As the career of the legendary New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter comes to a close, he is talking more candidly about his past. He recently talked about first meeting Michael Jordan, whose Jordan Brand Jeter has been associated with for more than a decade. “I first met Michael when he was playing baseball. I was in the Arizona Fall League and he was out there and we just crossed paths, briefly, and I was shocked that he knew who I was because, he’s Michael Jordan!”
This meeting happened during Michael Jordan’s first retirement from the Chicago Bulls in 1993 and his brief stint within the Chicago White Sox organization, before returning to the Bulls in 1995.
Jeter, who spoke at “The Captain’s Farewell: Derek Jeter Live at the Hudson Theatre Presented by Steiner Sports” yesterday, talked more about his relationship with the owner of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats and the face of Jordan Brand during his interview with Steiner Sports CEO, Brandon Steiner.
“Obviously being associated with Brand Jordan over the years, we’ve gotten closer and closer. He’s like a big brother. We’re extremely close.” Jeter, of course, was the first baseball player signed to Jordan Brand. He was handpicked by Jordan in 1999, so there seems to be a mutual admiration between the two.
Jordan has become a very successful businessman since his retirement from the NBA, and Jeter hopes to follow in his footsteps as well. “I want to be an owner of a team,” Jeter said yesterday. Perhaps he can lean on his ‘big brother’ Michael Jordan for guidance.
