'The Last Dance': Cedric the Entertainer Remembers Gambling With Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley

ESPN's 10-part documentary series about Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls, The Last [...]

By John Newby

ESPN's 10-part documentary series about Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls, The Last Dance, has been a primary topic of conversation throughout the first six episodes. Viewers have been fascinated by the stories told every Sunday night, including those that involve Jordan gambling. The documentary discussed his gambling from one viewpoint, but Cedric the Entertainer provided another on Monday.

The star of The Neighborhood appeared on The Rich Eisen Show on Monday and told a tale of the time that he was playing blackjack in Las Vegas with Carson Daly and other prominent figures. They were in town for a Tiger Woods golf event but ended up at the tables. During the course of the evening, Cedric the Entertainer played blackjack at the same table as Barkley. He also watched Jordan win an immense amount of money in less than one hour.

"I'm hanging with Charles [Barkley] — in Vegas — and then MJ walks in and grabs a handful of Charles' chips," Cedric said. "And Charles was like, 'Woah, Woah, Woah. What are you doing, man? How much was that?' And MJ looks at him and goes, 'does it matter?'"

Barkley, Daly and Cedric the Entertainer remained at one table for about 40 minutes after the Chicago Bulls star headed off with his procured chips. Jordan ultimately circled back and handed his fellow NBA player roughly "$150,000-250,000" in chips. Jordan then said, "I'm up over here." With that revelation, Cedric the Entertainer and many other members of their table headed over to Jordan's table and left Barkley behind.

Of course, Cedric the Entertainer did clarify that he was not taking part in the blackjack at the same table as Jordan. The stakes were "above his pay grade" at that point in time. He was simply watching one of the NBA's greats prove his dominance off the basketball court.

There have been questions about whether or not Jordan has a gambling problem, but Barkley does not believe so. He also appeared on The Rich Eisen Show on Monday and talked about that exact topic. Barkley said that both he and Jordan "love to gamble" but that they do not have a problem. Saying so is "not fair" to him or his peer.

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