NBA legend Michael Jordan matched Tyler Reddick step for step after the latter’s first win in the Daytona 500. In Victory Lane, MJ lifted the Harley J. Earl Trophy with his No. 45 23XI Racing driver, soaking in the moment like he once did after title runs on the hardwood, and shared the celebration with Reddick’s family. But chatter took a turn when a clip showed MJ pinching Reddick’s son, Beau, and brushing his fingers across the back of the child’s legs, sparking debate online despite no sign of wrongdoing. The Hall of Famer soon found himself in the crosshairs over the interaction.
Reddick later stepped in to bat for his boss, saying MJ has long been close to his family and that he saw nothing out of bounds in the moment. Speaking with Stephen A. Smith on his podcast, the #45 driver said, “I mean, from my perspective, I’ve gotten to know Michael and his family very well over the years I’ve been here with 23XI, and I don’t see what other people see when it comes to this.”
The No. 45 Toyota driver stressed the setting, pointing to the weight of the win for everyone tied to the team, including members of MJ’s circle who were present for the milestone. He framed it as a once-in-a-lifetime moment shared by two families standing shoulder to shoulder. “For me, it’s a huge moment. This is the biggest moment of my career. It’s a huge moment for my family and for his family. And I put that off to the side and just think about how I think about the look on Avet’s face. And the whole family and his whole group when they got to victory lane, too. And just how happy and everybody was celebrating together. So, that’s where I’m at with it.”
Many simply brushed it off as a storm in a teacup, arguing the clip was merely being taken out of context. In fact, one theory floated that some ice had slipped under the child’s shorts during the celebration, and MJ was just trying to shake it loose. Podcaster Bubba The Love Sponge Clem echoed that sentiment, saying critics were likely making a mountain out of a molehill.
Others, however, tied the moment to wider chatter in the public sphere and labeled the gesture out of line, fueling online debate and prompting inquiries to MJ’s camp, NASCAR, and the team.
Reddick noted that MJ’s bond with Beau runs deep. The families go back years, with Reddick’s father-in-law, MLB pitcher Jose DeLeon, having crossed paths with MJ decades ago. With that shared history, the moment likely came from familiarity within an extended racing circle. Reddick told The Athletic that there may even be a photo of MJ holding his wife, Alexa, as a baby.
On his show, Smith also sided with Reddick’s comments, stating that the child is someone MJ knows well and cares about deeply, framing the whole scene as a personal exchange amid a career-defining win rather than something meant to raise eyebrows.
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