mobile app bar

“Michael Jordan is smoking a big a** cigar before his last All-Star Game with his feet kicked up”: When Allen Iverson walked into the coach’s office to find the ‘GOAT’ relaxing

Samir Mehdi
Published

“Michael Jordan is smoking a big a** cigar before his last All-Star Game with his feet kicked up”: When Allen Iverson walked into the coach’s office to find the ‘GOAT’ relaxing

Allen Iverson walked in on Michael Jordan smoking a cigar before his last ever All-Star Game in the coach’s office with his feet kicked up. 

There is no question that when it comes to the hierarchical positioning of legends that have played in the NBA, Michael Jordan is in the uppermost echelon all by himself. widely considered to be the greatest player of all time, MJ was a superstar amongst superstars and it showed with how many fans flocked the stadiums he played at each night. 

So, it would make sense that Michael Jordan retiring from the sport altogether would be a spectacle like no other. The 6x champ retired thrice in his career however, his first two absences from the NBA came after he had won the NBA Finals with the Chicago Bulls in 1993 and 1998. it wasn’t known at the time of those Game 6s that Jordan would step away from the game.

Also read: “Call Malik Monk the air fryer, not the microwave”: NBA Twitter reacts to Dwight Howard revealing the Lakers guard’s new nickname

The 2002-03 season was different as it was widely speculated and later confirmed by the Washington Wizards star that he would call it a career at the end of the season. 

Allen Iverson’s encounter with Michael Jordan before the 2003 All-Star Game. 

The 2003 NBA All-Star Game was all about Michael Jordan from start to finish. It was centered around honoring the Bulls legend and Allen Iverson had the same idea in mind. So, before tip-off, AI would enter the arena decked out in an MJ throwback uniform and a Bulls cap. Unfortunately, he could not find Jordan anywhere in the locker rooms. 

Iverson tells the ‘Player’s Tribune’ that after trying several locations within the arena, he finally found Michael Jordan all alone in the coach’s office.

Also read: ‘Feel as sh**ty you want to, but leave it here’: When LeBron James and Savannah James saw Eddie Murphy, resulting in a game-changing group text ahead of game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals

“It’s Mike, and he’s got his uniform on. He’s on one of those reclining desk chairs, leaning back in that thing like he doesn’t have a care in the world. In the world. Got his feet kicked up like he’s on some beach. To top it off, he’s smoking one of those big a** Mike cigars. He just looks at me- looks over at my fit- and smiles.” 

Michael Jordan would end up scoring a respectable 20 points on a ridiculous 27 shots while Allen Iverson led the way by dropping 35 points, two shy from matching Kevin Garnett’s 37. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

instagram-icon

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

Share this article