Michael Jordan was not added to the A’s major league roster in 1994, despite a big push from former general manager Sandy Alderson.
MJ's baseball journey, in the midst of his 15-year basketball career, would conclude with 127 games with the Chicago White Sox Double-A affiliate, batting just .202. But the reasoning behind staying in the Windy City had to do with how loyal he was to Chicago, and a little bit of self-reflection.
“Michael’s an amazingly loyal guy,” Jordan’s agent David Falk told MLB.com, confirming the A’s pursuit of the NBA Hall of Famer. “If not for his relationship with the White Sox, [the A’s offer] might have been something he might have done.”
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Falk added he reached out to four or five teams to see if there would be any interest, but Alderson “had the most interesting and impactful response.”
Alderson not only offered Jordan a chance, but also was willing to give him an actual major league roster spot, as he told ESPN’s Buster Olney on the “Baseball Tonight” podcast on Tuesday. Alderson admitted he wasn’t even sure who the 25th man was at the time, but was willing to make something work if it meant getting the GOAT in green and gold.
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MJ was appreciative of the offer Falk presented to him, but in true MJ form, he wanted “to do the baseball thing from the ground up.” Falk said Jordan expressed he wasn’t deserving of a major league roster spot.
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“He didn’t feel he was ready,” Falk said.
It would have been something to see.