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Michael Jordan, NBA Hall of Famer and co-owner of 23XI Racing reacts in victory lane after Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Chumba Casino Toyota, wins the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2026 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The viral video featuring NBA legend Michael Jordan and Beau Reddick, son of NASCAR driver Tyler Reddick, has sparked mixed reactions on social media.
While some fans and analysts feel Jordan is being unfairly maligned, others believe the 6-time NBA champion may have tarnished his otherwise spotless legacy.
“People have to try and sexualize everything,” fumed X user Brian Krassenstein, while reacting to a clip of Jordan repeatedly pinching the lower back of Beau.
“The kid is wet and probably has ice down his shirt after the celebration. Stop trying to pretend that Michael Jordan sexually assaulted a kid on national TV. It says MORE about you than him.”
Michael Jordan Viral Video
Elsewhere, Barstool Sports’ Kevin Clancy concluded that Jordan ruined 40 years of goodwill with sports fans through actions some have deemed inappropriate.
“That MJ video is a real problem man,” wrote the commentator. “A reaaal problem. 40 yrs of arguably the coolest legacy ever, all out the window in 10 seconds. It’s inconceivable for someone from my era for MJ to look like this.
“But that’s the price you pay for grabbing kids butts I suppose.”
Neither Jordan’s camp nor 23XI Racing has issued a response to the backlash.
Michael Jordan Controversy
The controversy came out of left field for some, who noted that Jordan shares close ties with Tyler Reddick and his family, including Beau. To that end, Reddick revealed in a 2024 interview that his wife’s father, Jose DeLeon, once played with Jordan during the Chicago Bulls legend’s brief baseball stint in the early 1990s.
“I think they spent some time together in spring training,” Reddick said of Jordan and his wife, Alexa DeLeon‘s father, Jose.
“I wish I knew all the details of it. I’ve seen a couple photos Alexa and her mom have. But they did get to spend some time together during her dad’s time at the (Chicago) White Sox when Michael was a part of the White Sox spring training. They got to know each other through that. I think there’s even a picture — I could be wrong — of MJ holding Alexa as a baby. I feel like that’s a story I heard years ago.
“But they had some interaction. I’ve never actually asked Michael about it. I’ve wanted to, but I just haven’t.”
Michael Jordan ‘Ecstatic’ With Win
The Jordan-owned NASCAR franchise won the 2026 Daytona 500 on Sunday, marking the team’s biggest win since the NBA icon launched it with Denny Hamlin in 2020.
Jordan, who won six NBA titles in his career, admitted that watching Tyler Reddick’s stunning victory — which came down to last-lap heroics — made him feel as if he had won a championship.
“It feels like I won a championship, but until I get my ring, I won’t even know,” Jordan said, via NPR.
“I can’t even believe it. It was so gratifying,” Jordan added. “You never know how these races are going to end. You just try to survive. We hung in there all day. Great strategy by the team, and we gave ourselves a chance at the end. Look, I’m ecstatic.”
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided’s Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan
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