In an interview with TNT’s Ernie Johnson, Steve Nash reminisced about his first time going against Michael Jordan in 1996. The eventual Hall of Fame Point Guard was a rookie that season when they faced the Chicago Bulls twice in the first month of the season.
Nash recalls having to guard Jordan during a possession and after Jordan hit his famous fadeaway over him the conversation began.
“[Michael Jordan] comes over to me and says ‘you were at a slight disadvantage.’ MJ just scored on me, he’s letting me have it in a fun way this is unbelievable,” Nash told EJ. “I laugh and I go, can I have your shoes after the game.”
Jordan did give Nash his red and white Jordan 12’s after the game. This was the second meeting between the Suns and Bulls that season. After the first game, Nash’s teammate Chucky Brown asked Jordan for his sneakers and got them which prompted Nash to do so in the second game in Phoenix.
Nash admits that Suns veteran Rex Chapman was not happy to see Nash after the game with their opponent’s signature shoe. The Suns lost that game 113-99 pushing the Bulls to 11-0 and the Suns to 0-10