“Basketball, Golf, Gambling”: Michael Jordan’s Agent Set Up Wild Summer Ahead of Rookie Season For NBA Veteran

What would you suggest is the right way to spend the summer before your NBA debut? No matter what crosses your mind, we can assure you that’s not what this NBA legend did. Michael Jordan and Rex Chapman had a great friendship. His Airness even once tried to convince Chapman to join the University of North Carolina. But the story behind how the duo forged a connection was mainly because of sharing the same agent. Before the rookie Chapman could join the NBA, his agent suggested that he spend the summer with Jordan. And what a crazy summer it had turned out to be.

The Boy Wonder shared a few details during his latest interview with DJ Vlad. Reminiscing about his early days, Chapman recalled how he would spend the time playing basketball, golf and gambling with the Chicago Bulls legend. “He (Jordan and Chapman’s agent) asked if I wanted to go out down to North Carolina and hang out with Michael for a bit, and we hung out for a week or two and played basketball, golf, gambling all of it. So yeah, and we were, Michael and I were very good friends,” Chapman explained. He further added, “I got to know them and his whole family very well when I was living there.”

Rex Chapman shared that his agent suggested Jordan’s company so that he could prepare for his rookie year. Furthermore, during this time, he also got to know more about Jordan and his friends and family. Chapman was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets and later went to the Miami Heat where he got the chance to play against Jordan. He even once trash-talked Hir Airness.

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Rex Chapman used his skills against the King of trash-talking

During the era of Jordan’s playing days, it was almost an unwritten rule to not trash talk to the 6x NBA champion. Michael Jordan could use even a simple word to fuel up his competitive spirit and dominate on the court. There are also not many who can boast of having trash-talked the Bulls legend. 

On February 23, 1996, Miami shocked everyone as they clinched a win over the Bulls. That game is still remembered as one of the most intense and heated encounters between the two franchises, mainly because of Rex Chapman. He scored 39 points to lead the Miami Heat. Not only did he trash-talk against His Airness but also ensured that his game reflected his attitude. It became almost impossible for Jordan to guard him during that game.

As Chapman led the team to victory, Jordan ended the game with 31 points feeling frustrated. This was one of the only 10 losses the Chicago Bulls faced this season. Do you remember that match-up? Let us know in the comments section below.

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