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Stephen Jackson Received His Jordan Brand Contract In His Locker After Wearing Protege Shoes That Nearly Ended His Career

Michael Jordan had an unconventional way of signing Stephen Jackson.

In 2009, Jackson joined the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Charlotte Hornets) and had a debut averaging 21.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals in 39.3 minutes across 72 games, the Basketball Network reports. That year, the team appeared in the NBA postseason for the first time.

In 2010, Jackson received mentorship from Jordan, who had acquired majority team ownership the same year. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the former owner, Bob Johnson, had sold his stake for a reported $275 million, ESPN noted, while The Charlotte Observer stated it was $180 million.