“LeBron James and Maverick Carter were Numb”: Despite Rumors Of Ignoring Michael Jordan’s Calls, Lakers Superstar Enjoyed MJ’s Mentorship

When two players are constantly pitted against each other for the GOAT conversation, it is safe to assume that rumors of animosity thrive in media conversations. Michael Jordan and LeBron James are no exceptions. According to sportswriter Jackie MacMucllan, their relationship was soured to a point that LeBron refused to call Jordan despite having his number. However, Brian Windhorst refuted the allegations in his book ‘LeBron Inc.: The Making of a Billion-Dollar Athlete.‘

According to ESPN’s retired sports reporter Jackie MacMullan, Jordan had shared his number with James, but the latter refused to call.

According to Jackie MacMullan, Michael Jordan once gave LeBron James his phone number

LeBron never called 😬

(Via The Ringer / h/t @Sportskeeda ) pic.twitter.com/x65Eulm2jU

— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) March 29, 2022

ESPN sportswriter Brian Windhorst had a different story to narrate in his book about LeBron James. According to Brian, Jordan, and LeBron engaged in conversation in the early 2000s. As a matter of fact, the Lakers superstar enjoyed the mentorship received from his idol.

A star-struck LeBron James’ workout with Michael Jordan

It’s no secret that LeBron James considers Michael Jordan his idol, making MacMullan’s claims slightly hard to digest. Windhorst refuted her statement by telling the story of how LeBron got the opportunity to work out with Jordan. He wrote:

“It was getting around just how good this kid from Ohio was, and it was opening some doors. The workouts were at Hoops Gym outside the city, a facility run by well-known trainer Tim Grover. One day Grover asked LeBron to stick around after the workouts ended. Then a high-end sports car pulled into the lot and Michael Jordan got out. LeBron and Carter were numb.”

The ESPN writer further narrated LeBron’s interaction with Jordan during a secret workout session in Chicago:

“Jordan was having some semi-secret workouts as he plotted his final return to the NBA. He spent twenty to thirty minutes getting to know LeBron that day. Of course, Jordan was LeBron’s idol, and the moment overwhelmed him. So did Jordan handing over his cell phone number. Over the next few years, when Jordan would come to Cleveland to play with the Washington Wizards, he’d check in with LeBron.”

LeBron James was just 16 when he started making waves across the NBA world. In the summer, he had accompanied Maverick Carter to participate in pickup games with NBA players in Chicago. Unexpectedly, he was asked to stay back after the game only to meet his Michael and exchange numbers with his idol. Despite news of LeBron ignoring his calls, the two kept in touch.

Michael Jordan’s Impact on LeBron James’ Partnership with Nike

With Michael Jordan being the face of Nike and his signature shoes, the ‘Air Jordan,’ dominating the basketball shoe markets, a majority of NBA players wanted to be associated with the brand. LeBron James was no different. Being an avid Michael Jordan fan, he always wanted to endorse the same brand.

Despite receiving an unbeatable offer of $115 million from Reebok, James was still inclined toward Nike. According to the book, Nike leveraged Michael Jordan as an ally to recruit LeBron.

LeBron went on to sign a deal with Nike at a much lesser amount of $87 million. It is not common for athletes to have such brand loyalty at the beginning of their careers. The only reason to turn down an extra $28 million would be due to his relationship with Jordan.