NASCAR star Tyler Reddick has broken his silence over the internet's reaction to Michael Jordan celebrating with his six-year-old son following the huge win at the Daytona 500.
The basketball legend, who co-owns NASCAR team 23XI Racing, was seen to be making repeated pinch motions towards the back of Beau Reddick's T-shirt as it appeared wet on Sunday (15 February).
Jordan then grazes his fingers over the back of the boy's legs, with no indication of wrongdoing amid some backlash on social media.
After winning 'The Great American Race' alongside Jordan in Florida, Reddick said there was nothing in it.
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"From my perspective, I've gotten to know Michael and his family very well over the years I've been here with 23XI, and I don't see what other people see when it comes to this," he said on Stephen A. Smith's Sirius XM radio show.
"For me, it's a huge moment; this is the biggest moment of my career. It's a huge moment for my family and for his family.
"And I just put that off to the side and think about the look on (Michael Jordan's wife) Yvette's face and the whole family and his whole group when they got to victory lane too, and just how happy everybody was celebrating together.
"So, that's where I'm at with it."
TMZ also asked Reddick's representatives about the incident, and they were quick to shut it down.
“We’re not going to talk about that,” they said.
Jordan and Reddick's family actually go way back. Reddick's father-in-law is MLB pitcher Jose DeLeon, who spent time with Jordan decades ago.
Reddick told the Athletic: "I think there’s even a picture - I could be wrong - of MJ holding [his wife] Alexa as a baby."
Radio host Stephen A. Smith also spoke out to defend Jordan, highlighting how close the basketball legend is to Beau and Reddick's family.
He said on his show yesterday (17 February): "It’s a kid that Michael Jordan loves like it’s his own kid. It’s a kid that he’s known for years. That’s the son of a driver that just won the Daytona 500. It’s also a kid that Michael Jordan knows very, very well.
"You should be very, very hesitant to impugn the integrity of certain people who are as accomplished and who have done as much as Michael Jordan has done.
"Just won the Daytona 500. Playing around with a kid while his father was standing right there. And that’s the kind of conclusion that we jump to."
For his part, Jordan was delighted by the NASCAR victory and is waiting to receive his Daytona 500 ring.
He told FOX reporters: "I can't even believe it. Yeah, I mean it was so, so gratifying. I mean, we had four guys that were really fighting, that was helping each other out.
"I mean, you never know how these races gonna end right? It's like you're just try to survive.
"I thought Riley [Herbst] did an unbelievable job by pushing at the end," the five-time MVP continued.
"Yeah, that shows you what teamwork can really, really do. He didn't get enough credit. He won't get enough credit, but we feel the love. We understand exactly what he did.
“I mean, we just hung in there all day. Great strategy by the team and we gave ourselves a chance at the end. Look I'm ecstatic. I don't even know what to say. It feels like I won a championship, but until I get my ring I won't even know."
LADbible Group has contacted Jordan and Reddick's representatives for comment.
Topics: Sport
Anish Vij