In a New York Magazine story, political consultant and former Obama advisor David Axelrod revealed Jordan signed a poster for Obama for his 50th birthday but misspelled the president's first name.

"When the president turned 50, I wanted to get him something special ... so I sent it to Jordan to have him sign it for me," Axelrod said.

In 2011, Jordan wrote in black Sharpie: "To Barrack: you still owe me dinner. Wishing you well, Michael Jordan."

"I gave it to the president, and he said, 'I can't put this up, he misspelled my name!' So I said, 'Fine, I'll take it.' "

Obama called into Raleigh's David Glenn Show Monday afternoon to discuss the life of late North Carolina coach Dean Smith, whom he awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 2013. Late in the interview, Glenn asked Obama about the misspelling.

"You know what, Michael, I will always be have a place in my heart," Obama said. "The joy that gave all of Chicago. He's actually an early supporter. I think I may have been the first publicly acknowledge contribution he made politically.

"He talks trash on the golf course, I understand even though he's never played with me...He's a pretty hyper competitive guy. Obviously somebody wasn't giving him the proper spelling of my name. I'm going to forgive him for that because I have six (NBA) championship memories (with the 1990s Chicago Bulls) that will never go away."

Jordan and Obama had a fun back-and-forth in November. Jordan called Obama a hack golfer, and the president said he had no doubt Jordan was the better golfer.

"He might want to spend more time thinking about the Bobcats - or maybe the Hornets," Obama said. "But that's a whole other issue."