Michael Jordan thinks his name and brand are too valuable, which is why he lets only winners wear his shoes on the court, talk about elitism!
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Michael Jordan likes to be on the edge of competition. He would even like his brand to be at the forefront of said competition. So what does he do, he makes sure that only deserving athletes get to wear it on the court.
The current roster of players includes Luka Doncic, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, and Jayson Tatum. All of these players are elite. They play and compete at the highest level. There is no denying that Michael himself likely hand-picks players.
A criterion as per league executives is that you need to be an all-star for the brand to consider you.
Former Utah Jazz guard and current co-host on The Ringer found out the hard way that you cannot simply wear Jordans, just because you want to.
Former NBA SG Raja Bell describes what it was like the first time he faced Michael Jordan in an NBA game pic.twitter.com/FKVCjacY1G
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) April 20, 2020
Raja Bell wants to wear $250 Air Jordan 16s but is told that only a select group can wear them and they have to be approved by Michael Jordan himself
Talk about facing rejection. Not being able to wear a pair of shoes that you purchased just sounds a little sad. Raja Bell, a shooting guard, who during his time was a terrific shooter, got no love for wanting to wear Air Jordans on the court.
Bell had purchased a pair of $250 Air Jordan 16s and his trainer saw him trying to wear them for the game. He was warned against it and in fact, even denied wearing them.
Bell recalls, “‘Bro unless you’re Team Jordan, you cannot wear those.’ And my whole world was deflated.”
Sounds like a bummer if you ask us. While the brand does have a reputation, it should also allow certain NBA players to wear it. These days, however, the Jordan brand is far lenient.
What do you think? Should all players be allowed to wear Jordans? Is it okay for the brand to show a little love to the fraternity? Let us know in the comments below.