Glenn Robinson III met Michael Jordan when he was barely out of diapers.
During a game at the United Center around 1997, Robinson held up a sign behind one of the baskets that said: MISS. Robinson waved it during a Jordan free throw attempt in support of his father, Glenn Robinson Jr., who was playing for the Bucks.
After the game, Jordan signed it.
"I still have it," Robinson said. "It’s framed at my house."
Jordan turned 54 on Friday, and Robinson said he wished he could go back in time to watch Jordan — live — in his prime.
"There will never be another Mike," said Robinson, who will compete in Saturday’s Slam Dunk Contest. "That will to win, Kobe (Bryant) was the last guy to kind of have that. It will be interesting to see if that legacy continues."
Warriors coach and former Bulls teammate Steve Kerr said he doesn’t get many questions from his players about Jordan.
"They know everything about him," Kerr said. "They all grew up watching him."
Including Draymond Green.
"Any kid who plays basketball has been inspired by Michael Jordan," he said. "Greatest of all time. I wanted to be like Mike, but that’s a tall task."
Know your role: The Celtics’ Brad Stevens will coach the Eastern Conference team, though "coach" might be too strong a word.
"I don’t know how much coaching you actually do," he said. "I know my lane and I will get out of their way. I’ll be there if we want to draw something up or do something out of a timeout. This weekend is about the players. They’ve decided that coaches should be a part of it, so we’ll represent the coaches."
Stevens also represents the state of Indiana, having grown up a basketball junkie in Indianapolis and playing at Division III DePauw and coaching Butler to two NCAA tournament final games. Stevens spoke of how Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame and Butler were all relevant in his formative years.
"When you’re a kid growing up there, basketball was what you did every day," he said. "My buddies and I would find a court, we’d play outside or get an open gym game going. It was an everyday thing. Whether it’s high school or college or the pros, there was always someone to watch and learn from. The Pacers drafted Reggie Miller when I was 12 years old."
Layups: A common request at All-Star Game media access Friday came from reporters of other countries asking for a shoutout. Various players were asked to send their best to NBA fans from South Korea, China and the Philippines. A man asked Green to say "What’s up?" in Indonesian. … The $2.9 million trade exception the Bulls acquired from last February’s trade of Kirk Hinrich to the Hawks expires over All-Star weekend. … Dwyane Wade and wife Gabrielle Union are in New Orleans to host a fashion event at the International House Hotel.
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