- Michael Jordan is competing in one of America's oldest and largest fishing tournaments.
- His boat, "Catch 23," is registered in the 62nd annual Big Rock Tournament on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina.
- His Airness is squaring off against 204 other boats for a whopping $3.4 million purse.
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Michael Jordan is taking his talents from the air to the sea.
The Chicago Bulls legend has registered his boat — which is named "Catch 23" in a clever play on his legendary NBA jersey number — in the 62nd annual Big Rock Tournament. His Airness will join 204 other boaters on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina to compete for a whopping $3.4 million purse.
The Catch 23 was spotted docked at the Morehead City Yacht Basin on Monday, the day the tournament began.
—Doug Abrams (@dabrams2021) June 8, 2020Later, it was confirmed via the official tournament website that Jordan's boat was registered for the competition.
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—TylerFeldmanTV (@TylerFeldmanTV) June 6, 2020The Big Rock Tournament is one of the premier sportfishing tournaments in the United States. For more than 60 years, participants have hunted the spectacular, clear waters off the coast of the Tar Heel state for blue marlin in pursuit of cash prizes. Each year, the tournament also helps raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer research and other local causes, according to the Big Rock website.
After debuting Catch 23 at the White Marlin Open in Ocean City, Maryland, last August, Jordan is continuing his foray into the sportfishing arena. It's one of many pursuits that has kept him busy during the last several months. Jordan was the focal point of "The Last Dance" — ESPN's 10-part documentary series about the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls that aired throughout April and May. He also made headlines when the Jordan brand pledged $100 million to improving social justice initiatives after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police in late May.
Though Jordan's leg of the Big Rock Tournament just began Tuesday, His Airness' boat has already reeled in a blue marlin. As of this article's writing, Catch 23 sits in third place out of hundreds of boats. But given Jordan's attitude towards competition throughout his basketball career, it seems unlikely Jordan will be satisfied with anything less than a top finish.
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