It’s no secret that Jordan Chiles is named after Michael Jordan, and as the Olympics aired on the 2024 TV schedule, it was revealed that the gymnast received a text from the basketball legend before she competed. However, at first, she didn’t believe it, and now she's revealing the full story behind that time Jordan texted her and why she thought it was a prank.
Now that the Olympics have come and gone, Jordan Chiles appeared on Chicks in the Office to chat about the games and this wild moment, among other things. During the conversation, the hosts brought up how the text was talked about during a broadcast of the Olympics, and they wondered how the gymnast reacted when she got it. In response, the gold medalist told the whole story behind what happened after Michael Jordan got her number. Starting with this:
I was like ‘Yo, somebody has my number and is pranking me.’ So, I’m driving back from practice, and it was a really good practice, so I’m like in a good mood, I’m on the phone with my best friend…and all of the sudden I’m like ‘What is this random number?’ So, I’m thinking it’s from Fashion Nova, because you know, they keep sending you text messages.
To be fair, that’s so valid to think she was getting a text from a site like Fashion Nova, because companies like that can be relentless with spam messages. However, it was indeed Michael Jordan, but Chiles didn’t believe it at first. She explained that her parents weren’t around at the moment, she was home alone, and she didn’t know what to think about it all. So, she sent the text to her team:
I sent it to my team, and I was like ‘Y’all, can somebody confirm this or something? Because if this is actually him, I am throwing my phone through the window.’ There’s no way.
Then her team confirmed it, and Chiles still didn’t really believe it so she decided to prove it herself:
I had to confirm it myself. So, I texted back, and I was like ‘Oh my gosh, thank you so much, like I have no words. I will definitely cherish your name forever. Like, trust me.’ And he was like ‘OK, good, thank you.’ So, I was like ‘Oh my gosh! It was him!’
I get why she didn’t believe it at first. Unlike Stephen Nedoroscik getting a video message from Superman himself, David Corenswet, and Suni Lee meeting Mariska Hargitay at the Olympics, Chiles didn’t have photo, video or in-person evidence to go off of. However, eventually, she got the confirmation she was looking for and finally believed that Michael Jordan really did text her.
She went on to say that she really only sent the message to her team at first, but her parents had a stellar reaction too, which makes sense considering the NBA legend inspired her name. She said:
My mom is a huge Michael Jordan fan. That’s the reason why I’m named Jordan. So, I had told her, I was like ‘Mom…’ she was like ‘Jordan, that’s not real.’ I was like ‘Mom, yes it is.’ And she was like ‘There’s no way.’ So, she’s the one who was like ‘You have to send this to your team, because we really have to figure this out. How did he get your number?’
Now, even though Jordan Chiles knows Michael Jordan for sure texted her, she isn’t sure how he got her number in the first place. She did say she’s friends with his daughter, however, she doesn’t have her contact information. So, that mystery is still open.
It’s honestly so cool that all this happened, and her thinking it was a prank at first makes it even better. Jordan Chiles already had elite athletes in her corner and rooting for her all along – I mean, just to name one example, Simone Biles defended her during her bronze medal dispute and has cheered her on for years. However, having the person you are named after who also just happens to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time reach out, has to hit different.
Overall, this story adds a new layer to an already wonderful tale about Jordan Chiles getting a text from Michael Jordan. She said they haven't texted again since that day. However, she has his number now, and if they ever text again, she knows for sure that she’s not being pranked.
