Credit: AP Photo/Nick Wass

Michael Jordan Told Young Richard Hamilton That He’s Not Good Enough To Wear Jordans

Since today is Richard Hamilton’s birthday, let’s throw it back to a couple of years ago, when he and Tracy McGrady talked about how it was to play with and against Michael Jordan on ESPN’s ‘The Jump’.

Richard Hamilton was still relatively young, and in his 3rd year in the NBA, when Michael Jordan had his comeback with the Washington Wizards, the team Hamilton also was playing for.

It was the unhappy, grumpy, old Michael Jordan, who’s team wasn’t able to fight for a championship no more. Rip once asked Michael if he could join the Jordan Brand team, to which Michael Jordan savagely responded:

“He’d look at me and say, ‘Hey Rip, my sneaker’s for All-Stars.’ And at that time, I’m like wow, really?”

To be fair, Hamilton deserved to wear Jordans later in his career, even for MJ’s standards. He made three All Star Teams, and won the Championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004.