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The seven-time Super Bowl champion, Tom Brady, opened up on a bizarre story involving Michael Jordan as he explains how the Chicago Bulls hero sent him 120 pairs of shoes.
On the debut episode of the new show Card Shopping, the NFL legend appeared to talk about his strange encounter with the six-time NBA champion and his unusual take on generosity.
The segment, which mixes trading card collecting with personal storytelling, took an intriguing turn when the 47-year-old began the tale of how he became the owner of 120 Air Jordans.
Prompted by Joe La Puma when asked what Jordan meant to him, Brady was full of praise before he turned his thoughts to the unusual sneaker-based moment with the billionaire, initially thought to be just a rumor until the confirmation.
"It's crazy and this is probably one of the pairs actually," Brady said, pointing down at his sneakers. "So I always wanted to collect sneakers, but I didn't want to have a huge investment. I was playing, I had different shoe contracts.
"But finally when I didn't have a shoe contract I called up my friend Kenny Weyland and I'm a member down at Grove XXIII, MJ's golf club, and I'm like, 'Kenny, dude, I need a hookup. How can I get to add some Jordans to my collection?'
"He goes, 'Well, what size are you?' And I said, 'size 13.' So he calls me like two hours later he goes, 'Hey, I'm on the course with MJ and he's size 13 too, he's going to send you a few pairs.'
"Within two days I had 120 pairs of shoes show up. I didn't have enough closet space so I sent MJ back something nice. Just pretty cool to have Jordans from Jordan, you know, sitting in my closet."
The gesture from Jordan, who has built one of the most iconic brands in sports and fashion, shows the respect he has for equally competitive athletes across other disciplines.
Brady, now kitted out with 120 pairs of Air Jordans, will never have to buy shoes again if he doesn't want to. If he averages going through four pairs a year, that will see him through to the life expectancy for an American male (77).
Brady reveals what makes Jordan special
As Jordan extends respect to Brady, it's likewise in the other direction too as the iconic quarterback also hands the 62-year-old basketball legend one of the highest compliments sports can offer.
"I mean come on," Brady said of what MJ means to him. "Michael Jordan was the, I think, he changed, you know pop culture in America with his style and his swag, but also his competitiveness and his desire to win.
"He made it look so effortless and he just was, and still is, someone that I really always will call for advice and I look up to ire.
"Being a mentor for so many guys and always letting people know, 'Hey, reach out if you ever need anything.'
"And certainly a lot of people reach out to him for advice."