Michael Jordan Signed Check from 1984 Billiards Bet to Be Sold at Auction
A $5 personal check signed by Michael Jordan following a series of billiards games at the University of North Carolina in February 1984 will be sold by Goldin Auctions on Dec. 7.
TMZ Sports reported Saturday the check, which will open for bidding Monday, was accepted by MJ as payment and returned to the consignor after being cashed. The UNC standout and eventual NBA superstar was up $25 at one point and decided to stop playing while still in the green.
The check is dated Feb. 27, 1984, which suggests the pool games took place late in Jordan's final season with the Tar Heels. UNC scored a 82-71 road win over Clemson one day before the check was made out.
Jordan averaged 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists across 31 appearances during the 1983-84 season. He proceeded to get selected by the Chicago Bulls with the third overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft, and the rest is history.
Jordan went on to win six NBA championships, five MVP Awards, two Olympic gold medals and countless other team and individual accolades as part of a Hall of Fame career that earned him a place in the greatest of all time conversation.
What makes the check special isn't its relation to betting—MJ is no stranger to gambling—but rather its minuscule amount. He made sure to cash out while he was still five bucks ahead on the day.
Looking back now, that's not even pocket change for a global sensation worth an estimated $1.9 billion thanks to his basketball career and numerous sponsorship deals, highlighted by Nike's Jordan brand.
