Michael Jordan is catching serious heat after a champagne-soaked celebration at the Daytona 500.
Jordan’s 23XI Racing team won NASCAR’s biggest race Sunday when Tyler Reddick passed Chase Elliott on the final lap, and while the confetti was falling, cameras captured a brief interaction between the NBA legend and Beau Reddick, the six-year-old son of the winning driver.
In the viral clip, MJ appears to repeatedly pinch the child’s lower back and brush his leg during the chaotic celebration. Some folks labeled the moment inappropriate, saying Jordan shouldn’t be touching the child, with sme bluntly branding his action toward the kid inappropriate. However, MJ finally got someone to speak in his defense.
Bubba clears up Michael Jordan Daytona 500 controversy
Radio personality Bubba The Love Sponge defended Jordan during his show Monday, suggesting the newly minted champion was simply removing ice from the back of the boy’s shirt.
“Michael Jordan reaching into Tyler Reddick’s son’s waistband went viral fast,” Bubba wrote on his X handle.
He added, “But if you actually watch it closely, you can see chunks of ice packed in the kid’s back. First glance looks bad. Second glance looks like someone helping a kid who had ice shoved down his shirt.”
Michael Jordan reaching into Tyler Reddick’s son’s waistband went viral fast.
But if you actually watch it closely, you can see chunks of ice packed in the kid’s back.
First glance looks bad.
Second glance looks like someone helping a kid who had ice shoved down his shirt. pic.twitter.com/6H9qAMhzzV— Bubba The Love Sponge®️ (@TheBubbaArmy) February 16, 2026
Some social media users were convinced this is just a case of a sports celebrity’s actions being taken too seriously, with several pointing out that a piece of ice had gotten stuck under the child’s shorts during the celebration, and Jordan was trying to dislodge it.
Last year, a video showed Jordan holding Beau after Tyler Reddick’s win at Talladega. Jordan asked, “You here to celebrate?” and laughed when Beau yelled, “Yeah!” This suggests Jordan is close with the Reddick family.
Recalling that, many on social media now dismissed the recent backlash as a “nothing-burger,” calling it a juicy moment between MJ and the little kid. Reddick’s Daytona 500 win on Sunday gave Jordan his first victory in the race as co-owner of 23XI Racing. So far, Jordan, Reddick, and the team have ignored the online noise.
The NBA legend turned 63 this Tuesday and joked in Victory Lane that he needs a size 13 championship ring for his birthday. He and Reddick celebrated by lifting the Harley J. Earl Trophy together, ignoring the debate over Jordan’s interaction with Beau.
