In a relaxed, conversational interview hosted by Draymond Green, former NBA players Ty Lue and Baron Davis reminisce about Michael Jordan’s brief stint with the Washington Wizards. They discuss the infamous 51‑point game, the defensive challenges Jordan faced against younger, more athletic opponents, and the behind‑the‑scenes contract negotiations that led Lue to join the Wizards. The trio also share personal anecdotes from their playing days, including a legendary Las Vegas pickup league called Impact, memorable chase‑down blocks (Jordan’s block on Ron Mercer, Tayshaun Prince’s block on Reggie Miller), and the camaraderie among players like Kobe, Shaq, Horace Grant, and others. Throughout, they reflect on the unique experience of playing alongside Jordan, the competitive summer leagues, and the lasting memories of that era.
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But it's been really good for us. Shout out to Stackhouse too, 'cause he's done a good job. And I played with Stack in Washington when we played with Jordan together, you know? So I love Stack, you know?
That was the '51 game, Draymond Green. Hey, I was guarding him. T-Lou, was I not guarding you? T-Lou, was I? I didn't wanna lose.
Hey, they put Lee Mayline, they put Lee Mayline, Stacy Augman, you know what I'm saying? You know what's crazy about that, Day Day? I looked it up the other day when, you know, he had 51 points or whatever. So I looked it up, man, I played 18 minutes, I didn't score.
Hey bro, you gotta watch the tape. 'Cause me and you are talking.
Yeah, yeah.
Like you gotta watch the game 'cause we just having a conversation like, oh, I'm not gonna help. And you like, well, I ain't getting the ball. I'm like, well shit, let's, I wish we had some popcorn to watch this.
Why he was mad that game, right? The reason why he was mad that game is because the game before we played New Jersey Nets and they put Kenyon Martin on him and like he struggled to score, you know, and at this point MJ's 39 years old. They was like, all you gotta do is put length and athleticism on him. He can't score, you know, bigger 6'8", 6'6", you know, they, they, he can't score on those guys, whatever. So the next night we played Charlotte and they, you know, put Lee Naylons, a couple guys on him.
Well, uh-uh, Lee don't play defense.
Huh?
Lee Naylons don't play defense.
Y'all had, y'all had David Wesley. He got David Wesley.
Tortz.
Draymond Green, De'Lon, PJ Brown, you know what I'm saying? But yeah, he was on one. He was mad 'cause he, you know, he didn't play good against Jersey.
Man. You end up leaving the Lakers after that, going to the Washington Wizards. End of that September, Black Cat MJ, the Michael Jordan decides he is going to return and play for the Wizards. How did you learn about MJ making his return? And was there any indication before he announced it that he was gonna be coming back and playing that season with y'all?
So it's funny how it happened because at, you know, during that series with the Philly Lakers, you know, after that series, you know, Doug Collins, he's the one that made that step over famous. If it weren't for him, people probably would've made a big deal out of it. Oh, he passed. But then, It's funny because he became the head coach the next year with the Wizards.
Wow.
And so after him watching that series, like, that's my biggest payday. You know, they gave me 2 years, $4 million. You know what I'm saying?
At the time, I was only making $400,000.
You know what I'm saying? So like, no, $600,000. So I was like, okay, I gotta take this deal. But it was rumors that MJ might come back. But you know, MJ was part of the front office already. And so a guy you idolized and looked up to, if I could be a part of MJ, like, ain't getting $4 million beating you.
Come on, yo.
Sign me up. Yeah, I'm gone. You know what I'm saying? So that's what happened. And then when I did sign, MJ came back and like to have a chance to play with MJ, like, come on, man. Like you go from Kobe and Shaq to MJ. Like, come on, you couldn't ask for, I could have retired after those 2 years with MJ. I could have retired there and been the happiest man in the world.
You know what I'm saying?
For real.
Nobody would ever think you'd be that blessed to, you know, to have that, you know, play with Kobe, Shaq, MJ. Sure.
Yeah, that's crazy.
Come on.
Only you and Horace Grant.
Oh, wow.
Yeah, yeah.
I know we talked about MJ dropping 51 on us, but I was happy MJ came back that year 'cause I had 30 the game before and I was MJ that night. So I just show my kids that. You feel me? Hey, if Jordan don't come back, I don't get 30, I can't tell my kids.— that I played. They wouldn't believe I even played. The one for that damn dunk. But like one of the most iconic plays, one of the most iconic plays of MJ's career was the chase-down block on Ron Mercer. What was that? That was crazy.
Oh, so you just around chase-down blocks. That's just your thing.
Nah, I mean, I guess, I mean, I missed, I mean, I was part of it 'cause I was there when Tayshaun blocked Reggie Miller's layup. 'Cause I was there cheering for— That's your Pistons baby.
Yeah. Wow, you were there.
There for that.
Just bad luck.
There for Bron. Bron. Bron on Iguodala, and then Jordan on Mercer when he hit it against the glass, two-hand. Wow.
Yeah, that was crazy. And Ron Mercer was like an All-American. I thought that was the thing that killed his confidence. After Jordan did that.
He was only one of our class too. Yeah, he was.
'95.
Yeah, him and KG, him, KG, Steph, you know, but like Ron Mercer was, shout out to Ron Mercer.
There was a legendary 2010 pickup team.
Oh, in Vegas, yeah.
There was a legendary pickup team in Las Vegas, Impact, known for trading, no, it was a league. I think they trying to give y'all credit.
It wasn't a league.
It was just runs, but y'all cheated.
It was runs. All the time, bro.
Y'all cheated. You, Chauncey, y'all was cheating, bro.
Dey Dey, let me tell you what happened. So, in the league, I was a solid player, but in the summertime, I was wild like the hell. Oh my God.
Oh my God.
Hey, bro. Oh my God.
Him all alone.
And so we had, you gonna like this story too, 'cause he's your partner, Dey Dey. So we played best of 7 series, every day for 2 months. We had the same team. We didn't lose a series for 2 months. And the team we had was just all guys that were just like middle of the pack players, you know what I'm saying? In the NBA. But like together it was me, Tayshaun, Jared Dudley, Patrick O'Brien, and our best player was Allen Anderson.
Wow.
Double-A. Oh my God. Double-A. Oh my God. Jordan that summer.
Hey, hey, Dada, he was Jordan that summer.
Diabolical, bro.
Like, it was just running thing. Like, we never got beat. So they brought in Beatty and Steven Jackson and Matt Barnes, Ron Artest. Guys was flying in from LA like, "Oh, we gonna beat this team." Nobody beat us the whole summer. Chauncey, Kyle Lowry, J-O. We, hey, everybody.
Y'all read, y'all read, y'all read the show. I ain't gonna even lie. "We could have beat y'all, but remember I had Tony Allen on my team." Ain't done. And T.A., oh my God. T.A., pass the ball, bro. I'm out here working on my game too, OG. Like, nah, not today, bro.
Get a rock. Hey, Dada, we blitzing pick and rolls.
Hey bro, they call us sets.
Yeah, we rotate J.O. Catching the post with Patrick O'Brien. We come double team, he kicking the ball. Yo, double team! He mad, Draymond mad.
Hey, dawg, dudes was mad, frustrated, crazy summer.
Hey, that's funny. I can't remember if it was that summer, but I know I had been up to Impact when you were up there, T-Lou. 'Cause I remember the day that I was up there, Big Baby was up there. D. Jones came in yelling to the top of his lungs, talking shit to everybody. Then you can have, 'cause Joe D.
Yeah.
Joe D. had sent me, Jordan, a couple more of our friends out there to train for like 4 or 5 days. So we was out there training at Impact.
Yeah, on the little side court.
Hey, relax yourself, bro. Like, we got main court work. Joe Dumas sent us, we got main court work.
Stop it, man.
Hey, remember the little side court?
And then the defunct court on the—
All right, it's cool, it's cool.
Y'all both old as hell now, how about that? I'm killing it too, I'm killing it. Hey, T.
You ain't gonna say that when I make the team next year.
Nah, y'all both old as hell now. You wanna— nah, take the side court.
But Joe Bounousar, man, he ran a good— he ran a hell of a— Yeah, he did. Yes, he did. Joe Bounousar, shout out to Joe. Yeah, with Impact, man, that was huge though.
