Los Angeles, California - Actor Idris Elba said he approached basketball legend Michael Jordan about playing him in a biopic film, but was turned down.

Michael Jordan is still considered one of the greatest basketball players and athletes of all time.

Since he's been retired for some time, it would be great to see his story come to life on the big screen.

But who would star as him? Apparently not Idris Elba.

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On the most recent episode of the Complex show Sneaker Shopping, Elba discussed his admiration for Jordan, and recalled asking the legend if he could play him in a movie.

"I even said to him one time, 'I want to play you,'" Elba explained. "He was like, 'Hm, I’m not ready yet.' That’s what he said, 'I’m not ready yet.' I was dead serious."

"In my head," Elba continued, "playing Jordan wouldn’t be about playing the basketball player. It was about the businessman. He is a very astute businessman, really smart. And his work as a philanthropist is, like, unspoken, but people don’t understand the work. He cares."

While Jordan didn't definitively say no, it doesn't seem like Elba would be the star of the project. Maybe Jordan is waiting for LeBron to retire?