time.
‘And then with saying that, seeing the documentary unfold and he’s getting emotional and he’s sharing his insight and perspective, it’s been incredible to really see.
‘And I love it because it gives him that human nature that I think people forget. You know, he is this incredible phenom, and he’s the G.O.A.T., and everything along those lines. But he’s also human.’
With that being said, Jasmine has also recognized certain personality traits in her father that he carried over from the court into his personal life – namely his ability to motivate and inspire, allowing his own competitive nature to push others towards greatness.
Michael would even employ the same tactics that he used to fire up his teammates on Jasmine herself, with the 27-year-old joking that he would always try and motivate her towards excellence, even if that simply meant scoring an A on a school test.
‘I know when it comes to the game, his passion is unmatched. His energy’s unmatched,’ she explained. ‘So when he’s going at Steve Kerr or checking Scottie and trying to get that fire and tenacity out of them, I’m like, “Oh, yeah, that’s Dad.”
‘I mean, he’ll do that to me just so I can get an A out of a test or two. And I’m just trying to pass school, I’m not even winning championships. So that is definitely totally him.’
But despite the basketball star’s ferocious dedication to his career, Jasmine says he did a good job of balancing that with his role as a father – and the pair have always had an incredibly close relationship as a result.
‘When he was playing, he did his best to be as involved as he could be while I was growing up,’ she shared. ‘He made sure to take me to school when he could or go to my recitals and dance and things like that that I was a part of.’
Close bond: The mom-of-one, pictured with Michael in 2012, describes herself as a ‘Daddy’s girl’ and says that her father still calls her ‘Princess’ even now
Heartwarming: Jasmine also praised Michael’s relationship with her son, joking that the NBA star turns to ‘Silly Putty’ whenever he is around his grandson
She added: ‘I was definitely a daddy’s girl growing up. And, you know, he still calls me “Princess” to this day and I’m almost 30,’ she shared. ‘He definitely wanted to coddle and protect and nurture and baby me as much as he can.
‘But you also knew the harsh reality of the burden that I was going to have to endure the older I got. So he wanted to make sure I had tough skin. And I understood that, hey, there’s going to be a target on my back.’
Michael officially retired from basketball – which he did twice, once in 1993, three months after his father was murdered – and then again in January, 1999, having returned to the sport for three years following a brief career as a Minor League Baseball player.
After his retirement, Jasmine says that her relationship with her father changed, explaining that they took the opportunity to strengthen their bond even more.
‘Once he retired, it definitely was a change in gears, and it was something that he and I really had a conversation about,’ she recalled. ‘It’s like, “OK, you’re done. So how do we work on the relationship? How do we even make it stronger than what it was like?”
‘So we definitely really worked hard and put forth that effort because obviously once you take something you love away from somebody, it’s that hole – it’s a void. So do you fill it or do you just adjust?
‘He definitely adjusted versus trying to find something else to fill it, and that’s something I appreciated. That’s how we’re so close today.’
While the world knows Michael Jordan as an NBA legend, Jasmine says he is first and foremost a father and grandfather – and she jokes that the ferocious sportstar turns into ‘Silly Putty’ whenever he is around his grandson.
‘He’s Silly Putty. My son has him wrapped around his fingers already,’ she revealed. ‘He’s been very hands-on and very involved in my son, even during these crazy times. He FaceTimes everyday or Zoom or something just so that way, that relationship can continue to cultivate and bond and grow.
‘My dad would probably let my son get away with murder at this point. It’s an incredible relationship to see them develop.’
