“I’m absolutely terrified right now”: 23XI Racing co-owner and NBA GOAT Michael Jordan sparks NASCAR buzz with ‘terrified’ Bubba Wallace take

Michael Jordan was right to be nervous about Bubba Wallace at the Darlington 500.

Ahead of a crucial Darlington 500, 23XI Racing co-owner and NBA GOAT Michael Jordan said he was nervous for his drivers, Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick. Wallace was striving to make the NASCAR playoffs while Reddick was sick and fighting for the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season title. For one racer, things worked out well, while they did not for the other.

“I’m absolutely terrified right now,” Jordan admitted. “Because I want [Wallace] to do well, obviously. And Tyler [Reddick], too. I know Tyler’s a little sick but he’s struggling, trying to get through it. But that’s what NASCAR is all about. I enjoy it. I don’t have basketball anymore, but this could replace it very easily. I’m excited for today.”

In the end, Jordan had good reason to be concerned about Wallace’s performance at the Darlington 500. After qualifying for the playoffs in 2023, the driver of the No. 23 Toyota finished in the center of the pack at No. 16 and just missed out on a postseason spot.

Conversely, in a scene evocative of Michael Jordan’s infamous 1997 “Flu Game,” Wallace’s 23XI teammate overcame illness to place in the top 10 and win a championship.

Tyler Reddick had Michael Jordan Flu Game to win title

As Michael Jordan noted in his interview, Tyler Reddick, who entered the race feeling under the weather, was the true winner of the day at the Darlington 500, although Chase Brisco would cross the finish line first and secure a position in the playoff finale.

Brisco helped Reddick of 23XI Racing win the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season championship by an only one point after defeating Kyle Larsen in the race. Reddick had to receive medical attention following the race because he was so exhausted from the exhausting run and his illness that he couldn’t wait to celebrate.

Given that his Flu Game is among the most famous occasions in NBA history, Jordan is well-versed in situations similar to this one.

Despite being ill, Michael Jordan scored 38 points in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz to help his Chicago Bulls win and take a 3-2 series lead. Following Reddick’s flu game, Jordan revealed that he understood his driver’s emotions.

“I mean, I know what it feels like to be sick and trying to perform, and just to do what he did, I mean, I wasn’t going around 200 miles an hour in a car, but I’m proud of his effort, and we needed it,” Jordan said, per NASCAR.com. “We won by one point. I mean, he gutted it out. So hopefully he feels better tomorrow, and we feel better next week.”

The next race for Reddick will be when the NASCAR playoffs kickoff on September 8 at the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.