© Anne Ryan-USA TODAY via Imagn Content Services, LLC
When a young kid hit a game-winner but all he got from Michael Jordan was a scolding
In this story:
Whether it was the NBA Finals or a pick-up game with regular folks, there was no off-switch to Michael Jordan's chase for basketball perfection. Once the game started, he wanted to rip your heart out and take your lunch money. He was relentless in his pursuit of victory no matter who was in the way. One particular incident showcased this, and it involved a 14-year-old kid who got the rare chance to play with His Airness after he left the Chicago Bulls and retired from the NBA in 1993.
No such thing as a casual pick-up game
Aaron Watkins, then a 14-year-old from the South Side of Chicago, got the phone call of a lifetime when his dad called him to head over to the Athletic Club at Illinois Center to watch Jordan play a pick-up game. His Airness was two months into his retirement from the NBA and was, by all accounts, enjoying life away from the bright lights and intense scrutiny of the basketball world.
But as Watkins soon found out, there was no such thing as a casual pick-up game when Jordan was on the court. Watkins was invited to get on the court and play with MJ. Not one to pass on a rare opportunity, he took his place on the court. He then gave Jordan a picture-perfect pass that led to a made jumper. Watkins also got an assist from the Bulls legend, getting a screen that afforded him the space to shoot and make the game-winning jumper.
With a smile that spanned ear to ear, Watkins ran over to the sidelines and celebrated with his dad. His moment of glory was short-lived as he quickly realized that he was in the presence of greatness and Jordan wasn't going to let him off easy.
"He slapped me on the back of my head and said: 'Play better defense,'" said Watkins.
A memory to last a lifetime
Watkins reminisced he got to play with Jordan a few more times at the same club. Although he didn't play as well as he did on that fateful day, the experience was one that he would never forget.
"The other times, I didn't play that well," Watkins said. "But that's okay — when I played with him, Mike always wanted me to shoot the ball. I'll always have that moment where I hit the game-winner and helped Mike win."
