Basketball legend Michael Jordan was known for his unparalleled court skills and was feared by many of his opponents. However, not many people know about his fear of water, or hydrophobia.
From an early age, water played a terrifying role in Jordan’s life. There are reports that seven-year-old Michael desperately tries to save a childhood friend after he drowns in the ocean.
As his friend struggled to pull him underwater, Jordan’s hydrophobia began to take hold.
As if this trauma wasn’t enough, Michael was later asked to save himself from a swimming pool, and while in college, he experienced the drowning of his girlfriend.
Each traumatic experience further deepened his fear of water, culminating in his decision to avoid bodies of water entirely.
Jordan’s phobia reached such severe proportions that he avoided any contact with water and even admitted to being afraid of bathing on occasion.
Over the years, however, the Bulls icon gradually overcame his fear of water.
Judging from his current collection of boats, which include jet skis and yachts, it appears his once-crippling hydrophobia is spiraling out of control.
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The evolution of Michael Jordan’s hydrophobia: Insights from John Sully
Michael Jordan’s close friend John Salley tells how Jordan overcame his fear of water.
He shared: “Michael has been making a conscious effort to face his fears, one step at a time.
In recent years he has gone on several sailing trips, largely because of his wife Yvette’s passion for it, despite his deep-seated aversion to water.
The first time he went to sea, he was restless on the boat. However, on his latest adventure, he felt his anger disappear, marking a small victory.
He wasn’t improving himself basketball-wise like he normally would.
Instead, he wakes up as the sun rises, straps himself into his fishing seat, and joins his buddies at 8 a.m. to crack open his first Corona while catching giant yellowfin tuna for gourmet sushi. He looked content.
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