NBA legend Michael Jordan participated in the prestigious White Marlin Open, a 52-year-old deep-sea fishing tournament held in Ocean City, Maryland, over the weekend.
Actually, he did better than just participate. His boat very nearly won.
One of the greatest basketball players of all time, along with his crew aboard the boat named “Catch 23,” reeled in a massive catch.
On the sixth day, angler Trey “Cricket” McMillan, part of Jordan’s crew, reeled in an impressive 71-pound white marlin. The catch drew significant attention as the boat returned to harbor amid cheers from the large crowd.
The atmosphere was electric, with the iconic Chicago Bulls intro song “Sirius” blasting over the sound system as Jordan’s boat docked, and celebrations erupting during the weigh-in.
Michael Jordan is competing in the White Marlin Open this weekend with his 82-foot Bayliss fishing boat.
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) August 10, 2025
MJ and the Catch 23 crew are currently in second place after weighing in a 71-pound white marlin.
If the result holds, they'll walk away with $400,000 in prize money. pic.twitter.com/UuXN4jPo0o
Michael Jordan: NBA, Racing, Boating and Fishing Legend
If you know anything about Michael Jordan, then you know that even this impressive effort won’t make him happy. Anything short of first place is not something he’s accustomed to.
The catch secured second place for “Catch 23,” earning a substantial $400,000 prize.
However, it fell just short of first place, which went to angler Dan Gough on the boat Billfisher with a 72-pound marlin that claimed an estimated $4.27 million payout.
Out of 282 boats in the event, 211 opted to fish on Sunday despite the adverse weather, highlighting the competitive intensity of the event.
Michael Jordan’s boat wins $400K second prize for 71-pound fish in prestigious White Marlin Open https://t.co/8w6QiNJOnP pic.twitter.com/MmUGPoPOOq
— New York Post (@nypost) August 10, 2025
Adding to His Legacy
Michael Jordan has embraced competitive sportfishing as a prominent hobby, as evidenced by his 82-foot custom Bayliss yacht. He regularly participates in high-stakes tournaments such as the White Marlin Open and Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.
His crew has achieved notable successes, including reeling in a 442-pound blue marlin in 2020, with Jordan himself often involved in the catches.
When he’s not competing out on the ocean, Jordan is also taking part in the racing world. He entered NASCAR as a team owner in 2020 by co-founding 23XI Racing with driver Denny Hamlin. Under his ownership, the team has achieved notable successes, including multiple race victories.
Oh, and by the way, he happens to be the best pure basketball player of all time.
Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships from 1991 to 1998, earning five MVP awards, six Finals MVP honors, 10 scoring titles, and 14 All-Star selections. He finished with a record career average of 30.12 points per game.
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