Michael Jordan is referred to as the ‘celebrity of celebrities’ on the internet. The stories told by Tony Parker on the Knuckleheads Podcast are a testament to that. Despite being one of the most successful NBA athletes of all time, the Hall of Famer talked about how he flexed his relationship with MJ in front of his friends.
Advertisement
Parker said that Jordan is the most famous person he has in his contacts. And every time he gets a call from the 6x champ, he doesn’t miss those opportunities to boast in front of his people.
He said, “I’m with my friends and if Michael calls me, I’m like, ‘Look, Michael Jordan is calling me.’ Even today, after winning all those championships…every time I see him, it’s like crazy.” Parker recalled one of his favorite moments with Jordan. It was when he was the owner of the Hornets and traveled with the team to France.
They hung out and MJ took him to dinner. That would’ve been enough to make Parker happy, but then Jordan told him that he wanted to go to a club with him. Elated by the request, Parker made some calls to ensure that the club had enough security to deal with the superstar’s presence. However, his friends refused to believe him. “Whatever, Michael is not coming,” his friends said in response.
To their surprise, the Bulls legend showed up to the club as promised and Parker became a legend in the eyes of his friends. “Man, when Michael arrived, my friends were like dying. They were like, ‘Man, Michael Jordan is here.’ It was so funny.” Parker’s admiration for MJ stems from the fact that he was the inspiration behind his becoming an NBA player.
Tony Parker met Michael Jordan when he was 14
Parker’s father, Tony Parker Sr. played basketball for the Loyola University Chicago. Parker Sr. had organized a trip to Chicago for his family and that’s when the Spurs legend got an opportunity to see MJ for the first time. He said, “It was the ’96 season when they had 72 wins and it was just amazing…and my dad organized a meet and greet after the game in December.”
Despite getting the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that millions hope for, young Parker couldn’t say anything to Jordan at the time. He said, “I didn’t say anything. I was like, shaking, to say hi to him, but I was just so happy.” Although he couldn’t have a conversation with MJ, Parker left that meeting with encouragement and motivation to chase his basketball dreams.
The Spurs legend echoed a litany of NBA superstars’ sentiment regarding MJ and the sort of ‘ethereal’ aura that he possesses. Decades later, after meeting hundreds of high-profile celebrities, Parker still believes that no one else has a presence like MJ.
