Former NHL star turned Barstool host, Ryan Whitney, recently shared an intense encounter he had with Michael Jordan on the golf course, where the NBA legend delivered some ruthless trash talk, even resorting to expletives on the putting green.
During an episode of Barstool Sports’ ‘Spittin Chiclets’ podcast, Whitney, alongside co-host Paul Bissonnette and guest Justin Thomas, recounted Jordan’s fiercely competitive nature during a round of golf.
“He didn’t say a word to me,” Whitney began. “We get to the 17th hole, it’s the 35th hole of the day, a par five, and I’m on the green in two. He’s down.”
But then, Jordan sunk a birdie to keep himself in the match, prompting Whitney to miss his own birdie putt.
“The first thing he said all day was, ‘That’s right, b****,'” Whitney recalled.
“Then we move on to the 36th hole. I finish the last hole, and it’s another press. I lose that hole too. He looks at me and says, ‘A scratch golfer … B****, you couldn’t scratch my wife’s a**.’ I just paid him 10 grand and left.”
RELATED: Isiah Thomas Still Wants an Apology From Michael Jordan
Whitney, a former silver medalist in the 2010 Winter Olympics for Team USA, played for several NHL teams before transitioning into media.
Jordan’s savage trash talk on the golf course is well-documented, with pro golfer Rickie Fowler also recalling an instance where he experienced Jordan’s relentless banter during a match in 2021.
“I was 7-under through 17 holes and lost,” Fowler recounted. “And he’s not quiet about it.”
Despite his prowess in trash-talking, Jordan once acknowledged Larry Bird as the ultimate master of the art, crediting the Celtics legend with teaching him the nuances of getting into opponents’ heads.
“Larry Bird is the greatest trash talker and mind-game player of all time,” Jordan stated. “He taught me everything I know about getting in folks’ heads.”
