Michael Jordan opens up on nervous NASCAR lawsuit battle with Denny Hamlin and why he refused to back down

Michael Jordan is not someone who often sits down for interviews. That is why his recent talk with Gayle King caught so much attention. Speaking on CBS News Sunday Morning, the six-time Chicago Bulls champion opened up about something very different from basketball, his legal fight with NASCAR.

Jordan shared that he felt nervous stepping into a courtroom during the case. He admitted clearly, “Oh yeah, I was definitely nervous. Don’t get me wrong. Being in a courtroom makes me nervous.” Still, he made it clear he had no plans to back down. He said he was “all in” and ready to fight, no matter the result.This case was important. Before the current NASCAR season even began, Jordan and his team secured a major legal win.

The lawsuit helped bring changes to how teams operate and ensured long-term stability for his racing team. For someone who built his career on competition, this was another kind of battle, but just as serious.

Michael Jordan explains why he took on NASCAR with Denny Hamlin and how the court battle changed 23XI Racing

Jordan did not take this fight alone. He stood alongside Denny Hamlin, his partner at 23XI Racing. Together, they filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. Their goal was just to push for a better system for teams.

Jordan explained why he felt this fight mattered so much. He said, “This fight was needed… If I got kicked out, at least I made people aware that change needs to happen in the sport.” Even if things had gone the other way, he believed the message would still count.Interestingly, Jordan also shared a personal side of his NASCAR journey. He said his love for racing came from his father, who worked as a mechanic. As a kid, he joked that both he and his mom enjoyed driving fast.

But despite owning a racing team now, Jordan revealed something surprising, he has never sat inside a NASCAR car and never will, mainly because of his height.Away from basketball, Jordan said he now lives a quieter life. But the pressure is still there, just in a different form. He explained that being a team owner brings a different kind of responsibility compared to being a player. Still, he admitted a part of him misses the game deeply.

“I would love to do that. Believe me,” he said about playing basketball again.Right now, though, his focus is clearly on racing. And it is paying off. 23XI Racing has started the season strong, winning four of the first six races, including the Daytona 500. That success shows that Jordan’s move into NASCAR is not just a side project, it is serious business.