via Getty
CHICAGO, IL – MARCH 16: Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls looks on during the game against the New Jersey Nets on March 16, 1998 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1998 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
via Getty
CHICAGO, IL – MARCH 16: Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls looks on during the game against the New Jersey Nets on March 16, 1998 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1998 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Darius Miles’ NBA career ended tragically because of an injury. On the latest episode of Run it Back, he recalls a funny incident involving Michael Jordan. He was invited to a camp and what transpired was like a dream for anyone.
“I played against him my first time playing and uh, you know, everybody was kind of scared to guard him. So I, you know, I stepped up to the plate, I was only like going to be in 10th grade. So I stepped up to the plate like I guard him and he just like, he just, he hit every shot he took. But uh I blocked his shot once I blocked the shot once.
"Everybody was kind of scared to guard [Michael Jordan], so I stepped up to the plate…He hit every shot he took." 😂😂
Darius Miles talks about playing against MJ in 10th grade.
📺: https://t.co/oxMs3CAEGu pic.twitter.com/TiT6cz64FE
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 13, 2024
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But after that game, he (Michael Jordan) switched teams and made me play with him for the rest of the week. And, uh, and that showed that, uh, it, it made me confident because it showed that he respected how hard I played and how competitive I was at high school against him.”
Meeting Michael Jordan provided a sense of belonging
Darius Miles explains how Michael Jordan reacted to seeing them wearing the AND1 collection. How Jordan was disappointed in them and helped them secure a deal with Nike. Miles considers His Airness more than just an idol. He revealed the details on The Players Tribune, What the Hell Happened to Darius Miles?
After the camp, Miles describes how his family felt about him meeting his idol. “After the camp, I got a picture with him and everything, and I took it home and put it on the mantle like MJ was one of my uncles or something. And I remember my momma said, “What’s MJ like?” And Miles said, “Momma, it’s so crazy. Michael Jordan was out here cussin’. He talks just like us!”
It was a familiar feeling when Jordan was around. No big ego at that time, bonding and creating relationships with the majority helped a lot in building confidence. It gave Miles the confidence to build his career in the NBA. “That was the first glimmer of hope, like … Oh damn, Michael Jordan is like me. He’s a normal dude. Maybe I can make it.”
