(Image source: The Daily Tribute)

BY KAVEH KAGHAZI
ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

The NBA is making an example of one of its most popular figures. ESPN was first to report on the story.

“Michael Jordan has been fined $100,000 by the NBA for speaking publicly about the lockout and one of the league’s players. Now both are violation of the league’s policy barring owners and employees from talking about the lockout or players during this work stoppage. Jordan made his comments August 19th to an Australian paper, The Herald Sun. He spoke extensively about the need for revenue sharing.”

Jordan became a majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats in 2010. In an August interview with the Herald Sun, Jordan shared his grievance with the league’s revenue sharing system.

“The model we've been operating under is broken. We have 22 or 23 teams losing money, (so) I think we have gotta come to some kind of understanding in this partnership that we have to realign…”

But the NBA sent out a league-wide memo in July stating that anyone who spoke publicly about the lockout could be fined up to a million dollars. A CBS sports writer notes- no matter how high he flew above the rim, even Jordan isn’t above the law.

“…The league's not kidding around, regardless of whether you're the greatest player of all time, a majority owner, or whoever. There are consequences to comments in this lockout.”

Yahoo Sports begs to differ. Not only do they take issue with the gag order, they suggest His Airness is entitled to a little leniency.

“It's more than a little ridiculous that any team employee, much less someone of Jordan's stature…should have to watch what they say on record during this lockout…As long as Jordan isn't tampering with another team's player, then what's the problem?”