Dallas Mavericks Vice President of Basketball Operations Michael Finley was once an outstanding basketball player before he became an executive.
Finley was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection when the Phoenix Suns picked him 21st overall. Michael went on to have a successful NBA career, earning two All-Star selections before finishing his career with a championship ring in San Antonio in 2007.
He was also a member of the original Jordan Team, a select group of basketball players specially handpicked by Michael Jordan himself to be the Jordan Brand 's first endorsers.
Two years ago, Fin talked about how he got into Team Jordan and the experience.
"I was with Nike at that time, and my agent called and was like, 'MJ is thinking about getting his own line of shoes, and he wants you to be an endorser. There's only gonna be five of y'all. What do you think?' I was like, 'Of course, bro. That's a no-brainer. I'll do it'. He says, 'All right, well MJ wants to meet y'all,'" said Finley in an interview with The Players' Tribune in 2022.
Mike needed endorsers to represent his Jordan Brand
When MJ's Air Jordan shoe blew up in the market, Jordan and Nike decided to create the Jordan Brand to focus solely on their products. However, before the company debuted, MJ launched a search to find five players who would best represent his brand.
On September 9, 1997, Michael held a press conference hosted by Ahman Rashad in New York City. During the launch, His Airness was joined by the five players he chose to be the first Team Jordan members: Derek Anderson, Ray Allen, Vin Baker, Eddie Jones, and Finley.
"We was the first five," added Finley. "And MJ was like, 'Each one of y'all have a part of my game that I like. And so I want you guys to start endorsing my shoes, and apparel at that time. And it was all love, man. We get the stuff before everybody gets it. You walk on the court, your opponent might not like you, but they're gonna check out your Js. It was good. It's good love."
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Bibby says the Jordan Brand takes good care of its OGs
Finley's statement about the Jordan Brand being 'all love' was recently corroborated by Mike Bibby . Bibby was a client of Jordan's agent, David Falk, who got Mike into Team Jordan in 1999. During his appearance on The OGs Show, Bib said the Jordan Brand takes really good care of its OGs post-retirement .
"They always take care of me, man," said Bibby. "I'm grateful to be part of that because, you know, a lot of these shoe companies don't take care of their OGs and stuff to help them bring up the brand. I know he doesn't need nobody to help him sell this, but it's just good to be part of something so big and so special."
MJ has received criticism for not being a good teammate during his playing days and a poor boss in business. However, Finley and Bibby are proof that those stories are just well rumors. Despite the enormous success enjoyed by the Jordan Brand, it has always remembered the people who helped it get on its feet at the start.
Related: "That's the past" - Michael Finley on the aftermath of 'The Three J's' tenure in Dallas
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