Michael Jordan Says He ‘Almost Got Killed’ During an Autograph-Signing Event

You don’t have to be a sports fan to know exactly who Michael Jordan is. Even people who don’t remember or have never seen him play know about his greatness. He is widely considered the greatest basketball player to ever step on the court. He’s also a giant in the sneaker market due to his partnership with Nike and his iconic Air Jordans.

So when MJ decided to do a big autograph signing in Houston at the height of his superstar success several years back, it was pandemonium.

Jordan recalled the scary scene that unfolded that day to Playboy Magazine, explaining, “There were four or five security guards, five thousand people had me circled, and I was only supposed to be signing for one hour. We got to 10 minutes before I had to leave, and people were wanting more autographs, so they started closing in on me.

“The tables were breaking, and little kids were getting pressed up front because the bigger people were pushing from behind. The security guards couldn’t do anything. I finally got the security guards around me and started pushing my way through the crowd. I almost got killed getting out of there. I haven’t done any autograph sessions since. Never again.” 

Jordan has held true to his no-autograph-sessions rule and never did another event like that. These days, it’s rare to get him to put his signature on anything, and he almost always turns down autograph seekers on the streets.

In 1992, he signed a deal with Upper Deck that restricts him from giving autographs, limiting his memorabilia.