"I slammed my I.D. on the counter" - Michael B. Jordan on why it's annoying to share a name with Michael Jordan
- Michael B. Jordan won the "Best Actor" award at the 2026 Oscars, despite sharing a name with the legendary NBA player Michael Jordan.
At the 2026 Oscars, there was no confusion when Michael B. Jordan took home the award for "Best Actor" for his performance in the horror movie, "Sinners." In that moment, it was impossible for anyone to mistake him for (arguably) the greatest NBA player, his namesake, Michael Jordan .
But sharing a name with a global sports icon meant the connection followed him everywhere while he was growing up.
"He didn't really realize what he was going to put me through the first 26 years of my life," Jordan said on Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2013, referring to his father's decision to name him after himself — Michael A. Jordan — rather than the basketball legend, even though many people assumed otherwise.
A constant annoyance
For many, sharing the name with the Chicago Bulls legend would be an honor — he revolutionized the game with his exciting play and competitiveness, leaving a legacy only a few would dare to touch.
But not for Michael B. Jordan, who is pursuing greatness of his own in the field of acting.
"A little bit," he said when asked about the difficulty. "It gets annoying."
He recalled one instance where he wanted to order a pizza, and it became a battle to prove his identity because the place could not believe who he was talking to on the phone. In the end, he went home happy.
"I actually went down there one time, slammed my I.D. on the counter," Jordan said. "He gave me two free pizzas. It worked out."
It's an all too familiar annoyance for Jordan, one that ran deeper than ordering pizza. Since his childhood, people have been bullying him about his name , especially since he played basketball in high school. And to this day, the teasing and comparisons still have not stopped.
"I got teased so much to the point where I almost changed my name," he said in an interview with CBS Morning.
A source of competitive drive
At first, he hoped his middle name, Bakari, would be his salvation. However, the deed was done the moment he was born, and Jordan had no choice but to embrace the name and make it his own.
He also decided to turn it into a source of competitive drive. Unlike other fans, he didn't want to "Be like Mike." He wanted to be his own Mike, hoping to build a successful legacy and reputation of his own.
"It definitely made me want to be competitive," Jordan said in an interview with Men's Health. "I wanted to be great at something, if not for nothing else at that time just to, like, feel like I had my own identity."
The actor has built a respectable filmography over the years. He has starred on iconic television shows, like "The Wire" (2002) and films, like "Black Panther (2018). He has earned several notable honors and nominations for his performances, making his mark on the industry and popular culture
However, he still has not officially met the Bulls legend in person, even though the two did bump into each other at an All-Star event.
"I never want to officially meet him until I'm at a point where he knows who I am and I know who he is," he said. " And it would be our mutual respect thing. Until then it would just be a 'this guy has your name, ha ha.' I don't want that. So that pushes me to keep working too. These things motivate me."
Michael B. Jordan has won his first Oscar. He's also been dominating the acting scene for a while. It might be time for the two to officially meet.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
