Jason Tatum recalls feeling uneasy on his initial encounter with the renowned Michael Jordan. The hero of the Boston Celtics remembers being a clumsy 19-year-old who required his mother’s encouragement to approach the Chicago Bulls veteran. Things didn’t go well when Tatum finally found the confidence to talk to Jordan at a Paris event years ago. Despite their uncomfortable first encounter, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer became Uncle Mike instead of Michael Jordan thanks to their friendship.
Like Mike, all basketball players aspire to be. Six NBA titles, five MVP awards, and fourteen All-Star selections have been won by Jordan. Tatum is one of the many NBA players who are a part of the Jordan brand, which he created. Tatum talked about his early days with the Celtics and his encounter with the icon. He remarked about how awkward the first time he met Jordan. “We were in Paris back in 2019,” Tatum remarked in a podcast appearance for “7 PM in Brooklyn.” That’s how I originally learned about the brand. When I originally signed with him, that is.There were quite a few media representatives present at the event where we were.
He was on the mic, and he called me out. We took a photo, and he was like, we just signed Jayson Tatum. That was crazy. We had a dinner that night, and I remember I was nervous as (expletive).
“I got there a little early before everybody else. Him, his wife, Spike Lee was all sitting at a table across the room. I was there with my mom, and she was like, ‘Just go say what’s up. They invited you out here.’
“My hands were sweating. My ass was sweating. I get up and I’m like, ‘Mike what up.’ The wine glass was there and, boom, I just knocked it over, and it broke. He was good about it. He just said, ‘Go back over there. You good.’”
