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Michael Jordan tried getting into Dwyane Wade’s draft party in 2003 but security wouldn’t let him in

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It’s hard to imagine Michael Jordan being refused entry into any Chicago nightclub, yet he wasn’t allowed access to Dwyane Wade’s party after the former shooting guard was drafted in 2003.

Wade, a Chicago native who grew up idolizing MJ, went on to become a three-time NBA champion, also winning a scoring title during his 16-year career. Incidentally, when His Airness showed up to his draft party to show him some love, the erstwhile Chicago Bulls superstar wasn’t allowed inside.

Here’s Wade’s recollection of the incident from a piece Joe Vardon of The Athletic wrote ahead of ESPN’s release of The Last Dance documentary:

“I just got drafted to the Heat, and then going back to Chicago after that, they had a big draft party. And I’m inside the draft party, and it was poppin’. I remember my cousin came and got me, and he was like, ‘Yo, Jordan’s here. They won’t let him in.’ I’m like, ‘What, man? Stop playing with me.’ And he was like, ‘Bro, I’m serious. Michael Jordan is outside with like 50 people. They won’t let him in.’

“So we run out the door, run up front where they won’t let him in. ‘Why y’all won’t let Jordan in?’ Somebody was like, ‘He wouldn’t pay.’ I’m like, ‘What?’ So I run outside and Michael Jordan is out there on a motorcycle, surrounded by like 30 dudes.

“I run up to him. I’m in awe, of course, a young kid. And he said, ‘I just wanted to come by and show you some love.’ I think he said something about them trippin’ at the front, or something like that. But he’s like, ‘I just wanted to come by and show you some love. Congratulations on getting drafted.’ And I was just like, ‘Man, thank you for coming.’ I couldn’t believe it. ‘Thank you for coming. You want to come in?’ And he’s like, ‘Nah, nah, we good. I just came by to show you some love.’ And he rode off on his motorcycle.”

Wade was selected by the Miami Heat as the fifth overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, behind LeBron James, Darko Milicic, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh. He was relatively unknown when he began his professional career but people were forced to take notice in time. Given his lack of a big reputation the likes of LeBron and Melo possessed upon entering the league, it must have been pretty wild seeing Jordan outside of his party. A successful career later, there’s hardly any doubt that the attention was warranted, with Wade now a legend in his own right.

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