NBA
The fine that led to Michael Jordan’s arrest warrant
The Bulls legend was always passionate about speed, even owning his own NASCAR team, although it was not always positive.
Michael Jordan’s career is filled with legendary, unforgettable moments that have left an indelible mark on basketball history. A singular figure, he revolutionised not only the sport itself but also the perception of African-American athletes and the financial opportunities for players beyond the court.
His legacy is undeniable: six championships in six Finals appearances, five MVP awards, six Finals MVPs, fourteen NBA All-Star selections, and ten NBA scoring titles. For many, he is considered the greatest basketball player of all time.
However, Jordan’s life, already cemented in legend, has its darker aspects—stories that blur the line between reality and myth, overshadowed by his larger-than-life persona and complex personality. His involvement in gambling, the tragic murder of his father, his first retirement from the NBA, and his controversial leadership style with the Chicago Bulls are just some of the shadowy corners of his biography. These, along with peculiar anecdotes, often made headlines. One such story is the arrest warrant issued against Michael Jordan.
Why was Michael Jordan issued an arrest warrant?
Yes, it happened. On June 6, 1989, Jordan was beginning his vacation after the Bulls’ loss to the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. It was a gruelling defeat to the “Bad Boys,” who used the famous “Jordan Rules” - a highly physical and often borderline-illegal strategy - to contain the nearly unstoppable Jordan. During those years, Jordan was known to be working intensely in the gym, preparing to finally conquer the Pistons, who won the championship in those seasons under the leadership of Isiah Thomas, bridging the gap between the Magic Johnson-Larry Bird era (until 1988) and Jordan’s reign (from 1991).
On that June day, Jordan decided to drive to his home state of North Carolina. Along the way, he passed through Lexington, Kentucky, without paying much attention to the speed limits on I-75. His 1988 Ferrari Testarossa, a car worth over $200,000 in today’s value, was clocked at 152 km/h (94 mph) in a zone where the limit was 104 km/h (65 mph). He was 26 years old, driving a flashy car, with a license plate that read “M-AIR-J.”
When police stopped him, they issued two tickets—one for speeding and another for not having his driver’s license on him. To the officers’ credit, they reported that Jordan didn’t try to use his fame to escape the situation, noting that he behaved like “an absolute and perfect gentleman.” The issue, however, escalated when Jordan forgot to pay the fines. Over a month later, a Lexington court issued a warrant for his arrest, and the story became national news.
The situation was quickly resolved. Once informed of his mistake, Jordan immediately sent the fine money and a copy of his driver’s license. Officer Barbara Allen, who processed the paperwork, sent the $102 in fines via express mail.
Jordan had a well-known fondness for speed. At times, he did leverage his celebrity status to avoid more fines. His former teammate Charles Barkley recalled, “We used to drive everywhere together, going 180, 190, sometimes even 200... One time, we saw someone gaining on us, so we sped up. Next thing we knew, there were twenty police cars stopping us. But as soon as we got out, it was all ‘Oh, Mr. Jordan, sorry about that. Just slow down a little, see you next week.’”
Jordan, a lifelong fan of NASCAR and speedway racing, grew up idolising drivers like Dale Earnhardt Sr., Richard Petty, and Cale Yarborough. Years later, he even founded his own team: 23XI Racing.