Marcus Jordan is in a position that only a select group of people can claim – he’s the son of a world-famous athlete. His dear old dad is Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan, whose rise within the world of sports coincided with Marcus’ upbringing. Needless to say, this resulted in the younger Jordan having a very “unique” childhood. He’s now getting candid about the details of his formative years and what he remembers most. Additionally, he shared thoughts on how his upbringing compares to those of today’s NBA kids – including LeBron James’ oldest son, Bronny, and he made some fair points.
The thought of one of your parents being a celebrated athlete is daunting. You have to imagine that such a position comes with a wide array of expectations. Amid that, one also has to contend with the usual growing pains that accompany adolescence regardless. On top of that, said famous parents can’t be present for every moment due to the nature of their job. Marcus Jordan got candid about his youth during an episode of the Separation Anxiety podcast, which he co-hosts with girlfriend Larsa Pippen. Jordan’s recollections were prompted by a fan question and, based on his sentiments, he has mostly pleasant memories:
I cherish my upbringing around the NBA. … I feel like there’s a lot of great habits and traits that are instilled in you being around the NBA and playing basketball coming up. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I think there’s a lot of fond memories that I have as a kid, going to the games. … It teaches you good habits, good foundation, I feel like. But there’s some challenges, too. My dad wasn’t there all the time, for every basketball game that I had. Obviously, he had his own schedule, but he did a good job of supporting me while I was on the road or making sure he came to as many games as he could.
The former University of Central Florida basketball player further explained that he didn’t necessarily feel like he was lacking anything when dear old dad was on the road with the Bulls. At the time, the younger Jordan was simply consumed in his own activities or, in other words, he was just “being a kid.” He and Michael did spend quality time together when the hall of famer was home, though. That’s probably one of the biggest reasons why they’re still close today – and why he was able to approach Michael about his relationship with Larsa Pippen.
Of course, times have changed since the now-32-year-old Marcus Jordan was an adolescent. The social dynamics are different for youth in general, but that’s especially true when it comes to famous kids. With that in mind, Jordan seems to appreciate the time period during which he was a youngster. He was later asked during the podcast how his experiences differed from those of Larsa Pippen’s kids (shared with NBA great Scottie Pippen). He illustrated the societal shift by referencing a recent moment that saw Bronny James and Shareef O’Neal (Shaq’s kid) try to gain admittance into rapper Saweetie’s 30th birthday party:
… I grew up in that sweet spot of the late ‘90s/early 2000s when there was no iPhones, social media. I kind of know what life was like before the technology boom. … My parents are very private people, so I was able to grow up with a very private upbringing. But I feel like NBA kids today don’t necessarily have that luxury. I mean, if you look at LeBron’s son, Bronny, everywhere he goes there’s cameras or somebody’s got something to say. Obviously, you saw that they got denied at that party. … It’s funny because I remember those days, I remember when I was a young kid 16-17 years old, trying to get into whatever party was poppin’ or whatever. I don’t know, I think we had the luxury – at least me and my siblings – to keep our anonymity and still maneuver through certain situations, and I feel like NBA kids today, they don’t necessarily have that luxury.
While he (nor I) can actually speak for Bronny James, Kiyan Anthony (Camelo Anthony’s son), it can be said that social media has shaken up teenagers’ lives. Privacy can truly be a novelty these days due to social media and the speedy way in which news travels. That factor – paired with the attention that naturally comes with being a celebrity – arguably results in the children growing up in front of the cameras. I’d imagine that such a thing isn’t easy at times.
If I could theoretically choose a type of notoriety status as a kid, I’d go with Marcus Jordan’s. What he describes sounds like a nice balance between the effects of fame and the simple pleasures of everyday life. Honestly, Jordan has received more attention over the past several months than he ever did during his teen years. That’s mostly due to his relationship with Larsa Pippen and more recently, his need to set the record straight after his dad commented on it. But that aside, you can’t help but appreciate the thoughts on his ‘90s/’00s childhood. As for the current crop of NBA kids, let’s hope they’re making their own memories and getting any privacy they desire.
