Travis Kelce lit up at the chance to talk to two of his three nieces on his podcast this week
Jason Kelce’s daughter Wyatt; Travis Kelce.PHOTO: NEWHEIGHTSHOW/INSTAGRAM
Travis Kelce melts at the chance to chat with his nieces.
On the latest episode of New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce (Presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment), the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, 33, was excited when brother Jason Kelce’s oldest daughter crashed their recording.
“Wyatt asked if she could say hi,” he says before hoisting the 4-year-old onto his lap.
Travis gasps and says, “Look at you!” as she says, “Hi Uncle Trav!”
“What’s up girly? How are you doing?” he asks. “How was gymnastics?”
“What are you wearing? Tell Uncle Trav what you’re wearing,” Jason says.
“A leotard!” she shares, pointing to her neckline.
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Travis also got to say hi to niece Elliotte, 2 smiling wide as she appeared on screen. He asks her how she’s doing and the toddler can’t stop smiling.
“You’re smiling big,” Travis says. “You’re making my day.”
Before running off camera, Ellie pauses to show Travis her new sunglasses.
“Movie star!” Jason declares as he picks up the toddler, who appears on camera smiling in daisy-framed white sunglasses.
“I love it!” Travis says, pumping his fists as Jason sets her down. “Do you tell her when she puts on the sunglasses that she’s invisible like they do in Big Daddy?”
“I don’t think we’ve done that yet,” Jason laughs. “Usually we just say, ‘Oooh, look at the movie star.’ “
Travis Kelce and niece Elliotte.NEW HEIGHTS/YOUTUBE
Speaking with PEOPLE earlier this year, Jason’s wife Kylie Kelce — with whom he also shares daughter Bennett, 7 months — celebrated the relationship between her girls and their uncle.
Although she’s tried to tell Travis that he can turn down his nieces’ many requests, he’s a good sport at playing along.
“Our oldest, she’s our boss. She’s our ring leader, and she just has demand after demand for him. And I’m like, ‘Trav, you know you can tell Wyatt no?’ “
“He was like ‘Yeah, I don’t think I can.’ And so he will do it,” she said.
“She’ll be like, ‘Jump up and down.’ He’ll do it. ‘Roll on the floor,’ he’ll do it. ‘Be the pony.’ He’ll do it. So he’s all-in when it comes to being an uncle. He is the epitome of an uncle, just through and through.”
Jason Kelce’s daughter is already laying down the law.
On Thursday, the Philadelphia Eagles player, 35, posted a hilarious video to his Instagram of his daughter Wyatt, 3, yelling at his brother Travis Kelce, 33, for wearing the same wig that Jason wore during a recent episode of the brothers’ podcast, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce.
In the video, Wyatt tells Travis to “take it off!” several times, prompting Travis to ask, “Why do I have to take it off?”
“Because I don’t like it,” Wyatt asserts, leaning into Travis’ face. “You don’t like it? I thought you said you wanted Dad to have pink hair!” Travis says.
“Yeah, but I don’t want you to have pink hair!” Wyatt insists. When Travis asks why he can’t have pink hair, Wyatt hilariously responds, “Because you’re naughty and you’re sneaky!”
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Jason captioned the post, “That’s my girl!! Wyatt already knows Uncle Travy too well!!”
The Eagles player shares daughters Bennett, 3 months, Elliotte, 2, and Wyatt with wife Kylie, 31.
In May, Jason posted a sweet photo of his baby daughter Bennett inside the Stanley Cup on his Instagram. In the picture, Kylie held Bennett as she nestled into the cup while wearing an adorable dinosaur onesie and had a purple pacifier in her mouth.
“The Crème de la Crème of all trophies came on to New Heights. It was an honor to meet Mike “the keeper of the cup” and be able to see Lord Stanley in person,” Jason captioned the post. “Girls coming out of nap time were not in the mood, but these pictures and memories I’ll cherish forever! Thank you for this opportunity to see a legend in person.”
This wasn’t the first trophy that Jason and his daughters have had the opportunity to check out. Earlier that same month, Jason shared a photo of daughters Elliotte and Wyatt holding the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. Both girls smiled while Wyatt extended an arm around her younger sister.
“Pretty Surreal moment at the Kelce household this weekend. Never in a million years did I think I’d hold the Larry O’Brien trophy, let alone that it would be in my house!!” Jason captioned the Instagram. “The size is incredible, looks so small when NBA players are holding it, but it’s actually massive!!”
“It’s incredible seeing it and feeling the weight and heft. The girls were very interested in it haha,” he added.
Ahead of giving birth to baby Bennett, Kylie spoke to PEOPLE 38 weeks into her pregnancy and opened up about what she loves about Jason as a girl dad.
“I don’t think in his life, Jason ever assumed that he would be the father of three daughters,” Kylie told PEOPLE. “He would always be like, ‘No, no, we’ll get a boy. We’ll get a boy.’ And I’m like, ‘You got to stop challenging the universe. Stop saying it because the universe is like, ‘Yeah, okay,’” she chuckled.
“It’s been amazing to see him sort of transformed from only having a brother, not having any first cousins, so really having like no experience with little girls. And now, he is absolutely head over heels in love with his daughters, and they feed that back to him tenfold,” she added.
The girl dad is very hands-on with all three of his daughters, according to wife Kylie Kelce
courtesy of Pottery Barn Kids
Jason Kelce enjoys a tea party with daughter Elliotte
Jason Kelce takes being a dad very seriously.
Sharing glimpses at their newly redesigned playroom with Pottery Barn Kids, the Philadelphia Eagles center, 36, can be seen playing with his three daughters in a series of photos.
When it comes to quality time with his three girls — Bennett, 11 months, Elliotte, 2½, and Wyatt, 4 — wife Kylie Kelce praises the NFL star’s dedication.
“Jason is emotionally and mentally present for his girls, and I think that’s so important,” she tells PEOPLE exclusively.
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courtesy of Pottery Barn Kids
Jason Kelce shares a laugh with daughter Wyatt as she hugs a giant stuffed giraffe’s neck
Related: Jason Kelce and Wife Kylie Give PEOPLE Inside Look at Daughters’ Cozy Playroom (Exclusive)
The photos shared by Pottery Barn Kids show the family having a blast in their upgraded space. Wyatt is laughing hard as she hugs the neck of a giant stuffed giraffe, while Jason is sporting an identical grin on the couch next to her.
The NFL player could be seen being hands-on with his girls, from setting up drawing paper on the Carolina Craft Table for the older pair to get artsy to showing the family’s big book collection on display on the shelves, in the Cameron Cubby & Cabinet Wall System.
The family of five could also be seen lounging together on their couch, enjoying some reads in a sweet, giggly moment.
courtesy of Pottery Barn Kids
Jason Kelce sets up drawing paper for his daughters Elliotte and Wyatt
The family man arrived in Orlando for the Pro Bowl on Wednesday, where he joked about changes to the event’s format since the last time he participated.
“I don’t even know what you do in the Pro Bowl anymore. But it’s down in Orlando, so I get to take my kids to Walt Disney World,” he said, per PHLY reporter Zach Berman
Kelce continued, “Not off-the-Super Bowl Walt Disney World, but as long as Wyatt gets to see Elsa, I don’t think it really matters.”
Kylie Kelce/Instagram
Jason and Kylie Kelce on the field with daughters Elliotte, Wyatt and Bennett
In a recent interview with Glamour, the proud mom, 31, was asked if she had hopes for her girls to become athletes.
“I do hope they become athletes, probably selfishly, but also because there are so many things involved in sports that translate into real life,” she shared. “But that being said, my husband and I are both advocates for the arts and would enjoy it if they get involved in that as well.”
“He was a competition jazz band member, so he was a well-rounded guy. Not a lot of people know that, but he played the baritone saxophone, so if they want to get into music, art, we will fully encourage that as well. We’ll try everything just to see what sticks.”
Title: “Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift: The Secret Promise Unveiled”
In a heartwarming video shared by Jason Kelce’s wife, Kylie, their 4-year-old daughter Wyatt innocently questions Uncle Travis about his plans to marry her favorite person, Taylor. This innocent inquiry sparked deep contemplation among fans, igniting rumors of trouble for Travis.
The speculation intensified after images surfaced of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce sharing a passionate New Year’s Eve kiss in Kansas City. While fans swooned over their affectionate display, little did they know that this kiss sealed a secret engagement.
Reports emerged from the anonymous creator of the Deux Moi podcast, claiming that Taylor and Travis had privately gotten engaged on December 31st, away from the public eye. Despite the overwhelming evidence, the couple has chosen to delay making their engagement official, citing busy schedules and a desire not to overshadow important events like the playoffs and Swift’s ongoing tour.
Travis Kelce’s public gestures of affection towards Swift during a recent game against the Buffalo Bills only added fuel to the rumors. Despite the freezing temperatures on the field, Travis made it clear where his heart lay with heartfelt gestures directed at Swift, captured by millions of viewers.
While the couple has met each other’s families and shared intimate moments, they remain tight-lipped about their engagement, amidst conflicting reports from tabloids. They understand the importance of timing, especially with Travis’s focus on the upcoming games and Swift’s international tour commitments.
As the couple continues to navigate their respective careers, their unwavering commitment to each other remains steadfast. With promises exchanged and secrets kept, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift look forward to a future filled with love and shared dreams.
The singer is dating Jason’s younger brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce
Jason Kelce is singing his praise for Taylor Swift!
In an interview with WCPO 9 that was shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Friday, the Philadelphia Eagles center discussed the attention that has followed the “Blank Space” singer, 34, by the NFL, as she dates Jason’s younger brother, Travis Kelce.
“The attention’s there because the audience wants to see it, I mean, if people didn’t want to see it they wouldn’t be showing it, I know that,” Jason, 36, said.
“She’s a world star, she’s the quintessential, you know, artist right now in the world,” he continued, then describing the “singer-songwriter” as “immensely talented,” as well as an “unbelievable role model for young women across the globe.”
“I think that the NFL would probably be foolish not to, you know, show her and … be a role model for all the young girls out there,” Jason added.
Brittany Mahomes, Jason Kelce, and Taylor Swift react during the second half of the AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on January 21, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York.
Brittany Mahomes, Jason Kelce, and Taylor Swift react during the second half of the AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on January 21, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York.MoreRelated: Jason Kelce Chokes Up Congratulating Travis on 2024 Super Bowl Spot: ‘Finish This Motherf—er’
Jason’s latest comments aren’t the first time this week that he has celebrated the pop superstar.
He previously called Swift the “newest member“ of the Kansas City Chiefs fan club during this week’s episode of the New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce podcast.
“Shout out to the newest members of the Chiefs Kingdom,” Jason said in the Wednesday episode, before he joked, “Taylor Swift, who has officially reached the Super Bowl in her rookie year.”
“Shout out to Tay!” Travis, 34, then responded with a laugh, adding. “Thanks for joining the team!”
Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates with his brother Jason Kelce as Taylor Swift looks on after a 17-10 victory against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game at M&T Bank Stadium on Jan. 28, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates with his brother Jason Kelce as Taylor Swift looks on after a 17-10 victory against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game at M&T Bank Stadium on Jan. 28, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.MoreRelated: Taylor Swift ‘Fits in Seamlessly’ with Travis Kelce’s Loved Ones: ‘They’re Genuinely Happy’ (Source Exclusive)
The Kelce family and Swift were spotted celebrating after the Chiefs’ winning game in the AFC Championship on Sunday. After Travis’ team defeated the Buffalo Bills, and secured a spot in the Super Bowl on Feb. 11, he was pictured kissing Swift on the field.
Shortly after the sweet embrace, the tight end also found his brother, and the pair shared several big hugs and handshakes.
“You keep your shirt on this time?” Travis joked to his brother — referencing Jason’s shirtless antics at the Chiefs game against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 21. “I did … for right now. We’ll see how it goes,” Jason responded.
The father of three then choked up as he congratulated his younger brother on the Chiefs’ 17-10 victory over the Ravens, which allows him to return to the Super Bowl for a second consecutive year.
“I know it wasn’t easy. I know it was a hard year,” Jason said. “Finish it. Finish this motherf—-er!”
The former Philadelphia Eagles star lost his 2018 Super Bowl ring during a live event on April 11 at the University of Cincinnati
Jason Kelce clarified that he doesn’t think his Super Bowl ring was stolen when it went missing during a live New Heights taping The former Eagles center said he thinks it was “accidentally thrown in the trash” after reviewing “video evidence” from the event Jason said previously that he’s “already put the insurance claim in” for the lost ring
After Jason Kelce revealed his 2018 Super Bowl ring went missing during a recent live event in Cincinnati, the retired NFL star is clarifying what he thinks happened to the valuable keepsake.
The ring went missing on April 11, when Jason, 36, and his brother Travis Kelce hosted a live event for their podcast, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, at the University of Cincinnati. One of the games they played had fans searching through a pool of Cincinnati-style chili for Jason’s actual Super Bowl ring, which he frequently jokes about losing around his house, and several replica versions.
On an April 17 episode recapping the event, Jason told Travis, 34, that he and the event staff weren’t able to find the ring after the taping wrapped.
Jason said the New Heights team attempted to sift through the chili once more the next day to find the ring, but had no luck. “We have still yet to find it,” the former Eagles player said.
“All of this stuff has been thrown away, so I think we can safely assume that my Super Bowl ring is now in a landfill, someplace in the Cincinnati Tri-State area,” Jason added.
On the April 24 episode of their podcast, Travis brought up the lost ring with their guest, comedian Andrew Santino, who said, “That seems like such a hard thing to lose.”
Travis said, “Dude, you don’t lose it. Somebody steals it,” to which Jason replied that there was “some video evidence” of the ring’s last known whereabouts.
After the episode’s release, Jason’s comment about “video evidence” was seemingly misconstrued, and the Super Bowl winner clarified a report on X (formerly known as Twitter) saying Jason suggested the ring had been stolen.
“This is incorrect, and not what I was saying, I do not think it was stolen,” Jason responded to the report. “Based on the video evidence we do have I think it was accidentally thrown in the trash while cleaning up,” he added.
One user who replied to Jason’s response got the former NFL star’s attention when they said, “Calling out incorrect articles should be your new career. Give you something to do until you get a real job.”
Jason jokingly replied, “That’s way [too] busy of a job to take on.”
During the initial reveal that he had lost the ring, Jason said the “only thing” he could think of to explain what happened to the sock with his ring in it is that it “got kicked out of the way, and it made its way out of the pool and was thrown away in some shape or form.”
Jason Kelce, Travis Kelce. TIM NWACHUKWU/GETTY; DAVID EULITT/GETTY
He also told listeners he’s already contacted his insurance company to report the missing ring. “We’ve already put the insurance claim in, which I think the insurance company might have some things to say about whether they’re gonna do that,” Jason shared.
Travis chimed in, joking, “100%, they’re gonna have — especially if you’re gonna tell the entire world how you lost it.”
Jason and the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2018, when they defeated the New England Patriots 41-33.
On March 4, Jason officially announced his retirement from the NFL after 13 seasons in a tearful 40-minute speech.
Earlier this year, Forbes released their annual list of the richest people on the planet. Michael Jordan came 1,001st with an estimated fortune of $2.1billion.
It has been six years since the Chicago Bulls legend first appeared on the billionaire countdown, having seen his wealth grow astonishingly since his retirement.
Jordan called time on his extraordinary career once and for all back in 2003, but that hasn’t stopped him cashing in on his popularity, or developing his brand.
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Michael Jordan’s groundbreaking deal with Nike has helped turn him into a multi-billionaire
In fact, after earning less than $100m during his time as a player with the Bulls and the Washington Wizards, Jordan has seen his net worth skyrocket.
Netflix documentary The Last Dance, which focuses on Jordan’s incredible rise to the top of the NBA and his final season in Chicago, covers his groundbreaking shoe deal with Nike and his early endorsement deals.
But since leaving the court for the final time, MJ has created a business empire with restaurants, investments and his own NBA franchise.
Here, Sportsmail takes a closer look at how basketball’s greatest player also became the richest sports star ever.
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Jordan discusses his rise to fame with Chicago Bulls in Netflix documentary The Last Dance
The Last Dance takes a look at Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls
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In comparison to the money pocketed by the NBA’s biggest stars today, Jordan’s earnings – at least at the start of his career – were modest.
Picked third overall by the Bulls during the 1984 draft, Jordan signed a four-year contract worth $2.8million over four seasons.
His rise to the top of the game – he was named the league’s MVP in 1988 – coincided with an improved deal, but it wasn’t until the end of his time in the Windy City that his talent was recognised in his salary.
By 1991, Jordan was picking up $2.5m a season. That figure rose to $3.25m, then $4m in 1992-93. The Bulls even paid him that amount during his time away from the game, when he decided to try his hand at Minor League Baseball for a year.
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Jordan celebrates with the NBA Championship trophy after leading the Bulls to glory in 1991
After being paid $3.85m for his first full year back in action, Jordan’s salary went through the roof during his 12th season in Chicago. Having won four NBA titles and four MVP awards, he finally became the best-paid player in the league on $30.1m a year.
His pay increased to $33.1m in his final season with the Bulls, but his career total – including two seasons with the Wizards after coming out of retirement – was $98m before tax, a relatively small percentage of what he’s now worth.
Due to a new salary cap implemented in 1999, it would be another 16 years until a player would make $30m in a single season.
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Jordan, pictured in action for the Bulls in May 1998, earned $33.1million in his final season
NIKE PARTNERSHIP
While Jordan’s first contract in Chicago was far less lucrative than those handed out to top draft picks nowadays, the next one he signed has proved to be anything but.
The Last Dance covers the tale of how Jordan wanted to sign an endorsement deal with adidas after emerging onto the scene, only to be told that it was not an option.
Converse was the official shoe of the NBA at the time, but they too did not see Jordan as a priority as they already had contracts with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, the game’s two biggest stars.
Instead, he was convinced to attend a meeting with the recently established Nike by his mother, Deloris, and agent David Falk.
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Jordan wears a pair of his own Nike shoes during an NBA game in Chicago back in 1984
He went on to sign a five-year contract worth $500,000 a year – three times more than any other NBA deal at the time – but it was the development of the ‘Air Jordan’ shoe which proved to be a game-changer.
In its first year, Nike expected to sell around $3m of product. They ended up making $126m and starting a cultural movement which exists to this day.
In The Last Dance, Jordan says: ‘My mother said: “You’re gonna go listen. You may not like it, but you’re gonna go listen”. She made me get on that plane and go listen.
‘Go into that meeting not wanting to be there, and Nike made this big pitch. My father said, “You’d have to be a fool not taking this deal. This is the best deal.”‘
So it has proved for Jordan, who has earned a whopping $1.3bn from his partnership with Nike so far, according to Forbes.
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The Jordan brand helped Michael become a cultural icon – and it has earned billions for Nike
Even in 2019, 16 years after he stopped playing, MJ pocketed $130m from his shoe deal – four times more than LeBron James, who has the most lucrative contract among current NBA players.
Nike’s Jordan brand alone is now worth $3.1bn annually, having grown by 10 per cent from 2018. It is estimated that overall, the brand is worth $10bn to the company.
It is by some distance the most lucrative endorsement deal signed by any athlete, but it also took Nike to new heights.
Before signing MJ, they were 50 per cent smaller than adidas when it came to revenue. Last year their revenue of $40bn was 60 per cent higher than adidas and roughly 43 times what it was before starting the Jordan brand.
Research last year also showed that Nike’s share of the performance basketball market is 86 per cent, with 77 per cent of NBA stars wearing Nike or Jordan shoes during the 2019-20 season.
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Jordan poses with the Air Jordan XX3 basketball shoe ahead of its release back in 2008
ENDORSEMENT DEALS
As well as the incredible deal with Nike, The Last Dance also shows how becoming the face of the NBA resulted in a number of money-spinning endorsements for Jordan.
During his playing days, he signed deals with big brands including Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Wheaties and Chevrolet.
And even though he has cut back on his commitments, the 57-year-old still has lucrative agreements with clothing brand Hanes, Gatorade and trading card company Upper Deck.
It is estimated that he has earned $1.7bn through endorsement deals, with the money continuing to roll in from companies still keen to be aligned with the greatest basketball player of all time.
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Jordan shoots a Gatorade commercial in 1990 – he is still affiliated with the brand to this day
Jordan has always been picky about which brands to work with, even turning down a $1m offer from Beanee Weenees because he didn’t like the name.
Despite having earned less than $5m at the time, Jordan said: ‘How can I stand in front of a camera and say I’ll eat Beanee Weenees?’
That was nothing compared to an offer he received in 2017, however, when one unnamed brand came up with an eye-watering $100m deal.
Yet, despite only needing to hand over his image rights and make one two-hour appearance at an event, Jordan rejected it.
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Jordan was one of the faces of McDonald’s in his heyday and also worked with Coca-Cola
His agent, David Falk, explained: ‘I brought him a deal three years ago for $100m. All he had to do was, other than giving his name and likeness, make a one two-hour appearance to announce the deal and he turned it down.
‘God bless him. He’s been so successful, it gives him an opportunity to do whatever the hell he wants or not to do things he doesn’t want.
‘I really admire that. He’s very, very selective in the things he wants to be involved in.’
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
After rekindling his love for basketball following his switch to baseball, Jordan had hoped to move upstairs permanently with the Wizards upon his retirement.
Instead he was forced out of the club and had to wait three years until a minority stake in the Charlotte Bobcats – now known as the Hornets – became available.
In 2010, Jordan became the majority owner in a deal worth $175m which was largely funded with debt. It made him the first former player to become a majority owner.
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Jordan is the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets after first buying a stake back in 2006
Jordan increased his stake in the Hornets to 90 per cent and, due to a number of factors in recent years, including a huge new TV deal with ESPN and TNT which tripled in value and the sale of the Los Angeles Clippers for $2bn, he has seen the value of the Hornets rise significantly.
In 2019, when Jordan sold 20 per cent of the team to New York-based hedge fund managers Gabe Plotkin and Daniel Sundheim last year, they were valued at $1.5bn.
‘I’m excited to welcome Gabe and Dan as my partners in Hornets Sports & Entertainment,’ said Jordan in a statement after sealing the deal.
‘While I will continue to run the Charlotte Hornets, make all decisions related to the team and organisation, and remain the team’s NBA Governor, Gabe and Dan’s investment in the franchise is invaluable, as we continue to modernise, add new technology and strive to compete with the best in the NBA.’
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Jordan’s Charlotte Hornets, pictured in action last November, are now valued at $1.5billion
INVESTMENTS
Although his initial investment in the Hornets was the largest he has been involved in, Jordan has still used his money to make money since retiring.
Among the companies MJ has invested in are sports data provider Sportradar, headphone brand Muzik and aXiomatic, the parent company of esports squad Team Liquid.
Jordan also launched his own premium tequila brand, Cincoro, in 2019 with the help of three of his fellow NBA owners – Los Angeles Lakers’ Jeanie Buss, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Wes Edens and the Boston Celtics’ Wyc Grousbeck.
And, after playing for the Chicago White Sox during his hiatus from basketball, Jordan is now back involved in baseball.
He owns less than 1 per cent of the Miami Marlins after joining his friend, former shortstop Derek Jeter, as part of an investor group which bought the Major League Baseball team for $1.2bn back in 2017.
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Jordan owns less than 1% of the Miami Marlins after linking up with pal Derek Jeter (pictured)
RESTAURANTS AND CAR DEALERSHIP
As if all of that wasn’t enough, Jordan’s business empire extends even further.
The Bulls legend is a partner in Cornerstone Restaurant Group, which runs five Jordan-branded restaurants called Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse.
First established in 1997, the restaurants can now be found in Chicago, Oak Brook, Washington and Connecticut.
Jordan also owns a Nissan car dealership in North Carolina.
Every episode of “The Last Dance” through the docuseries’ first four episodes had a specific theme: Episode 1 was the Michael Jordan episode. Episode 2 showcased Scottie Pippen. Episode 3 handled the unique personality that encapsulates Dennis Rodman, and Episode 4 was sneakily a way to highlight head coach Phil Jackson’s best traits.
Episode 5 brought the main spotlight back to Jordan throughout, but in a unique way. It wasn’t just Jordan, it was his impact on the world through his shoes.
The installment went into detail about Jordan’s connection with his footwear, and the makings of an infamous Nike deal that helped to turn him into a star, and transform the brand itself into a powerhouse.
>>RELATED: ‘The Last Dance’ Episode 1 synopsis/review: ‘Enjoy what’s happening, because this is it’
As usual, the episode was packed with a lot of insight and in-depth elements about Jordan’s rise and the Bulls’ “last dance,” but certain things stuck out among the rest.
Highlights include:
Jordan’s impact on the game from a talent perspective was obvious, but his influence on other players may have been even more important.
The episode starts with clips from the 1998 NBA All-Star Game, which many speculated to be Jordan’s last as the 1997-1998 season’s drama hit its stride. It highlights Jordan’s connection with Madison Square Garden, and showcases his relationship with a certain 19-year-old star, Kobe Bryant.
As the Lakers youngster began to take the league by storm, many wondered what his role could be when squaring off with Jordan throughout the game.
“Can’t forget the king is on the court,” the media said in the buildup.
Meanwhile, Jordan took to his usual competitive spirit, promising to “make this a one-on-one game.” He did just that, beating Bryant in the post and giving him lessons in the process.
It was a rough couple of years coming into the league, nobody was really thinking much of me,” Bryant said in an interview before his passing. “At that point, Michael provided a lot of guidance for me. ‘If you ever need anything, give me a call.’ He’s like my big brother.”
“I truly hate having discussions about who would win one-on-one,” Bryant continued. “I feel like, ‘Yo, what you get from me is from him.’ I don’t get five championships [in Los Angeles] without him.”
Fittingly, Jordan tells Bryant that he’ll see him “down the road” as the two embraced after the game, sparking a friendship that would last decades.
>>RELATED: ‘The Last Dance’ Episode 2 synopsis/review: ‘I had to do what was best for me’
If Jordan had his way, he would’ve signed with adidas. Instead, he landed with Nike, and changed the shoe game as fans know it.
After the introduction, viewers got a glimpse of Jordan talking about playing in an old pair of Jordan 1’s in what many believed would be his last game at Madison Square Garden in 1998. He initially broke them out in 1984, and decided to bring them back 14 years later.
The documentary flashes back. to that time in 1984, with agent David Falk talking about the contract negotiations with different companies like Converse, adidas and Nike.
Falk’s company represented tennis star Arthur Ashe, and wanted to turn Jordan into a one-man superstar like a golfer, tennis player or boxer. So, the very first deal Falk went after was shoes.
They initially went to Converse, the NBA’s official shoe sponsor, but the company said that they “couldn’t envision” Jordan ending up ahead of the brand’s stars in Magic Johnson, Julius Erving, Isiah Thomas and Larry Bird.
Then, Jordan’s team went to his preferred choice, adidas, who said they “can’t make a shoe work at this point in time.”
Finally, the upstart Nike brand got its turn, but Jordan showed no interest and didn’t want to visit their campus After Falk called Jordan’s mother, the young gun changed course and made the trip, receiving a huge offer in the process.
As a result, Air Jordan’s were created, and the company hoped Jordan could help them sell three million shoes by the end of the fourth year on his contract. Instead, he sold more than 120 million by the end of the deal’s first year.
“It was more of a status symbol,” Nas said. “You knew this guy was the guy.”
Nike used Spike Lee to create Jordan’s commercials, and the brand suddenly crossed urban culture with sports, even coining the phrase, “It must be the shoes,” in the process.
“What I did on the basketball court, my dedication to the game led to all this other stuff,” Jordan said. “My game did all my talking.”
Flashing back to 1998, Jordan goes off in his old shoes, and the media decides to dust off that old phrase, too: “It must be the shoes.”
>>RELATED: ‘The Last Dance’ Episode 3 synopsis/review: ‘You don’t put a saddle on a mustang’
As the Bulls started to become a successful franchise, the expectations began to rise. So, after they won their first title in 1991, the pressure kept them moving towards a repeat, and even a three-peat.
Fortunately for the Bulls, they may have had their best team of the dynasty when the 1991-1992 season rolled around. According to ESPN analyst Michael Wilbon, that was exactly the case.
At the same time, Jordan was hitting his peak, and teammates were starting to recognize that he was simply on another level.
“He knew how to steer momentum, he knew how to get guys going,” B.J. Armstrong said. “He was just playing a different game than the rest of us. Once he figured that out, you couldn’t beat him.”
Chicago squared off with the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals, pitting two great superstars against one another: Jordan and Clyde Drexler. Unfortunately, Jordan wasn’t pleased about that phrasing.
“Me being compared to him, I took offense to that,” Jordan said. “Based on where I was playing at the time, it wasn’t even close.”
Conversations with Magic Johnson the night before the battle showed how determined Jordan truly was, and even led to some barking from Jordan towards Johnson’s media table court-side during the game. As a result, fans got to see the origins of Jordan’s infamous shrug.
The Bulls went on to win the series in six games, giving Chicago their second straight championship. Meanwhile, Jerry Krause celebrated the “great” and “all-time” organization,” while subtly praising the team.
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After the 1992 NBA Finals, questions began to come in about the 1992 Summer Olympics. Then, the “Dream Team” was formed, uniting some of basketball’s all-time greats on one squad.
The drama between Isiah Thomas took centerstage as the team’s stars were chosen, and the fingers continued to be pointed at Jordan due to the animosity between the Bulls and Thomas’ Pistons.
“Guy who you’re talking about or thinking about isn’t going to be playing,” one coach told Jordan when the latter asked, “Who’s all playing?” on the team.
I respect Isiah Thomas’ talent,” Jordan said in the documentary after clips showed him not wanting to talk about Thomas in interviews ahead of the Olympics. “To me, the greatest point guard of all time is Magic Johnson. Right behind him is Isiah.”
“I don’t know what went into that process,” Thomas said in the docuseries. “I met the criteria to be selected, but I wasn’t.”
“It was the best harmony,” Jordan said when describing the collective “Dream Team” unit. “Would Isiah have made a different feeling on that team? Yes.”
Wilbon described the tension between numerous players and Thomas, rather than just Jordan’s sourness towards the Pistons legend. “They did not want to play with him,” Wilbon said. “Everybody put it on Michael. There was a lot more to it than that.”
When the field was finally set, Jordan was joined by the likes of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone and many more familiar foes from the NBA. As a result, Jordan felt he was the “young guy with the elder statesmen.”
Jordan, Johnson and Barkley reminisced about a practice the team had with “Team Magic” and “Team Jordan,” battling back and forth. As Johnson’s team took a lead and the Lakers legend started to talk trash, he told Jordan that he needed “to turn into ‘Air Jordan’ or we’ll blow you out.”
“Man, what did I say that for?” Johnson said, as highlights showed Jordan’s team bouncing back and taking a quick lead before taking the inevitable W in the game.
“Hey Charles, I guess we shouldn’t have pissed the man off,” Johnson said.
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The drama between the Bulls and general manager Jerry Krause leaked into the “Dream Team” atmosphere, coming to a boiling point as it related to Croatian star Toni Kukoc.
“Toni’s certainly an outstanding young prospect, and certainly an outstanding young man,” Krause said in an interview in the 1990s.
As things at home in a war-torn environment escalated, Kukoc decided to play a few more years in Europe before heading to the NBA. As that happened, Krause traveled to watch him play, and negotiated with Kukoc while Pippen’s deal was on hold.
“He’s willing to put someone in front of his actual kids,” Jordan said.
So, Jordan and Pippen took it to the young Kukoc in the Olympics, asking teammates to only let the two of them cover him during a U.S.-Croatia game.
“I feel bad for Toni, and I thought Michael and Scottie were out of line,” Wilbon said. “He was terrified.”
“It wasn’t anything personal about Toni, but we were going to do everything we could to make Jerry look bad,” Pippen said.
In the gold medal game between Croatia and the U.S., Kukoc came back and impressed his future teammates, but the “Dream Team” was too much for Kukoc’s squad, and Jordan and company took home gold medals in the process.
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While Jordan rose to meteoric levels as a result of the 1992 NBA Finals and Summer Olympics, the spotlight began to create some problems, especially as it relates to the politics of sports.
When the “Dream Team” won, Executive Director of the United States Olympic Committee Harvey Schiller said that players who didn’t wear the Reebok-sponsored U.S. outfits couldn’t accept gold medals. Jordan, a Nike athlete, responded by saying everyone was “in for a big f—ing surprise.”
While Jordan wore the sweatsuit, he covered the Reebok logo with the American flag, sending a message to Schiller and Reebok in the process.
As the basketball world focused on “selling Americana” after the “Dream Team” won the Summer Games, according to current NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Jordan turned into a global superstar. And, a “Be Like Mike” Gatorade commercial changed the game for the Bulls star.
At the same time, politics entered the equation on Jordan’s end, creating some problems in the process.
“A lot of times, America is very quick to embrace a Michael Jordan or Oprah Winfrey or Barack Obama, so long as it’s understood you don’t get controversial,” President Barack Obama said.
When African American Democrat Harvey Gantt launched a U.S. Senatorial campaign in North Carolina in 1990, Jordan was not willing to endorse or support the candidate, saying that, “Republicans buy sneakers, too.”
Jordan lost credibility with the African American community as a result, as fans compared what he did against Muhammed Ali’s activism during his successful boxing career.
“I do commend Muhammed Ali for standing up for what he believed in, but I never thought of myself as an activist, I thought of myself as a basketball player,” Jordan said. “The way I go about my life is I set examples, and if it inspires you then great. If it doesn’t, then maybe I’m not the person you should be following.”
Despite the controversy, Jordan’s star kept shining brighter, and as the drama built up for the 1997-1998 season, all eyes were on number 23 and the boys in red, black and white.
Ticket sales were through the roof for the Bulls’ “last dance,” and season tickets sold out entirely within two hours of going on sale. A game between the Bulls and Hawks had more than 60,000 fans in attendance at the Georgia Dome, and celebrities would try their hardest to get tickets to see Jordan’s Bulls.
“I wanna be like Mike, also,” 49ers legend Jerry Rice said at one game.
At the same time, celebrities wanted to see if Jordan’s basketball career was nearing its end, even drawing comparisons to comedian Jerry Seinfeld.
“The show of the 90s, the team of the 90s, and I’m trying to make quitting the move of the 90’s,” Seinfeld jokingly said. “Let the new people in.”
Jordan talks about wanting to finish the 1997-1998 season right, and ending the episode on a high note by talking about pursuing one last championship.
“When you get to the top, it’s great to be admired and respected,” Jordan said. “But every time I would get by myself, I’d think about the end of the season.”
“There’s something at the end of this rainbow that I’m fighting for, and I’m going to get to it.”
The episode succeeded in its attempt to tackle a lot of different topics in one hour at the peak of the docuseries’ 10-part run, highlighting Jordan’s relationship with Kobe Bryant, his high-profile rise through the creation of the Air Jordan’s, the success of the “Dream Team,” and even the drama surrounding his political opinions and controversies.
It didn’t shy away from anything, and set the tone for a high-tension sixth episode that begins the downfall of the Bulls’ dynasty. It’s a rollercoaster of a documentary, and it appears that the fifth episode is where things hit their peak before the coaster’s cars begin their downward descent into the series’ last few parts.
All the reasons that others have to diminish this, an upcoming accomplishment that most definitely resonates with Kobe Bryant, are the very reasons he cherishes it.
Bryant is set to pass Michael Jordan on the all-time NBA scoring list in the next week or two. Yes, it has taken him more games, more years, more teams and more tries than it took Jordan to get here.
Bryant isn’t apologizing.
“Nineteen years is a long time to be playing, and I’ve had a different career path than Michael,” he said. “It has been a hell of a marathon. I’m really proudest of that.”
Unlike Jordan with his baseball break and premature pre-Washington Wizards retirement, Bryant has been a constant. The running at dawn, refining of footwork, punching the clock.
“I enjoy what I do so much,” he said. “I enjoy the preparation of it. I enjoy the challenge of trying to figure out a new puzzle. I take a lot of pride in that, in having the challenge to work through year after year after year with different teams and different teammates and different coaching staffs, trying to work through all that stuff. I feel very fortunate.”
Bryant spoke at length with Bleacher Report about Jordan’s inspiration and impact on him—including why he’ll never share the best advice Jordan gave him and what still irks him about the never-ending comparisons.
Kobe Bryant believes the aggression Michael Jordan showed as a scorer is one of the primary elements that set him apart as an opponent.Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images
Jordan’s Key Attribute
Let it be clear first, fundamentally, the admiration Bryant has for Jordan.
Ask Bryant what pops into his head when he thinks of Jordan the scorer, and it’s a one-word headline—followed by a stream that can barely keep up with the passion in his voice.
“Aggression. It’s not one game or one play, in particular; it’s just his aggressiveness. It takes a lot of work, a lot of conditioning, skill and thought to be that aggressive and that assertive. He was relentless, man. He just kept coming after you.
“He just kept attacking, attacking, attacking—and attacking in different ways, from different spots on the floor, with different forms of footwork. Posting, perimeter, versatility…”
Joining Jordan in the NBA
Bryant remembers that when he was a teenager just entering the NBA he was struck by how other players were “terrified, like, deathly afraid” of Jordan.
“It was great for me. I was looking forward to that moment, him being the pinnacle of who I was looking forward to playing against most. At the time I came into the league, all the golden greats were still there—Clyde Drexler, [Hakeem] Olajuwon, [Charles] Barkley, [Gary] Payton, Anfernee Hardaway, John Stockton. These guys were still doing their thing. It was a huge honor for me to match up with all of these guys, see them up close.
Bryant says that unlike many others in the league, he was never shy about asking Jordan and other greats for their advice.Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images
“I’m not scared of anybody,” Bryant said. “It’s more curiosity and such a respect that I want to learn. I want to learn. I’m so curious to learn—still to this day. Just a constant learner. I’m not afraid to ask questions about things that I don’t know. I’m not afraid to admit what I don’t know. I’ll ask questions and try to learn as much as I can.”
Bryant wasn’t shy. Early in his second year in the league, he already hit Jordan with direct questions on the court in Chicago. They discussed Jordan’s fadeaway jumper and his post moves right then and there.
“Talked a little bit about the game. I do that often, though. My conversations with Michael get the most attention, but I do that often. I used to ask Clyde a lot of questions; I asked Stockton a lot of questions. You grow up watching these guys and seeing them do what they’re doing, and you want to know how they do what they do and why they do what they do. I wasn’t too proud to ask.”
His Relationship With Jordan
It’s apparent by how much help Jordan has given Bryant over the years that the former respects the latter’s own aggression. When asked last year about whom he’d like to play one-on-one in their primes, Jordan mentioned Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony before saying, “I don’t think I’d lose…other than Kobe Bryant, because he steals all my moves.”
Jordan smiled after the dig, reflective of how Bryant is the one guy he feels comfortable teasing the way male friends do to one another. The feeling is mutual.
Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images
“We hit it off very well. He was really like a big brother, and whether it’s because we see things in a similar way in terms of our competitive spirit or fire or whatever the case may be, there’s an understanding that we have—a connection that we have.
“I don’t know if he opened up with me more than he did with other players, I’m not sure. I don’t know if other players had the balls even to ask. But we have a really, really good relationship.”
Comparing Jordan and Bryant has at times been a touchy subject with the Los Angeles Lakers legend.Years ago, reporters asking Bryant a question about Jordan might have gotten an eye roll or a shake of the head in response.
“The thing that I always bristled at was the notion that I learned everything that I know from Michael. That’s just not true. Hakeem Olajuwon deserves a lot of credit; Jerry West deserves a lot of credit. Oscar Robertson deserves a lot of credit. I really was a student of the game and watched everybody.
“I’ve always welcomed the comparison to Michael if it’s in competitive spirit or in terms of records that I may set. I’ve always been cool with that. To be in that kind of company is…is…is…crazy, for lack of a better term. Rare air.”
The Jordan Rules
Here’s the current atmospheric pressure reading: Bryant has 32,165 points entering the Lakers-Wizards game Wednesday night; Jordan stands at 32,292. (For the record, Bryant long ago passed Jordan in total assists, that current tally being 6,016-5,633.)
The success Bryant has experienced in his career makes it hard to pigeonhole him as merely a Jordan wannabe. Yet the respect and assistance Jordan has accorded Bryant when he calls with questions has undeniably made him more comfortable.
NBA All-Time Scoring Leaders
Rank
Player
Points
1
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
38,387
2
Karl Malone
36,928
3
Michael Jordan
32,292
4
Kobe Bryant
32,165
5
Wilt Chamberlain
31,419
6
Shaquille O’Neal
28,596
7
Moses Malone
27,409
8
Elvin Hayes
27,313
9
Dirk Nowitzki
27,138
10
Hakeem Olajuwon
26,946
NBA.com
And in what ways has Jordan helped Bryant most?
“There are a lot of ’em, actually.”
Then a pause before Bryant continued what has become ritual for him: not sharing the exact contents of his conversations with Jordan.
Call it the Fraternal Order of Basketball Killers, Lodge No. 23-24.
“To get that kind of information, to me it’s like climbing Mount Everest and speaking to a Buddha at the top of the mountain. You want that information? You’ve got to climb that mountain yourself.”
A Mutual Respect
If Bryant, 36, plays only one more season after this one, he won’t ascend any further on the all-time scoring chart. No. 2 Karl Malone is at 36,928 points, and No. 1 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is at 38,387.
From a personal standpoint, however, passing those guys would never carry the power of passing Jordan.
Asked if he has any relationship with Malone, the friend whom Bryant accused in 2004 of inappropriate comments toward his wife, Vanessa, or Lakers legend Abdul-Jabbar, he is brutally honest.
Once a source of NBA lore for Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has fallen out of Bryant’s life after leaving the team in 2009.Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images
“With Karl, zero. With Kareem, I haven’t seen him since he stopped coaching with the Lakers organization [2005-09].”
True to his platform of learning from anyone and everyone, Bryant used to prod Abdul-Jabbar, when he was special assistant coach for Phil Jackson, to share stories with him about Magic Johnson or Robertson—or even Bob Dandridge, whose name few NBA watchers today will recognize but was a potent wing player and Lew Alcindor teammate in the 1970s.
Although Jackson likes to tell the story that he arranged a 2000 meeting between Bryant and Jordan only to have Bryant shake Jordan’s hand and proclaim that he could take MJ one-on-one, Bryant disputes it.
While Bryant acknowledges he has learned a lot from Jordan, he also credits many others around the game for his NBA acumen, including former Lakers great Jerry West.Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images
“Nah, that was a little mythology. I’ve never challenged Michael—or I’ve never initiated the challenge. With guys like him and guys who have come before me who I learned a lot from, like Jerry West, I would never initiate a challenge and say, ‘I could do this to you.’ I’ve learned so much from them. I wouldn’t do that.
“But Michael likes to talk, too. I’m not the only one who likes to talk, right? The times that we have talked trash, I haven’t been the one who has initiated. We just rib each other; we just kind of joke around about stuff. He knows who I am; I know who he is. Mutual respect.”
Along those lines, Bryant now can laugh at himself as he describes why he sought Jordan out.
“I gravitated toward him more, because naturally my personality was a combative one.”
Inspiring Young Players
While not known to shy away from a challenge, Bryant said he never issued one to Jordan.Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
As he said, Bryant’s memories of Jordan are not the points, but rather the fierce manner in which Jordan scored those points. And Bryant hopes he has also touched younger players now in the same way—just for a little longer.
“I look at the players who are playing currently and watch the things that they say and the aggressiveness that they play with. And I understand that they grew up watching me play, just as I grew up watching Michael play. That’s a great feeling. It really is.
“He and I are very similar in that regard. We challenge everybody.”
Kevin Ding is an NBA senior writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @KevinDing.
For better or worse, there’s nothing sports fans love more than debating how current players would stack up against historical greats. Michael Jordan, despite being firmly entrenched in the latter category, seemingly can’t help but join in on the action.
While His Airness doesn’t give too many interviews anymore, he once provided ESPN’s Wright Thompson with plenty of access for a 50th birthday-based story. In that piece, MJ waded into the sports-talk-radio territory and proclaimed that only four modern NBA players could have cut the mustard in his era.
Michael Jordan, for better or worse, isn’t afraid to speak his mind
As anyone who ever saw him play can confirm, Jordan was supremely confident in his own abilities. The Chicago Bulls star also had no issue speaking his mind.
By and large, most of that confidence translated into trash-talking. His Airness never pulled any punches; if there was a prize on the line, he was going all-out. Whether you were a teammate like Rodney McCray, an opponent, or a former president of the United States, MJ had no problem giving a tongue-lashing.
His Airness’ willingness to speak his mind wasn’t limited to basketball, though. During his time in Chicago, he found himself in the spotlight for saying, “Republicans buy sneakers, too.” While he later claimed he made the comment as an off-hand remark, Jordan still said what he was thinking at the time. More recently, he’s also spoken up about social and racial justice, throwing his weight around in a space that’s bigger than sports.
Only 4 modern players could have starred in Jordan’s day, if we take the legend at his word
Even though he’s been retired for quite a while, Jordan is still involved in the NBA scene as an owner. Unsurprisingly, the living legend has plenty of opinions about today’s game.
Around MJ’s 50th birthday in 2013, ESPN’s Wright Thompson penned a feature looking at the more human side of His Airness. As part of his reporting, the veteran scribe witnessed Jordan watching an NBA game on TV. That quickly turned into a discussion of all-time greatness and competition between different eras.
Jordan plays his new favorite trivia game, asking which current players could be nearly as successful in his era. “Our era,” he says over and over again, calling modern players soft, coddled, and ill-prepared for the highest level of the game. This is personal to him, since he’ll be compared to this generation, and since he has to build a franchise with this generation’s players.
WRIGHT THOMPSON, WRITING FOR ESPN
According to Thompson, Jordan quipped that he could “only come up with four” modern players. Those select few? Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Tim Duncan, and Dirk Nowitzki.
While some additional players could make the cut, don’t expect Jordan to provide an update
In fairness to Jordan, quite a bit of basketball has been played since he turned 50; theoretically, it’s possible that he believes a few more players from today’s game could shine in the 1980s and 1990s. Stephen Curry — who we’ll discuss shortly — certainly deserves to be in the conversation. Giannis Antetokounmpo has the sheer athleticism to survive in any era, although old-school coaches probably wouldn’t have any idea how to utilize his talent. Similarly, Nikola Jokic’s skill set might confuse people in the 1980s, but the big man certainly knows how to make an impact on the court.
Beyond those sure-fire inclusions, you can also make the case for plenty of other inclusions. Kawhi Leonard’s load management wouldn’t fly back in the day, but it’s tough to argue with his two-way game. Russell Westbrook became something of a joke after arriving in Los Angeles, but it’s easy to imagine his scoring potential dominating a more static game featuring illegal defense rules.
So while we can’t really hold those omissions against MJ — he may be incredibly talented, but expecting him to predict the future is a bridge too far — we also shouldn’t expect him to issue a revised version of his list anytime soon.
In the fall of 2019, Jordan made headlines by saying Stephen Curry wasn’t a Hall of Famer just yet. During that same interview, His Airness confirmed that if he were building a starting five, he’d still hit the court with Scottie Pippen, James Worthy, Magic Johnson, and Hakeem Olajuwon. That would have been a chance to acknowledge the modern era, but all of those men played in Mike’s day.
But there’s also another piece of the contextual puzzle to consider.
Before we bury Jordan for being biased toward the past, it’s important to look at a different quote. During an NBA press conference in early 2020, MJ fielded a question about comparisons between himself and LeBron James. In that setting, the living legend provided a more measured response.
“We play in different eras,” Jordan explained. “He’s an unbelievable player. He’s one of the best players in the world, if not the best player in the world. I know it’s a natural tendency to compare eras to eras, and it’s going to continue to happen. I’m a fan of his, I love watching him play.”
“But when you start the comparisons, I think it is what it is,” MJ continued. “It’s just a stand-up measurement. I take it with a grain of salt. He is a heck of a basketball player without a doubt.”
So, while you can claim plenty of players could have cut the mustard in Jordan’s day, it’s probably not worth getting too far down the rabbit hole. Mike isn’t going to change his list, and there’s no point in getting so bogged down in arguments that you miss the greatness in front of you.
Debates can be fun, but sometimes you just have to sit back and enjoy the show.
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