WASHINGTON — Tyronn Lue’s 11-year playing career in the NBA was graced by a slew of current or future Hall of Famers as teammates, from Michael Jordan during his time with the Washington Wizards to Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal with the Los Angeles Lakers.
And Lue has more than grainy YouTube clips to prove it.
Lue said he has “a lot” of Jordan memorabilia from when he was teammates with him during the final two seasons of Jordan’s career in Washington back in 2001-02 and ’02-03.
“Game-worn shoes that he signed for me,” Lue said before the Cleveland Cavaliers played the Wizards on Monday. “Two pair, actually. Couple jerseys.”
Lue managed to procure both Wizards and Chicago Bulls jerseys emblazoned with the famous No. 23 from Jordan.
The Cavs’ second-year coach said he simply asked Jordan for the items. There were no 1-on-1 games or anything like that to get the goods.
“I earned it by playing hard every night,” Lue said. “That’s all I could give him. That’s how I earned it.”
While Washington was the first place Lue was able to establish his value as a consistent starter in the league, it’s not surprising — considering his collection — that looking back on those years makes him think of one person more than anything else.
“Just, you know, Jordan,” Lue said. “He brought all the energy to the city, to the games, sold out for two straight years. I think they had lost money five straight years, and his two years being back they made up for all of that. Just his buzz in the city, just Michael Jordan being who he is, the best of all time. That buzz created a lot for this city.”
And it created a keepsake haul that has only grown over the years.
“I got a nice museum,” Lue said, admitting that some Bryant items are also included. “Got a good collection, a very, very nice collection. I pride myself on that collection. One day I’ll show you.”
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