“They Basically Stripped Me of That”: Billionaire Michael Jordan’s Ruthless Loyalty Gets Unveiled by Former NBA Pro’s Strange Story

Everyone’s story about meeting Michael Jordan is fascinating. But for a certain lottery pick, it was something he was not prepared for. To be precise, his first meeting with the Chicago Bulls legend was a dream come true. However, the second time at Jordan’s house turned out to be bitter.

We’re all aware of Mike’s loyalty to the Nike organization. Yet, one time, the 6-time champion went a bit too far to showcase his character. The one to fall prey was none other than former Bulls forward Tim Thomas, who shared his story in a podcast. From getting star-struck to getting bullied, let’s take a look at Thomas’s experience visiting His Airness.

What happened when Tim Thomas went to Michael Jordan’s house?

In 2022, MJ earned around $250 million from his sales through Nike. No wonder he wants to stay loyal to the organization. We have seen instances on the court where the 5-time MVP mocked his opponents for not wearing his gear. Well, looks like that’s the case inside his home too. No Nikes, no entry! 

Tim Thomas was invited to Jordan’s house and he decided to wear a few Adidas gear. Keep in mind, Thomas was an Adidas athlete at the time. And the first thing Mike told the Bulls star was, “YOU GOT TO TAKE THAT OFF”. Well, that’s not a great reception from His Airness. Bullying turned into a bit of a past time for him. 

Thomas might have thought Jordan was joking. Sadly, he was not. The young player was asked to remove all his Adidas gear. He shared in the podcast, “They basically stripped me of that Adidas gear & put me in all Nike gear. So when I ended up leaving MJ’s house there was all my Adidas gear sitting in a bag outside.“

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The former lottery pick hilariously added, “He didn’t even want the bag inside! He literally had the gear sitting outside!”

Tim Thomas learned his lesson the hard way. The immense and ruthless loyalty from Michael Jordan knows no bounds. At least, Thomas’s first meeting with MJ was pleasant. 

Tim Thomas on meeting Michael Jordan the first time

Thomas was a standout for the Villanova Wildcats, winning Big East Rookie of the Year in 1996. He would declare for the NBA Draft after his freshman season, going 7th overall to the New Jersey Nets.  As a youngster, Thomas was a huge fan of the 90s Bulls. Who wasn’t? But he was lucky enough to meet both Scottie Pippen and Jordan before he got into the NBA.

Outside Crowne Plaza in Central Park, Thomas was one of the 2000 fans waiting to meet the Bulls team who came to the restaurant. 

He shared, “So I get there right before dinner is over and this is my first time ever meeting Mike… Mike, and Pip, and the rest of the team and they were getting ready to walk out and I didn’t even see where security came from for Michael Jordan. But he had about ten guys that came out of nowhere like they were secret service… I thought he was the president or something.”

“But that was like my first time meeting Mike eye to eye, shaking hands, and meeting the GOAT,” Tim Thomas recalled.

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Well, the first time was memorable. The second time? Not too good probably. What are your thoughts on the above story? Share your take in the comments below.