“His Mother Made Him Stop Doing It”: Michael Jordan’s Infatuation With Klay Thompson’s Father, Mychal, Had Him Misspelling His Own Name

It is perhaps true that the GOATs in any realm have very unusual heroes, something that didn’t change with Michael Jordan. Arguably the greatest player to ever play basketball had very few heroes from his sport of choice. One of them was Mychal Thompson, father of Klay Thompson. In fact, the infatuation of Jordan with Mychal was to such an extent that the Chicago Bulls legend even changed the spelling of his name to match the 1978 first-overall pick. 

One of the people Jordan deeply revered was Magic Johnson. The five-time NBA champion was the leader of the Showtime Lakers and had put the Los Angeles Lakers back on the map. Magic’s no-look dimes are still one of the greatest plays witnessed on the basketball court. Jordan once said that before he was drafted, he started doing a Magic-like pass on the court, prompting his girlfriend to gift him a “Magic Mike” number plate and a t-shirt with the same text printed on it.

Michael Jordan revered Mychal Thompson and copied his idol’s first name

Thompson sat down for a conversation with Sportskeeda. He spoke in detail about Victor Wembanyama, the Bahamian National team, and Scoot Henderson’s future in the NBA. He also shared legendary NBA stories and one of them was Michael Jordan’s extreme admiration for him. Jordan was so infatuated with Mychal that he wore puka shell necklaces and wrote his name as “Mychal Jordan” until his mother made him stop copying it. Thompson said this in the interview;

Interviewer: Is it true Michael Jordan idolized you and initially signed his first name with the spelling of your name?

Thompson: “Yeah. He told that story to my brother, Andy. He said he liked my name in print and started using it with the way I spelled it. But his mother made him stop doing it (laughs).”

Interviewer: What did you think when Andy told you that?

Thompson: “‘Are you kidding me?’ I was so flattered and honored. That’s one of the great compliments. The great Michael Jordan wanted to emulate me?! That was one of the highest compliments I’ve ever received.”

Jordan was the hardest and the smartest working player in the basketball. Early in his life, he learned to outwork his opponents because he knew the price of being the best. Over his legendary career, Jordan not only outshined his idol but arguably everyone else in the past and the present.

Klay Thompson not only carried his father’s legacy but also arguably outdid him with his HoF career

Whenever there would ever be a discussion about players who factored into the transition of basketball from mid-range to beyond the three-point line, Klay Thompson’s name always comes up. Thompson’s shooting ability from beyond the arc has been one of the crucial factors in winning the Warriors four championships in the Steph Curry era. Today Thompson is shooting a historically great (41.6%) from the three-point line. 

However, his long-range shooting is not the only thing that highlights Klay’s game. He is a consistent mid-range shooter and was one of the best wing defenders in the league before at least before his major back-to-back injuries, a position he is making his way back to. Thompson has not only carried forward his father’s legacy, he has outdone it.