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“Somebody Come Help”: Michael Jordan Left Ex-NBA Star Feeling Helpless During His Freshman Year in College

Published 03/26/2023, 6:05 AM EDT

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There’s a possibility that most of the current NBA stars drew their inspiration from Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan. Jordan became a global sensation during the early 90s and became a powerful influence for youngsters to pick up the ball. Similarly, a lot of them would fancy playing alongside the legend at least. The wish came true for a former NBA star a little early in his ball career. However, things didn’t go in favor of the star as he screamed for help to escape the Jordan force. 

It’s a usual habit among NBA stars to visit their college gyms during the off-season to play ball alongside the youngsters. Jordan was no different. MJ never forgot his pre-NBA career. He visited his college gym at the University of North Carolina even after his peak popularity. However, during one such visit, he left former Washington Wizards star and freshman Antawn Jamison breathless. Jamison recently narrated the details of the incident in a podcast. 

Michael Jordan leaves Jamison catching for breath

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In a recent podcast episode of The VC Show, Antawn Jamison engaged in a candid interaction with host Vince Carter. He discussed an array of topics involving NBA legends, but his freshman-year experience with Jordan stood out. Notably, Jamison graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1998 and emerged as 4th overall pick in the NBA draft in the same year. During his freshman year, MJ surprised the youths with his sudden appearance in the college gym.

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Jamison described how the boys quickly went to the court to play ball with Jordan. He added that he witnessed one of the hardest pickup games from MJ that day. The college boys tried to set up difficult screens for the Bulls legend, but Jordan being himself tackled all of them. He also impressed them with his signature step-back and shoot movements.

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Moreover, he further opened up about his excruciating experience of playing one-on-one against the legend. The 2x NBA All-Star explained how he got switched out by Air Jordan after that as he said, “Somebody come help! Help!” He further added the amount of influence MJ created in the minds of youths.

Antawn Jamison’s NBA career

The Toronto Raptors picked him as the 4th overall pick in 1998, however, he made his debut for the Golden State Warriors. Jamison played 16 seasons, representing six teams averaging 18.5 points. Even though the star couldn’t clinch a single NBA title in his career, he continued to contribute to his team on offense. He played his last season with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2014 and averaged only 3.8 points in 22 games.

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What do you make of Antawn Jamison’s one-on-one experience with Michael Jordan? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Shahul Hameed

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Shahul Hameed is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He holds a Master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and has previously worked as a contributor at an online news site. Shahul has always shared a keen interest in journalism, starting off as a reporter for his college news journal.
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Edited by:

Pragya Vashisth