Fact Check: Claim that Michael Jordan cut ties with Nike is from satire website

A website that publishes satirical content said in January that basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan cut ties with Nike, though social media users months later reshared the claim as if real.
Posts online, opens new tab in March shared two pictures: one of Jordan himself and another showing a pair of Nike Air Jordan shoes, decorated with Pride colors. The posts said the former Chicago Bulls star had cut ties with Nike and quoted him as saying: “My name won’t be tied to wokeness.”

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Some people responding to the posts, opens new tab raised concern over the lack of evidence to support the claim, while others responded as if the claim were authentic.
“This is why he’s the GOAT,” one person wrote, using the acronym for “greatest of all time”. Another said: “Only good thing he’s ever done culturally,” and “Yes, he is so brave”.
The claim dates to an article from January 2,, opens new tab headlined: “Michael Jordan Cancels Nike Deal Over Pride Jordans: ‘My Name Won’t Be Used for Wokeness,’” which was published on the Esspots website.

Esspots’ “About Us” page, opens new tab says it is a subsidiary of SpaceXMania.com, which publishes satire and parody content.
A spokesperson for Esspots said the claim is satirical but was re-posted by others online without a satire disclaimer.
There are no credible reports of Jordan ending his partnership with Nike.
Representatives for Jordan and Nike did not respond to a request for comment.
Reuters previously addressed similar narratives about Jordan that originated from satirical sources.

VERDICT

Satire. The claim was taken from a website that publishes satirical content.
This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work.