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After Claiming Michael Jordan Movie “Educated” Him, Chris Tucker Narrates Hilarious MLB Legend Bo Jackson Story: “Had Them for Years, I Swear”

Published 03/28/2023, 5:30 AM EDT

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In 1984, a global revolution took its first step – within the NBA. Sports brand Nike was nowhere close to the thriving success it enjoys today, and looking to expand its spectrum of sports, the management pursued a young rookie who would change their company’s direction forever. It was none other than Michael Jordan.

The story of the birth of the Air Jordan sneakers is all set for a Hollywood release. Matt Damon, Chris Tucker and Ben Affleck headline the film, titled Air. Tucker recently revealed that he started to understand the craze behind Jordans after filming began. However, years before that, there was one athlete whose shoes the Rush Hour actor cherished for years.

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The Air Jordan brand today is the undisputed king of the sneaker revolution. It is arguably the most successful venture for Nike too, from which the company produces billions of dollars in revenue each year. However, the history of its growth makes it even more special – from Michael Jordan paying fines to wear his sneakers in the NBA to where the Jordan brand has come today, sponsoring multiple athletes as well as sports teams.

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Tucker, who plays Nike executive Howard White in the film, made an appearance on Complex’s Sneaker Shopping series of episodes, alongside co-stars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The 51-year-old detailed how he only recently became a ‘shoe guy’ due to the movies. However, the host Joe La Puma, found a rare picture of the star comedian rocking some Bo Jackson shoes.

Chris Tucker was on Bo Jacksons before Michael Jordan

Speaking about his relationship with sneakers, Chris Tucker shared some of his childhood memories. He admitted spending half of his earnings working with his father on a pair of Jordans. Playing the role of an important man behind the brand, he claimed to only now have understood the sneakers’ effect on American culture in its entirety. However, that was until La Puma brought out a rare click of Tucker beside his ‘hero’, MLB and NFL icon Bo Jackson!

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Immediately after looking at the picture, the actor started narrating the story behind it. The Tenn Choice Award winner said he met Jackson at a golf tournament he had hosted for his foundation. Tucker hilariously impersonated the strong voice of Jackson and recounted how the baseball legend had obliged to his request for a picture. The special thing about the moment was that Tucker was wearing a pair of Bo Jacksons with the man right beside him. It was a shoe that the Hollywood star had treasured for years.

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He narrated the story, “Listen, Bo Jackson was at my foundation. I had those shoes for years! I said ‘Bo, we got to take a picture man, we got to take a picture’. He said, ‘Hurry up, hurry up’.” Tucker continued, “I had them for years I swear, yeah, he is one of my heroes. One of my friends too.”

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WATCH THIS STORY – March Madness: Five Greatest Michael Jordan Moments in NCAA Basketball

Air is all set to grace theatres worldwide on April 5, 2023. Are you excited to watch the journey behind Nike’s great pursuit of Michael Jordan? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by:

Anuj Talwalkar

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Anuj Talwalkar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He is a student studying at NM College in Mumbai, aspiring to pursue sports management to follow his love for sports. Anuj started following the NBA last year, and he loves to combine his passion for writing with his understanding of basketball.
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Edited by:

Aayush Kapoor