Marc J. Spears, one of the most renowned journalists in the NBA, has told yet another cult story about Michael Jordan dans ‘Hoop stories with Marc J. Spears’ de The Undefeated.
“In my 20s covering the NBA, one of the funniest people I have ever met was the Knicks scout. Makhtar N’Diaye (first Senegalese in the NBA, passed through France). He’s one of my favorite guys, he’s always blunt whether you want to hear it or not. He also played in Michigan and North Carolina. When he was in North Carolina he was in a very, very good team with Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison and Shammond Williams. During a training the legendary coach Dean Smith walks into the locker room and says, ‘Guys, get in line, I have someone to introduce you, but there’s no need to introduce him.
So everyone goes online and Michael Jordan arrives. He walks past each player, shakes their hands and asks them, ‘What’s your name?’ Makhtar was at the end of the row to make sure he was last. So Michael comes up to him and shakes his hand and asks him, ‘what’s your name?’ ‘My name is Makhtar N’Diaye.’ And he adds: ‘What is your name?’ Michael Jordan looks at him confused and says, ‘Michael.’ ‘Nice to meet you Michael.’ ‘Ah, you don’t watch NBA games, where are you from?’ ‘I am from Senegal.’ ‘Ah, they don’t show a lot of basketball in Africa.’
Then while Michael Jordan is leaving, Makthar launches: ‘Besides, Hakeem Olajuwon is the best basketball player in history. Michael Jordan looks at him and looks a little irritated, then he leaves the locker room. 10 minutes later Michael Jordan returns dressed to participate in training. He says to Dean Smith: Give me the worst guys on the team and I’ll play the worst guys against your stars. ‘
Michael Jordan played with 3 walk us (players who do not have a scholarship and were not recruited) and he destroyed the first team, then the second team. Everyone passed the ball and Jordan tried to dunk each time on Makhtar. He did what he had to do and left.
A few years later, Makhtar and Antawn Jamison were at the Super Bowl in Miami, and they were trying to get into a nightclub and they couldn’t. So they were standing outside trying to find a way home and suddenly Michael Jordan appeared on a balcony. Makhtar looks up and sees him. He starts calling her: ‘Mike! Mike! Can you help us get home? ‘ Jordan looks at him and says: ‘Ah, there you remember my name the African ?!’ Then he turns around and walks back into the club. ” Marc J. Spears
Note that Michael Jordan was still active when he faced the North Carolina youth since Carter, Jamison, Williams and N’Diaye played together in North Carolina during the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons.
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