Marques Johnson Talks MJ & The Last Dance

Josiah Johnson talks with Marques Johnson about his cameo on The Last Dance and the times he spent around Michael Jordan.

Video Transcript

JOSIAH JOHNSON: So now, as you gentlemen saw on the Jordan doc Sunday night, MJ gave love to another famous MJ. I'm pleased to welcome five-time NBA All-Star, college basketball hall of Famer, first John Wooden award winner, and the creator of your favorite creator, my pops, Marques Johnson. How you doing, pops?

MARQUES JOHNSON: Hey, man, you know, sheltering at home, I guess, is the buzz word, man. But I'm doing good. I'm doing good, all things considered.

JOSIAH JOHNSON: MJ doc is taking the world by storm. You made a cameo in Episode 5. What did you think when you saw young MJ in his college dorm with your poster on his wall, saying that you were one of his favorite players?

MARQUES JOHNSON: Well, you know, it's got to be like a career highlight for me. But I knew that already, because when he shot "Space Jam," I went out there, and he gave me some grief about dunking the basketball. And I told him whatever I was doing, I was doing something good, because you had my poster on your wall at North Carolina.

And MJ was like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. You got me on that one. And you're one of my favorite players, man. I used to love your game. But to hear him actually say it, you know, during "The Last Dance," it was moving, man. I really felt good about that.

JOSIAH JOHNSON: And obviously, for everybody who doesn't know, like I said, you're a five-time NBA All-Star, two-time All-NBA. You played against Jordan a few times. What was that like for you? Any memories stand out from you, you being on the court with MJ?

MARQUES JOHNSON: Well, actually, I think three times All-NBA, but who's counting? But the biggest memory was his rookie year. He came out to the sports arena, had a great young player playing for the Clippers, the team that I played on, Derrick Spiff, they were going at it. And I set a back screen on Michael.

And Michael came through the screen with elbows up. And I was like, hey, rookie, watch the elbow. And he was like, hey, watch the screen. I was like, oh, OK. He was brass. He was cocky, even back then. But just his strength, man, he broke through a double team, and hit had a big and one down his the stretch of that game. That was the shot that sealed the deal. So he was a phenomenal player from the first time he stepped up to the court in the NBA.

JOSIAH JOHNSON: So you played MJ on the court. You guys actually got to hang out off the court too. How was MJ on the court, versus MJ off the court?

MARQUES JOHNSON: Well, I mean, he just had a great way about him. My fondest memory of that was during the 1986 All-Star Game. He had a foot injury. We were at the hotel at the banquet. And Willie Nelson was the was the performer. And we didn't want to see him, so I left. Patrick Ewing and Michael Jordan were waiting outside of the hotel. This guy drives up in this beat up Lincoln Continental.

He's like, hey, Marcus, Patrick, Michael, y'all need a ride back to your hotel? We were about 20 minutes away. So we jumped in the back. It's me, Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan. We all kind of complemented each other on our respective games. And Patrick says to Michael, Michael, don't bring that stuff inside. That's my office.

And Michael says something that I'll never forget. He said, Patrick, I got a hide and seek show you ain't even seen yet. And that was Michael. He was just confident. But he was funny. He was clever. And that's one of my fondest memories of hanging around Michael Jordan.

JOSIAH JOHNSON: All right, Marques, so thank you for joining us on "Dunk Bait." We appreciate you, and stay safe. Make sure you're washing your hands. And I appreciate you for giving me life.

MARQUES JOHNSON: And don't touch my face. I got you, brother, all right.

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