Gus Lett
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Gus Lett | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 30, 1936 |
| Died | November 18, 2000 (aged 63) |
| Known for | Bodyguarding Michael Jordan |
Gus Lett (November 30, 1936 – November 18, 2000) was an American bodyguard and former police officer. He was most famous for serving as a bodyguard for basketball player and businessman Michael Jordan, where he became a father figure for the NBA superstar after the death of Jordan's father, James Jordan Sr.
Before entering the bodyguarding business, Lett has worked as a patrolman for the Chicago Police Department.[1]
Work for Michael Jordan
Lett began working for Jordan in 1993, the same year as the death of Jordan's father. Lett joined John Wozniak and fellow former police officer Clarence Travis as a part of Jordan's entourage.[2] In 1994, as Jordan quit basketball to pursue a baseball career, Jordan brought Lett along with him as a personal bodyguard, and was only formally re-hired by the Chicago Bulls in 1995 after Jordan's return to basketball.[3]
Lett was often perceived as the sternest of Jordan's bodyguards, receiving the nickname 'General'.[4] Despite this reputation, Lett also served as a father figure and confidant to Jordan as he grieved the death of his father.[5]