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| - In February and March 2025, a rumor circulated online about basketball legend Michael Jordan allegedly reconnecting with an 80-year-old high school janitor named Mr. Wilson. According to the story, the janitor had encouraged and supported Jordan as a teenager when he failed to make the school's varsity basketball team.
(Facebook page NBA Stories HTV)
Examples of the claim appeared in posts on social media sites including Facebook (archived), Instagram (archived), and Threads (archived). A caption included in some posts read:
Michael Jordan Discovers His High School Janitor Still Working at 80, His Next Move Stuns Everyone
What happens when a global icon revisits his roots and discovers an old mentor still working at 80? For Michael Jordan, this visit to his high school in Wilmington, North Carolina, would turn out to be far more than a trip down memory lane. In a twist no one could have predicted, Michael stumbled upon Mr. Wilson—the janitor who had believed in him when he was cut from the varsity team—and learned that the man who had shaped his future was still diligently working, despite his age and circumstances. What Michael did next would not only change Mr. Wilson's life, but also inspire an entire community.
Some of the posts linked to articles that claimed to provide further details about Jordan's purported reunion with Mr. Wilson and his wife, Martha. For example, one article on the website Btuatu.com described Jordan deciding to repay Mr. Wilson by arranging a renovation of the Wilsons' home:
It broke Michael's heart to see the man who had given him so much still struggling. That night, he made a decision. He would not just help Mr. Wilson; he would completely transform his life.
The next few days were a whirlwind. Michael pulled every string he could, reaching out to friends, business associates, and contractors. He began organizing a complete renovation of the Wilsons' home. Money was no object, and Michael's team worked tirelessly to ensure that every detail was perfect. From accessible bathrooms to a fully remodeled kitchen, the goal was simple: to give Mr. Wilson and Martha the life they deserved.
But Michael didn't stop there. He set up a trust fund to secure the Wilsons' financial future, covering all their medical expenses and providing a monthly income for the rest of their lives. He arranged for them to have a much-needed vacation while the work was underway, and when they returned, they would be greeted by a house that was not only physically transformed but also designed to meet all of their needs.
The story also circulated in video form. One two-hour-long YouTube video recounting the alleged events, posted Feb. 26, had more than 2.7 million views at the time of this writing.
Although comments on the posts and videos indicated some internet users believed the story was true, there was no credible evidence to support the story about Jordan reconnecting with and helping an 80-year-old high school janitor named Mr. Wilson. A Google search (archived) for the terms "Michael Jordan," "high school" and "janitor" found no legitimate media coverage of any such act of generosity on Jordan's part.
Rather, the story appeared to be an example of the many fictional — and often artificial intelligence (AI)-generated — tales about celebrities that circulate through social media posts, videos, and articles on content farm websites. As a result, we've rated the claim false.
A major clue that the story was fictional was the existence of numerous nearly identical stories about other celebrities. For example, a Feb. 27 YouTube video titled "Big Shaq Discovers His High School Janitor Still Working at 80 – You Won't Believe What Happens Next" shared many features with the Jordan story, down to the janitor's name being Mr. Wilson. However, the protagonist of that version was sports analyst and former basketball star Shaquille O'Neal.
Other videos recounted similar stories about British race car driver Lewis Hamilton and billionaire Elon Musk.
Some of these similar videos contained labels in their descriptions warning of "Altered or synthetic content" and noting that aspects were "significantly edited or digitally generated." In other words, the videos were entirely or partially the product of AI software or other digital editing tools.
Some of the accounts that posted these videos made it clear that their content did not reflect reality. For example, the info section of the YouTube account that shared the Musk version of the story read in part:
The stories presented on this channel are entirely fictional and crafted solely for entertainment. Any resemblance to real events, individuals, or situations is purely coincidental and unintentional. These narratives are not intended to depict, reference, or represent any actual occurrences, persons, or entities.
There was also evidence that the content and wording of the different versions of the story were not just fictional, but AI-generated.
For example, the AI text detectors GPTZero and Copyleaks both found that all or most of the text of versions that appeared on the websites Btuatu.com, News.HotNewsFandom.com, and NewYork.ICUSocial.com were likely the work of AI software.
The various versions of the story did contain some true details about Jordan's life, which may have contributed to internet users incorrectly believing the story was entirely true. For example, Jordan did attend Emsley A. Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina, and as of February 2025 he was 62 years old, the same age mentioned in multiple versions of the story. Jordan also genuinely failed to make the school's varsity basketball team his sophomore year, according to "Playing for Keeps," David Halberstam's biography of Jordan (however, Jordan went on to play for the varsity team his junior and senior years).
We've previously looked into other fictional stories about celebrities that caused confusion online, including one about a 90-year-old white woman confronting O'Neal in a supermarket and telling him to "go back to Africa."
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