Michael Jordan: ‘Prince Was a Genius’

It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that Michael Jordan was a huge Prince fan – after all, both men are all-time greats in their respective fields, and as the saying goes, “Game recognize game.”

So as the world continues to mourn the death of the Minneapolis music icon, Jordan weighed in with a tribute of his own, saying that Prince was an inspiration throughout his career. Furthermore, Jordan told TMZ that Prince’s music reminds him of so many moments in his life – and we all know there are plenty of memorable ones to choose from – in addition to calling him “a genius.”

“Like so many people I am shocked at the news that Prince has died,” Jordan said. “In a world of creative performers, Prince was a genius. His impact not just on music, but on culture, truly can’t be measured. His songs inspired me throughout my career and remind me of so many moments from my life.”

Jordan wasn’t the only NBA personality feeling nostalgic on Thursday. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who tweeted “I’m in shock #Prince” shortly after news broke, told the staff at the American Airlines Center in Dallas to play as many Prince songs as possible during the Mav’s NBA Playoff game agains the Thunder, according to FTW! And elsewhere in Texas, Dwight Howard waltzed into the Toyota Center singing “Purple Rain” as a way of paying tribute to Prince before James Harden soured his mood even more by extending Houston’s season for at least a few more days.

Though it’s entirely possible Dwight still had Prince on his mind. Some things are more important than the NBA Playoffs.

Watch Stevie Wonder open up about his friend Prince’s vast influence in the wake of the icon’s untimely death.