Michael Jordan and Doug Collins go way back. In fact, during the coach’s first game in charge of the Bulls, MJ provided words of encouragement. “Michael looked at me and said ‘Coach… I’m not gonna let you lose your first game’… and he went out & scored like the last 10 points of the game, ended up with 50.” When the 6x NBA Champion took charge of the front office duties of the Wizards, he once again gave the keys to Collins. So, the coach had no problem taking notes on player scouting involving Bobby Simmons.

The former Wizards star was a rookie draft pick during Michael Jordan’s first season with the team in the nation’s capital. Not to mention, they had the overall first selection, which they used to draft Kwame Brown. But did you know they traded picks for Simmons? He even received calls from MJ to confirm it was happening. The star also reveals why it all went down.

“We working out together with the Wizards. Mike told Doug Collins’ I bet you Bobby fu-k all them up.’ I destroyed them… destroyed. Mike walked out of the gym ‘Dougie I told you’ walk out the gym. I said okay, so I think that solidified the fact of if they will trade for that pick.” So, the coach Doug Collins trusted the instincts of the veteran Michael Jordan in selecting Simmons. The connection even runs deeper as the 2005 Most Improved player grew up in Chicago, and idolized MJ.

On the same podcast, Out The Mud Podcast, the DePaul alum highlighted another perk with the team. “I was a brand Jordan athlete my entire career. Li Ning tried to get me. Before Li Ning was what it is now… Out then… I ain’t know what the hell it was. So I’m not wearing that.” 

So Simmons got the deal, but there was something else he was privy to that others weren’t. Another former Wizards star pointed out how MJ preferred the rookie over others.

Michael Jordan would train second-round pick instead of Kwame Browm

Brendan Haywood, in a conversation with co-hosts Theo Pinson and AJ Richardson, last month revealed which rookie would MJ train. “Had a young dude on our team by the name of Bobby Simmons.” Even Haywood had a connection with 6x NBA Champion’s roots, but the preference was given only to Simmons. 

“Bob used just all the footwork stuff that MJ was teaching. ‘Yo, read him this way. Like when you jab this way.’ Everything he (Michael Jordan) did was calculated.” That’s when the 45-year-old explained that even he wasn’t training alongside His Airness, despite being a UNC graduate. Even Kwame Brown, who was selected as the first overall draft pick, was not the preferred rookie.

So, not only did Michael Jordan give a chance to Simmons to fulfill his dream in the NBA. He would even pass on his knowledge that others rarely got.