‘Actually gross’: Fans baffled at bizarre Michael Jordan interaction with kid at Daytona 500, ‘what is MJ DOING?’

Michael Jordan is one of the most beloved sporting icons in the world. The six-time NBC champion is internationally renowned, the Chief Wish Ambassador to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, regularly contributes to disaster relief, and in 1996 was instrumental in the defeat of the Monstars.

But he’s now raising eyebrows after a bizarre video has emerged during celebrations at the Daytona 500 event. Yesterday, Jordan had reason to celebrate as his NASCAR team, 23XI Racing, secured its first Daytona 500 victory after a nail-biting last push by driver Tyler Reddick.

Jordan was celebrating next to Reddick’s young son, Beau and, at least as far as the video shows, appeared to repeatedly grab at his butt, legs, and lower back area. Now the video has gone viral as people wonder just what the heck is going on:

WHAT IS MJ DOING? 😳 pic.twitter.com/mXX0mYnLTe

— NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) February 16, 2026

Opinion is split, with some observers seeing this as a harmless interaction driven by Beau Reddick being soaked with Gatorade during the celebration. Others, quite reasonably, interpret the footage as Jordan groping a kid’s butt and rubbing the backs of his legs.

“Literally just messing with the kid”

Michael Jordan at Daytona celebration out here feeling up a little boy’s ass and thighs like it’s the ’85 playoffs. Be Like Mike? Yeah, I’m good on that tutorial. WTF is wrong with these people?

👀📷#MJCreepWatchhttps://t.co/w900TJ1dF5

— 50 Year Old White Guy (@50yowhiteguys) February 16, 2026

If you’re associating what you saw Michael Jordan do with that kid as a normal childhood experience with an uncle..

you might have a story to tell pic.twitter.com/oazcgVHJBR

— veritas (@fxbius) February 16, 2026

People will really say anything to get attention.

“oH hE tOuChEd A kId, He’S a PdF”

Michael Jordan is literally just messing with the kid, you guys need to grow the fuck up. https://t.co/6zZ0djjab3

— FireBall Hamlin (@Fireball_Hamlin) February 16, 2026

It probably doesn’t help that Jordan’s middle name is “Jeffrey”, which seems destined to become a rather unpopular boy’s name given recent events.

Jordan is yet to make a statement on this, and we doubt he will. I’m prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt here. Sure, the video looks sus, but I doubt if he really was into this stuff, he’d do this at a moment he knows for sure that the camera is on him, while a stadium full of people are looking at him, and during a moment of sporting celebration.