Rip Hamilton Remembers the Time Michael Jordan Told Him He Wasn't Good Enough to Wear Air Jordans

In theory, the idea of spending a season playing alongside Michael Jordan sounds great, doesn’t it? You’d get to learn the game of basketball from one of the best players to ever lace up a pair of sneakers. But back in 2001, Rip Hamilton found out that playing alongside MJ—especially old MJ—wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be after the former Bulls superstar agreed to come out of retirement and sign with the Wizards.

During a recent appearance on The Jump, Hamilton was asked to talk about his short time with MJ during the 2001-02 NBA season. Hamilton said that he was looking forward to playing with Mike and thought that he might even be able to score a sneaker contract with the Jordan Brand by getting into his good graces. But one day at practice, Hamilton found out that that would not be the case when he asked MJ about the possibility of him signing with Jordan. MJ, who as Rachel Nichols pointed out on The Jump, was "ornery" at the time told Hamilton, in so many words, that he wouldn’t be giving him a deal.

"He’d look at me and say, 'Hey, Rip, my sneaker’s for All-Stars,'" Hamilton said. "And at that time, I’m like, 'Wow, really?'"

Hamilton wasn’t the only one who got denied, either. Hamilton said that another one of his teammates, who he wouldn’t name, asked for a deal, too. And just like Hamilton, he got rejected.

"Your game is not to the liking for my sneaker," MJ told him, according to Hamilton. "Not good enough for my sneaker."

Hamilton went on to convince MJ that he did belong, though, by making the All-Star team in 2006, 2007, and 2008. So it should come as no surprise that he’s now given access to whichever Air Jordans he wants.