Michael Jordan loved to stand out, and on the basketball court, he certainly did. So much so that in the 1990s, almost every athlete, regardless of sport, wanted to emulate him. Andruw Jones was one of those athletes inspired by Jordan, and as a result, he may have developed a habit of enjoying spa treatments while discussing business at some point in his life.
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On the All the Smoke podcast, Jones revealed that he always wanted to be like MJ, even though he was an MLB player. That ambition is hardly unfounded, of course, since Jordan himself dabbled in the minor leagues of baseball when he “retired” from the NBA in 1993 to pursue a career in the sport.
The six-time NBA champion never made it to the major leagues, but he still managed to leave a lasting legacy for those picking up a bat for the first time around that era.
Jones, who made his MLB debut in 1996, became a Jordan athlete in the mid-2000s. It was a dream-come-true moment for him, and he recalled the meeting that sealed the deal as one of the most shocking discussions he had ever been part of. Not because of the agenda, but because of the setting.
“I’m playing in Chicago, and he said, ‘Hey, come meet me at this location'”, Jones began. “I’ve met MJ before, in places like clubs and stuff like that. Then, we walk through, but I never sat down and talked with him.”
So, the meeting the the Chicago Bulls legend was a huge deal for Jones, who couldn’t believe that Jordan had chosen to get a manicure while discussing money. “You know, I see his hands down. I didn’t know what he was doing. He was getting a manicure underneath the table.”
Perhaps no NBA player or executive in the sport’s history had ever chosen to conduct a meeting under those circumstances. That just goes to show how unique Jordan was, not just as a baller, but as a businessman as well.
It shouldn’t be a surprise however that MJ influenced Jones given MJ’s love for baseball. Playing for Jerry Reinsdorf’s Birmingham Barons, he batted a .202 over the course of 18 or so months.
After retiring from the NBA for the final time in 2003, Jordan delved headfirst into the world of business, building his Jordan Brand and becoming part-owner of the Charlotte Hornets and 23XI Racing in NASCAR, among other ventures. He hasn’t been in the spotlight as much as when he was dominating defenses on the court, but he has remained a highly respected and adored figure regardless.
