"He said, 'You got a chance.'" - 5X All-Star reveals Michael Jordan's vote of confidence inspired him to land NBA gig
It is well-documented that Michael Jordan put fear into his opponents. The Chicago Bulls legend's image of a killer is as real as it can get about any player on the NBA court. However, a young Tim Hardaway Sr. was apparently not scared of the six-time champion.
In his conversation with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in the All the Smoke Podcast, the former Miami Heat legend recalled the time when he was still in college and played a pickup game against Jordan. The young Hardaway's reaction was a bit cocky.
"I am going into junior year of college and a guy he walks up to me and he says, ‘Yo! We got MJ coming. I was MJ who...He said Michael Jordan. I said 'Oh well he gon get his ass busted too.'"
Hardaway added that to his surprise Jordan showed up with players like Terry Cummings, Craig Hodges and other big NBA names. However, Hardaway didn't lose his confidence and even challenged Michael Jordan to guard him.
Jordan and his team won the game in double overtime. However, as MJ was leaving the gym, he had big praise for the future NBA player.
'Mike said after the game. He said good game. He looked me in my eye, he said, 'you got a chance.' You got a chance. At that particular point you still trying to fell yourself out. You still trying to understand if got a chance. If that door open.
"And it's from M, it opened. When that door opened an inch, I kicked that MF open. Because you getting that from him, my confidence went to another level."
Hardaway Sr. was selected 14th overall in the 1989 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. He was a five-time All-Star and made an All-NBA team five times in his career. His jersey has been retired by the Miami Heat.
Dominique Wilkins ranks Vince Carter's dunk in same category as him and Michael Jordan
Atlanta Hawks great Dominique Wilkins is largely considered one of the greatest forwards in NBA history. More than that, Wilkins is arguably the greatest dunker in the NBA history. Unfortunately, his career fell in the same years as Michael Jordan and despite his greatness, he failed to win an NBA title.
With another all-time dunker in Vince Carter soon to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, Wilkins was asked where he thought Carter's dunks fell in NBA history.
In a conversation with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Wilkins said that while Jordan was mid-blowing, Carter's dunks during his 2000 slam dunk contest win fell in the same category as him and His Airness.
“It definitely ranks with [Michael] Jordan and me," Wilkins told Sportskeeda. "I have to give the young fella his credit with that. His performance blew everybody else away. It wasn't even close."
Wilkins is a two-time NBA Slam Dunk champion. He won the contest in 1985 (over Michael Jordan) and 1990. He is a two-time NBA All-Star and the 1986 Scoring Champion. He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 1982, the same year James Worthy was selected at No.1. Wilkins' jersey has been retired by the Hawks.