Chris Washburn, once a top NBA draft pick, is opening up about a little-known early encounter with Michael Jordan — and how his life spiraled shortly after.
In an interview with NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, the former North Carolina State standout detailed his rise, fall, and redemption, while also shedding light on his brief connection to the Chicago Bulls legend.
Washburn says that during his time in high school, he crossed paths with Jordan, who was already making waves at the University of North Carolina.
“I used to play pick-up games in Chapel Hill when Mike was still at UNC,” Washburn recalled. “He was intense even back then. Wouldn’t let anybody slack off.”
The two North Carolina natives never faced off in college — Jordan left for the NBA in 1984, two years before Washburn enrolled at NC State — but Washburn says those early runs left a mark.
“That was the first time I realized the difference between being good and being great,” he said.
While Jordan’s path led to six NBA championships, Washburn’s was derailed by drug addiction after he was selected third overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 1986 NBA Draft.
His struggles began before his first pro game, with substance abuse already taking hold.
“I was already at my lowest point before I had an NBA dollar,” Washburn told Robinson.
Traded to the Atlanta Hawks, he briefly reunited with the NBA but quickly relapsed, showing up high to meet the team after rehab.
What followed was a spiral through homelessness, arrests, and a lifetime ban from the league.
Now, Washburn has been sober for 24 years and is using his story to impact others.
His upcoming memoir, scheduled for release on July 22, 2025, aims to detail not just his mistakes but the circumstances that shaped them.
Washburn now operates C.W. Enterprises TAC, a speaking platform aimed at educating youth, and also runs a local shuttle service in Hickory, North Carolina as part of his community outreach.
“I don’t make a lot of money off it, but it’s how I give back,” he said.
