“Wouldn’t have picked him if…” Michael Jordan, who ‘don’t sign checks for losers’ revealed the reason behind Bubba Wallace’s hiring
Michael Jordan has already won 4 Cup races as a team owner.
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Michael Jordan and Bubba Wallac
NBA legend Michael Jordan has been a NASCAR fan for a long time. Hailing from Charlotte, the Mecca of NASCAR, his love for the premier stock car racing championship sprouted in his childhood. In 2021 he joined hands with veteran NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin to field his own NASCAR team. He named his team 23XI Racing and started fielding Toyota Camry.
Jordan and Hamlin hired NASCAR’s only black driver, Bubba Wallace, to drive the No:23 car. While Jordan was welcomed with both hands to NASCAR, the racing community was critical about Wallace getting the seat. Fans then claimed Wallace was signed because of his fame and not his racing prowess.
The basketball legend rubbished all those claims before the start of the 2021 season. He pointed out that he doesn’t sign talents that won’t win for his teams. Jordan added that he wouldn’t have signed Wallace if he wasn’t convinced of his skill set. He was confident that the driver could win multiple season races with them.
“We don’t sign checks for losers. I feel like he’s going to learn how to win. He’s got the talent. We would not have invested in him and picked him if he didn’t have the talent to win. By the end of the year, I think he will have an opportunity, and he probably will win at least a couple of races. If it’s more, I’d be elated,” Jordan said.
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Bubba Wallace has delivered wins Michael Jordan demanded of him
Wallace has evolved into a strong competitor with the 23XI team and established itself as a team capable of fighting for the championship. The No:23 driver has scored two wins for the team, and the team has secured a total of 4 Cup race wins. Wallace’s teammates Kurt Busch and Tyler Reddick achieved the other two wins.
He scored his maiden NASCAR win in 2021 during the playoffs. It was a controversial win, and it came in Talladega. The race was cut short due to rain, and the Toyota driver was awarded the win as he led the race before the caution was called. Unfortunately, Wallace’s win was only the second-ever NASCAR Cup race win of a black athlete.
Wallace won his second race during the 2022 playoff. He won the race convincingly at Kansas Speedway, outracing his boss Denny Hamlin in the final laps. He became the most accomplished black athlete in the Cup series with the win. His 6 Truck Series win makes him the most accomplished driver from the African American community.
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