Published 01/05/2023, 11:50 AM EST
Michael Jordan served as an inspiration for many generations due to his brilliance on the court. The six-time NBA champ’s level of fierceness and competitiveness was something that had never been seen in the league. However, he also admired an NBA legend’s game while growing up. Recently, the same NBA legend dragged billionaire Michael Jordan for stealing his nickname.
Michael Jordan became synonymous with the sport of basketball in the 1990s. His two three-peat achievements took him to a height of greatness that was acknowledged worldwide. However, he was blamed for stealing his nickname ‘MJ’ by an NBA great and it’s not Magic Johnson.
NBA legend makes a bold claim about Michael Jordan
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In a recent appearance on No Chill with Gilbert Arenas, Milwaukee Bucks legend Marques Johnson joined co-hosts Gilbert Arenas and Josiah Johnson. The co-host Josiah Johnson asked Marques Johnson what it meant to him knowing Michael Jordan admired him. Jordan’s admiration for Marques Johnson is not unknown. There is a very famous photo that depicts the scenes from a young Jordan’s dorm room where the striking poster of Johnson’s Law could be seen on his wall. The Adidas ad poster featured the Bucks legend with the slogan, “What goes up goes in.”
Moreover, Michael Jordan also shared his respect for Marques Johnson in The Last Dance. During the conversation, Johnson revealed that his son sent him the footage of the episode from The Last Dance before its release. In the footage, MJ talked about his liking for the Bucks giant. While sharing his experience of watching the video, Marques Johnson said, “It was Michael saying, ‘Yeah! Yeah! Marques Johnson. I’m a big fan. I used to love Marques Johnson. He was my favorite player.”
Johnson reckoned that it was a huge honor for him to be Michael Jordan’s favorite player. Meanwhile, Marques Johnson’s revelation prompted Gilbert Arenas to pose a question. Arenas questioned, “So basically, he stole your name?”
In response, Marques Johnson said, “MJ? I mean, yeah.” Moreover, the acknowledgment of the claim about Jordan stealing Johnson’s nickname triggered jokes from Gilbert Arenas. The NBA veteran joked that they were coming for the Chicago Bulls legend and that Johnson needed his checks for the money Jordan had earned with the nickname ‘MJ’.
Jordan’s admiration for Marques almost took him away from Nike
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Michael Jordan has become synonymous with the multinational sneaker brand Nike. His partnership with Nike has earned him and the company a great deal of fortune and played a crucial part in achieving billionaire status. However, Michael once revealed his inclination to sign Adidas, due to Marques Johnson’s history with the sneakers brand.
Once, MJ was asked if there was a shoe company he wanted to associate with. The Bulls legend responded with a smile, “Yeah, I was Adidas. I like Los Angeles Lakers, and I like Marques Johnson, and I like Adidas. I like Adidas shoes.”
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Thus, due to Johnson’s associations with Adidas in the past, Jordan was inclined to join the sneaker brand. However, he made a wise and fortune-showering decision of partnering up with Nike and the rest is history.