Michael Jordan‘s former teammate Antoine Walker has opened up on the brutal ‘straight vodka’ drinking rule the NBA legend applied in summer training camps.
Jordan, considered by many as the greatest basketball player of all time, hosted a number of offseason workout camps with his fellow pros after his initial retirement in 1998.
One of the many NBA stars to have attended those camps was Walker, who played alongside MJ on the 1998 Eastern Conference All-Star team.
And 26 years on, the former Miami Heat and Boston Celtics power forward has revealed the strict drinking rules that were in place.
Walker recalled Jordan imposing a ban on mixing their drinks with chasers because of the sugar in them, meaning they were forced to neck straight vodka when enjoying some alcohol outside of sessions.
Michael Jordan ‘s former teammate Antoine Walker has opened up on the brutal ‘straight vodka’ drinking rule the NBA legend applied in summer training camps
‘Everything that man went through was all with the fellas, with the guys, working out, getting our bodies together, even to the point where we drink,’ he said about the Chicago Bulls icon on the Forgotten Seasons podcast.
‘He had a rule: “Look, we’re going to drink, no juice, all straight vodka. Like, We ain’t going to mess these workouts up.” You know what I’m saying?
‘If you want to drink, if you want to have your drink, we’re going straight. No juice. Drink or don’t drink. You know what I mean?
‘That’s what made it special. Everybody got held accountable. On the weekends, you do what you’re going to do, but Monday through Thursday, it’s check-in time. Everybody put that work in. You were going to be at the gym all day long.’
Walker’s comments come after basketball fans were left fearing for Jordan’s health when a recent photo of him in Monaco quickly went viral.
On Thursday, the six-time NBA champion was at the Stade Louis-II with his wife Yvette Prieto to watch Monaco beat Barcelona in the Champions League.
Antoine Walker (top left), who played alongside MJ on the 1998 and 2002 Eastern Conference All-Star teams, was one of many players who attended his offseason workout camps
The former Miami Heat and Boston Celtics star recalled the strict rules Jordan imposed
The six-time NBA champion banned players from mixing their drinks with chasers
Acknowledging his presence, Bleacher Report posted a picture of Jordan at the game. However, the comment section flagged his worryingly-yellow eyes.
‘Why the hell MJ out here with JAUNDICE tho? Eyes lookin like a Vampire In Brooklyn,’ one fan wrote.
‘Are we surprised? Bro drinks like a fish,’ a second added while a third wrote: ‘His liver: do you know you have 30 minutes?’
While some raised their concerns comedically, other fans took a more serious approach to Jordan’s presumed harmful lifestyle.
‘Man got all the girls money fame and accomplishments anyone could ask for yet is still on the path to an early death. Sucks,’ one fan said.
‘As someone who grew up in a family full of alcoholism and drug abuse, and someone who idolized this man, I know what those eyes mean,’ wrote another. ‘This makes me sad, man.’
Jordan sparked health fears this week after a worrying photo of him in Monaco surfaced
It is not the first time that Jordan’s eyes have caused concern, with fans initially sharing their theories after the release of the hugely popular docuseries The Last Dance.
Jordan was interviewed for the Netflix show and appeared regularly with a yellow tint to his eyes, sparking fans to claim that he was suffering from jaundice – or perhaps even something more serious.
Jaundice is often caused by the over-consumption of alcohol, and leads the sufferer’s skin and eyes to turn yellow.