Former basketball player Michael Jordan recently made headlines when his team took part in the 2026 Daytona 500. Notably, a video of Jordan’s interaction with one racer in particular, Bubba Wallace, got fans talking. Taking to social media, many shared what they thought they were seeing.
Michael Jordan’s Team Had Big News At The 68th Daytona 500
Jordan is a retired professional basketball player who spent 15 seasons in the NBA. During his time with the Chicago Bulls, he won six championships.
However, Jordan has pursued other ventures, including other sports. For example, in the 1990s, he briefly entered the field of professional baseball. More recently, Jordan found himself part of the 2026 Daytona 500.
Jordan’s 23XI racing team, which featured driver Tyler Reddick, won the event in its 68th year. When celebrating the victory, according to The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Jordan shared, “I can’t even believe it. You never know how these races are gonna end. You just try to survive.”
A Video Of Jordan Interacting With Bubba Wallace Went Viral
However, Jordan surprised fans with an interaction with one racer in particular. This was Bubba Wallace, who recently drove the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota Camry. Never having won the Daytona 500 himself, Wallace finished tenth during the Florida event.
Jordan didn’t appear to be frustrated with Wallace. In fact, during the post-race celebration, Jordan could be seen hugging a dejected Wallace, appearing to comfort him.
Words of encouragement from MJ 🙏 #HotPass pic.twitter.com/iLJePs7FID
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
While Jordan is mostly known for playing basketball, he recently shared that racing was important to him, having watched the race for years. According to The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Jordan shared, “The family sat there and we watched the race. Four hours, five hours, six hours, didn’t matter. We were gonna watch the race.”
Thanks to this, Jordan likely knew how much the event could mean to some people. While it’s unclear what Jordan said to Wallace, many fans on social media suspected that Jordan was offering words of support. That said, others suspected things might not have been how they appeared. Some comments included:
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- “Words of encouragement from MJ.”
- “Great owner and mentor.”
- “Michael Jordan giving Bubba Wallace a big bear hug + words of encouragement in the pits GOAT owner vibes after the big Daytona weekend—pure mentorship energy!”
- “When the GOAT talks…LISTEN !!!!”
- “That doesn’t look like words of encouragement… Looks like he’s telling him to calm down…”
- “MJ holding back the constant flood of tears from bubba.”
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John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.
