Michael Jordan was one of the most competitive players in the NBA’s history. His drive for success led him to six NBA championships. That said, MJ wasn’t only competitive in basketball. He was competitive in anything where opposition existed.
And he wasn’t only competitive against his teammates, friends, or business associates; the Chicago Bulls legend was even competitive against his kids. Mike’s daughter Jasmine once talked about battling his dad over puzzles like Word Cookies and Sudoku. The two even raced over who would finish eating dinner first.
So, if MJ was that competitive in the little things, he was even more relentless regarding the Jordan Brand. According to Jasmine, MJ had a rule that he did not want any shoe brand to be kept under his roof except for his brand.
“It didn’t matter what pair they were. It didn’t matter who bought them. If they were in his house and they were on my feet, by the next day, they were in the trash,” said Jasmine.
Jasmine loved Skechers as a child
Like any other little girl, young Jasmine was attracted to the stylish and colorful designs of Skechers shoes. She loved them so much that she even pleaded with her dad to buy her favorite models.
“I used to beg him, ‘Please, let me get the light-up Skechers!’ Or the shoes with the wheels. He would let me wear them for a day, then the next day they would end up in the trash,” added Jasmine.
Although Mike never deprived his children of wearing whatever footwear they liked, he was always steadfast in his rule. Because of that, Jasmine never got to keep her Skechers at home.
No Adidas allowed
MJ’s ultra-preciseness about shoe brands didn’t end at home. Former boxing champion Andre Ward once told a story about Jordan scolding him during a business meeting because one of his associates was wearing Adidas shoes.
“We’re all in a boardroom at the facility, he comes in there scanning shoes,” Ward said on All The Smoke. “You know I was good. One of my guys had on some Adidas, though. People that’s in that industry, oh, it’s serious. So he came in, ‘What’s up Mike?’… ‘What’s up with your man?’ I’m like, ‘What you mean?’ I said, ‘Bro, I told you not to wear them.’ He ain’t right for that.”
Mike built his Jordan Brand from the ground up, so you can understand why he is very protective of it. Not only does he insist that his family and business associates wear Air Jordans all the time, but he is also picky when it comes to who gets to wear his shoes, with former NBA player Raja Bell once claiming that he was banned from wearing Jordans in the NBA.
