A Trip To China Shocked Ex-NBA Star Who Thought Michael Jordan Was the Only Basketball Player they Knew

Jamal Mashburn played forward in the NBA for 12 years. Since he retired, the businessman has built up a collection of 100 companies. Recently, over a YouTube show with JJ Redick, former NBA star, Jamal Mashburn recollected his China trip when Michael Jordan was the center of attention.  Many Chinese newspapers and TV stations started calling Michael Jordan “Qiaodan” not long after he became an NBA superstar in the 1980s and then the most famous athlete in the world.

Mashburn talked about how people recognized him even though he was retired.

He said, “Probably about 15 years ago I was about 15 years ago I went over to China in Beijing. I was in Beijing Shanghai and I had people coming up to me on the street hey you’re Jamal Mashburn.”

“I was like I haven’t played in- I’m retired.  They like no you have to recall that when we got NBA games doing that Michael Jordan era we just didn’t follow Michael Jordan. We followed everybody else around Michael Jordan that competed against him.”

This surprised Mashburn that apart from the US, people also recognized him globally. Not to mention, Mashburn has faced Jordan in the 2003 NBA All-Star Game. 

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Mashburn on what Michael Jordan told him before the 2003 NBA All-Star Game

The last NBA All-Star Game Michael Jordan played in was in 2003 when he was with the Washington Wizards. He wasn’t as good as he was when he played for the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, but he still had a lot to offer.

When Jamal Mashburn and Jordan played one-on-one before the All-Star Game, Jordan gave Mashburn a few suggestions.

“I always knew Jordan was great, but when I chatted with him, and he was able to break my game down analytically, [I gained more respect for him],” Mashburn went on JJ Reddick’s show.

Jordan described Mashburn’s driving style, including his preference for a leftward bias and his usage of his right hand for pulling up. Then, the legend gave Mashburn a powerful understanding.
According to Jordan, he was mentored by Julius Erving and Larry Bird on how to “play the game within the game.”

As Jordan stated it, you have to adjust your game to keep opponents on their toes. The six-time NBA champion then went on a rant about the pros and cons of different stars.

Overall, Jamal Mashburn liked what Jordan saw in him and developed a new respect for him.

Read more: Jamal Mashburn Reveals How Michael Jordan Made Him Wary of The NBA Lifestyle