Did you know that Chevrolet was Michael Jordan’s first-ever endorsement deal? The compensation was $200,000 during his rookie year in 1984. MJ endorsed the brand for several years.
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Ray Scarpelli has made quite a name for himself as the third-generation owner of the Chicago-based automobile dealership, Ray Chevrolet. However, there is another achievement he likes to boast about.
Scarpelli claims to be among the few people who got the better of Michael Jordan without facing any consequences. The story transpired during his visit to MJ’s Highland Park mansion in the late 1990s. He went there with his family to deliver a Chevy Blazer to MJ from their dealership.
This gave a preschooler Scarpelli the perfect opportunity to tease Jordan. He pulled a trick straight from the playground.
Young Scarpelli first raised one hand to the sky and then brought it down to signal for a handshake to Jordan. Just as the Bulls legend was about to oblige, he pulled his hand back.
Although he did it as a harmless joke, MJ probably didn’t see it that way. On CHGO Sports, Scarpelli reflected on this moment and its aftermath.
“This is my first time meeting MJ… I’m 5, 6 [years old] something like that and we had this thing that we did on the playground just to mess with people. We go up high, down low like you’re going for a handshake, then you pull it back and go, ‘Too slow’. And I did that to MJ… He gave me this look like, ‘I’m gonna kill you.'”
This moment became unforgettable in his life for a good reason. Not many have ever attempted to pull tricks like this on MJ. Those who dared faced immediate shutdown from him.
Yet, Scarpelli crossed that line without any repercussions probably because of his age. And he walked away with a story to brag about for the rest of his life.
