Kenyon Martin had the world at his feet during his senior year at Cincinnati. He was a dominant force—freakishly athletic and undeniably intense—making him the projected No. 1 pick in the 2000 NBA Draft. To this day, Martin holds the Bearcats’ record for most career blocked shots (292) and the highest field goal percentage (58.6%). But sometimes, being too good too early comes with its own drawbacks.
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Just when everything seemed to be falling into place for Martin’s future, one decision, driven by stubbornness, became a moment he’d reflect on years later with mixed emotions. In a recent appearance on The OG podcast, the 47-year-old opened up about his hard-headed attitude during college.
Martin revealed that he went against his agent’s advice and chose to wear Michael Jordan’s brand gear on the court, despite having no official endorsement deal. Cincinnati was a Jordan Brand school, and as the face of the program, Martin had access to exclusive gear. This was something he couldn’t resist, even if it meant playing a risky game behind the scenes.
The excitement of being associated with basketball’s greatest icon was understandable, but Martin’s agent was thinking from a business perspective. He didn’t want his client representing any brand without a paycheck. Martin recalled saying, “We got Jordan on my chest. Jordan sent me these. I’m wearing them.” He wasn’t focused on financial implications or long-term brand alignment. Back then, just knowing that Jordan Brand was sending him gear was enough. That thrill alone outweighed everything else.
However, since he wasn’t getting paid for it, the decision wasn’t a wise one, even though Cincinnati was a Jordan school. Former Bearcat guard and current host of The Bearcat Basketball Podcast, Alex Meacham, later revealed how the program landed this coveted sponsorship in the first place. “Kenyon Martin’s to my right, and Huggins says, ‘I want to introduce you to two guys, they’ve got some exciting news.’ The first guy says, ‘Hi, my name is Will Smith,’ and everyone laughs,” he said.
Then came in the Vice President of Jordan, Gentry Humphrey, who declared that Cincinnati was set to be a ‘Jordan school’. “The second guy goes, ‘Hi, my name is Gentry Humphrey.’ He unzips the bag and lays uniforms and shoes on the ground and says, ‘You guys now are a Jordan school.’”
This series of events ultimately led Martin to represent the brand created by the Chicago Bulls legend against his agent’s advice. His moment of clarity came only after disaster struck. Just three minutes into the first game of the Conference USA Tournament, Martin suffered a devastating leg injury that ended his college career and ruled him out of the NCAA Tournament. “I brought it upon myself. The shoes that I had on, I was told not to wear them…One of them hardheaded…I’m wearing them. Go right out there…first half, college career over.”
Martin didn’t blame the shoes, nor did he suggest that Jordan Brand had anything to do with the injury. But in retrospect, he acknowledged that his agent’s warning was rooted in protecting his long-term value. Still, he powered through the setback. Despite the injury, the New Jersey Nets selected him as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft.
