Michael B. Jordan opens up about having same name as NBA legend

Michael B. Jordan had a journey of acceptance towards his name, which is the same as Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan.

During a recent appearance on CBS Sunday Morning, Jordan, 38, opened up about growing up with the same name as the legendary basketball player.

"I got teased so much, to the point where I almost changed my name," said the Sinners star.

The actor thought to use his middle name, Bakari, for his stage name.

"It definitely made me want to be competitive and be good at – I wanted to be great at something, if not for nothing else at that time just to, like, feel like I had my own identity," he shared.

But he thinks having the same name as the NBA Hall of Famer "was a part of the alchemy that made me who I am today."

Smith mentioned that Bakari means "noble promise" in Swahili and asked the Creed actor if he feels he’s lived up to that name.

"I feel like I'm walking in that and will continue to do so, big time," he said. "We got a lot more things to do, you know? We're just getting started."

Michael B. Jordan’s performance as twins in Ryan Coogler’s Sinners got the actor critical acclaim. He was nominated in the Best Actor category at the Critics' Choice Awards on January 4 but lost to Timothee Chalamet for his role in Marty Supreme.