In a moment that instantly captivated and confused the sporting world, basketball legend Michael Jordan was seen grabbing his business partner, NASCAR star Denny Hamlin, by the throat during a live television broadcast. The bizarre celebratory act followed a victory for their co-owned team, 23XI Racing, at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
The incident occurred in the immediate aftermath of the AdventHealth 400, where 23XI driver Tyler Reddick roared past Kyle Larson on the final lap to claim his fifth win of the season. Hamlin, who co-founded the team with Jordan in 2021 but drives for rival outfit Joe Gibbs Racing, had just climbed from his car after a frustrating fourth-place finish. As a visibly disappointed Hamlin emerged, Jordan approached, wrapped a hand around his throat, and kissed him on the head in a gesture that swiftly dominated social media feeds.
The Trash Talk Behind the Grab
According to Hamlin, the unusual celebration was the direct result of intense, good-natured rivalry and a weekend filled with competitive banter. He revealed he had been relentlessly goading Jordan in the days leading up to the race. “I was telling him all weekend that we were gonna win,” Hamlin stated. “He was very happy about all the sh*t I talked to him. I know it’s hard to believe but I talk a lot of trash to him. When it’s head-to-head he wants to see the 23XI drivers beat me because I talk that trash.”
Jordan confirmed this dynamic, framing the throat grab as a playful consequence of their rivalry. “Look, I’m racing against Denny,” Jordan said. “So, I really wanted to beat him. Because I know we’re going to talk a lot of trash a little bit later, but it was a good race!” Hamlin’s frustration was compounded by his strong performance; he had won the first stage of the race and led late, only to lose the advantage after a caution flag and an overtime restart.
The win itself was a historic one for Reddick and 23XI Racing. The victory marked Reddick’s second at Kansas and made him the first driver since Dale Earnhardt in 1987 to win five of the first nine races of a Cup Series season. The team, whose name combines Jordan’s iconic number 23 with Hamlin’s number 11, is enjoying a dominant year, with Reddick leading the points standings. The success comes on the heels of a significant off-track victory; in December 2025, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports settled an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR concerning the sport’s charter system, a settlement viewed as beneficial for the teams’ future growth.
Public Reaction and a Pattern of Viral Moments
While the principals involved understood the context, the wider public reaction ranged from bafflement to criticism. Social media users described the exchange as “the weirdest exchange ever” and questioned Jordan’s actions, with one poster commenting, “It’s pretty demeaning how he grabs him by the throat and pats him on the head like a good little boy.” Another simply asked, “Why did he grab his neck like that?”
This is not the first time Jordan’s exuberant post-race conduct has sparked online debate. Earlier in the season, after 23XI’s Daytona 500 win, Jordan was filmed interacting with Tyler Reddick’s six-year-old son, Beau, in a manner that some viewers questioned. Defenders suggested he was trying to remove ice from the child’s shirt during the wild podium celebrations. Reddick himself addressed the incident, stating he didn’t “see what other people see” and highlighting the close relationship between their families. A source close to Jordan indicated after the Daytona incident that he would be more restrained in future celebrations.
For his part, Jordan was effusive about his team’s current form, particularly Reddick’s. “This kid is on fire. I don’t know what to say. I don’t think I can cool him down,” Jordan said. The team’s strong performance was underscored at Kansas, where all four 23XI cars finished in the top 15, cementing their status as a powerhouse in the 2026 season.
