When Tiger Woods was advised by his lawyer to stay away from Michael Jordan: “He’s going to try to use you”

There are a few similarities between Tiger Woods and NBA legend Michael Jordan. The two American superstars are widely regarded as the greatest of all time in their sport.

However, both underwent intense scrutiny before becoming role models of their respective sports.

In 1996, Tiger Woods' lawyer, John Merchant, advised him to avoid associating with Michael Jordan and Greg Norman. Merchant believed that Norman, who was a professional golf player, was on the decline and that Woods would not gain anything by connecting with him. Additionally, Merchant thought that Jordan would only be interested in using Woods for his own benefit.

Merchant's main concern was to protect Woods from being taken advantage of by other personalities in the industry. However, Woods had always idolized Jordan, who was a six-time NBA champion. Despite Merchant's warning, Woods couldn't deny the impact that Jordan had on him.

Merchant had the following to say about Michael Jordan:

“There isn’t anything else that Michael is good at doing. Nothing! And he’s had too many years of being out there in public. So, he’s going to try to use you.”

However, Jordan was an inspiration to Woods and actually played a big role in how he handled the success he eventually got.

Tiger Woods looked up to Michael Jordan

Jordan, who is known for his competitive drive, shared Woods' passion for golf. They played golf together several times, but Woods never played basketball with Jordan. Jordan advised Woods to embrace fame and popularity, as he knew from personal experience how difficult it was to shut it down.

Jordan wanted Woods to learn from his own experiences and not make the same mistakes. He advised Woods not to just lock himself in his hotel room after an event, and instead to enjoy the fame that comes with success:

"You can’t just go on the golf course and when you’re done go back and lock yourself in your hotel room," Jordan said. "I’ve been there; it’s miserable."

As Woods rose to the top of the golf scene, he embraced the fame that came with it. He followed Jordan's example of not caring about what people thought of him and knew that he had the media at his mercy. Woods also followed Jordan's approach of not inviting opposing players to dinners or get-togethers after games and embraced the success he created.

Overall, Woods and Jordan's paths to superstardom have many similarities, and their relationship continues to be intertwined. They both share the same approach to the game and life, and are considered legends in their respective sports.