I've Met Michael Jordan a Few Times — We've Never Had a Conversation

Duration: 3:45 733 transcript words EN summary

Video summary

The speaker describes meeting Michael Jordan on several occasions, yet emphasizes that every encounter has been limited to a brief handshake without ever having the chance for a real conversation. Despite these fleeting interactions, the emotional impact of finally shaking hands with his idol remains vivid and electric; he recalls how his heart skipped a beat when Jordan walked into the room as an adult, realizing it was actually the person who had adorned so many posters in his bedroom during adolescence. This sense of disbelief underscores just how iconic Michael Jordan has been to him throughout his entire life, transforming from a teenage fantasy on a wall into a tangible reality he could touch. Although the speaker acknowledges that public figures like Michael Jordan have shared their stories through documentaries such as *The Last Dance*, he believes there is still much depth left unexplored in those accounts. He expresses a strong desire to ask questions about Jordan's internal dialogue, specifically regarding his feelings after being cut from varsity basketball in tenth grade and whether he ever seriously considered quitting the sport entirely for baseball or golf. Furthermore, he wants to understand more about Jordan's formative years at the University of North Carolina under coach Dean Smith, seeking insights into how that specific chapter laid the foundation for his future superstardom with the Chicago Bulls rather than just focusing on the highlights already known by fans. The speaker also reflects on Michael Jordan's profound influence beyond basketball, noting how he changed culture and fashion to such an extent that even at fifty years old, the interviewee still wears Jordans and owns a closet full of them. This enduring legacy is what makes meeting him so significant; it represents more than just shaking hands with another NBA player but rather connecting with someone who has been an aspirational figure since childhood. Ultimately, if forced to choose one former NBA player for dinner or conversation based on their impact as a role model and icon, the speaker would unequivocally select Michael Jordan without any hesitation.

Read the full video transcript

He is the only person that I've ever met that the first time he walked into the room, I think my heart skipped a beat. Like I couldn't even believe that the guy that I had on posters all over my room as a teenager just walked in the room and I got to shake his hand. It was It was just an absolutely electric feeling. >> That's amazing. If you could have dinner with any NBA player ever that you've never got to meet or talk to, who would that be? >> Wow. I've had an opportunity to meet Michael Jordan a few times, but when I say meet, I literally mean just a quick handshake and keep it moving. So, I've never had a conversation with him. And when I was your age and growing up, I mean, he was on 10 different posters in my room. I had his Wheaties box on my dresser. Like I still consider him the greatest player of all time, but he was such a meaningful role model and aspirational figure when I was younger. I would have to say Mi- Michael Jordan. I just think it would be phenomenal to be able to sit down with him and and hear some of his stories and hear his journey. Um but most importantly, I would want to ask him questions where he would share some things that he hasn't shared as publicly as some of the stories that we know and would love to really dive deeper. But But that's someone that has just been an icon basically my entire life. I mean, you know, being a young basketball player and idolizing him on the court. And here it is, you know, here I am 50 years old and I'm still wearing Jordans and have an entire closet full of them. Like he changed culture, he changed fashion, he changed sports. I mean, it's just iconic. So, yeah, for me without question, if we're going to relegate it to a former NBA player, it would definitely be Michael Jordan. >> What would some of those questions be that you'd ask him? >> The The first one, you know, we've all heard the story of how he got cut from the varsity in 10th grade and then he grew a lot the next summer, worked on his game, came back, and then, you know, the rest is history. I I love to ask more questions about kind of his internal dialogue and and how that really made him feel and what was his approach and at any point after getting cut did he even consider uh quitting basketball and and going into baseball or golf or some of the other things that he had loved and was good at or you know, I would like to learn a little bit more about that. Uh I'd also like to learn a little bit more about his time at at UNC. Um you know, playing for the legendary Dean Smith and and of course he was one of the better college players and Michael Jordan was great at UNC. >> Yeah. But he wasn't >> the iconic superstar that he came to be uh with the Chicago Bulls. So I would also love to learn how Dean Smith and his time at UNC helped create the foundation that would then allow him to go on to be that great. So yeah, there would be a bunch of questions that I think would be just under the layer of maybe what he shared publicly and we've seen on things like The Last Dance, but but I think it would be phenomenal. But I will say this, I've I've met him probably a dozen times just again in passing because I used to work for events um where he was there or he would be the sponsor and I've met a lot of famous people in my life. He is the only person that I've ever met that the first time he walked into the room, I think my heart skipped a beat. Like I couldn't even believe that the guy that I had on posters all over my room as a teenager just walked in the room and I got to shake his hand. It was it was just an absolutely electric feeling. >> That's amazing. >> [music] [music]