Michael Jordan’s former teammate Antoine Walker has opened up about the NBA legend’s cruel rule about drinking “straight vodka” during summer training camps.
Jordan, considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time, held a series of off-season training camps with his fellow pros after his retirement in 1998.
One of the many NBA stars who attended these training camps was Walker, who played alongside MJ on the 1998 Eastern Conference All-Star Team.
And 26 years later, the former Miami Heat and Boston Celtics power forward has revealed the club’s strict drinking rules.
Walker recalls that Jordan had banned mixing their drinks with chasers, because of the sugar content, meaning they were forced to drink straight vodka if they drank alcohol outside of sessions.
Michael Jordan’s former teammate Antoine Walker has opened up about the NBA legend’s brutal ‘straight vodka’ drinking rule during summer training camps
“Everything that man went through was with the boys, with the boys, training, getting our bodies right, even to the point of getting drunk,” he said of the Chicago Bulls icon on the Forgotten seasons podcasting.
“He had a rule: ‘Look, we’re going to drink, no juice, just vodka. We’re not going to mess up these practices.’ You know what I mean?
“If you want to drink, if you want to have your drink, we’re going straight. No juice. Drink or no drink. You know what I mean?
“That’s what made it special. Everybody was held accountable. On the weekends, you do what you’re going to do, but Monday through Thursday is check-in time. Everybody did that work. You’d be in the gym all day.”
Walker’s comments came after basketball fans raised concerns about Jordan’s health after a recent photo of him in Monaco quickly went viral.
On Thursday, the six-time NBA champion was at the Stade Louis-II with his wife Yvette Prieto to watch Monaco defeat Barcelona in the Champions League.
Antoine Walker (top left), who played with MJ on the 1998 and 2002 Eastern Conference All-Star teams, was one of many players who attended his offseason training camps
The former Miami Heat and Boston Celtics star recalled the strict rules Jordan imposed
The six-time NBA champion banned players from mixing their drinks with chasers
Bleacher Report acknowledged his presence and posted a photo of Jordan at the game, but the comments section highlighted his disturbingly yellow eyes.
“Why the hell is MJ here with JAUNDICE? Her eyes look like a vampire in Brooklyn,” one fan wrote.
“Are we surprised? Bro drinks like a fish,” added a second, while a third wrote: “His liver: do you know you have 30 minutes left?”
While some expressed their concerns in a comedic manner, other fans were more serious about Jordan’s harmful lifestyle.
“Man gave all the girls money, fame and achievements you could ever want, but still headed for an early death. Sucks,” one fan said.
“As someone who grew up in a family filled with alcoholism and drug abuse, and someone who idolized this man, I know what those eyes mean,” wrote another. “This makes me sad, man.”
Jordan has raised concerns over his health this week after a disturbing photo of him in Monaco emerged
This isn’t the first time Jordan’s eyes have caused concern. Fans initially shared their theories following the release of the hugely popular docuseries The Last Dance.
Jordan was interviewed for the Netflix series and frequently appeared with a yellow cast to his eyes, with fans claiming he was suffering from jaundice, or perhaps something more serious.
Jaundice is often caused by excessive alcohol consumption and causes the skin and eyes to turn yellow.
