MJ’s Mentor of 40 Years Reveals Jordan’s Untold Nike Story

Howard White has been Michael Jordan’s right hand at Nike for over 40 years. As Vice President of Jordan Brand and the man Chris Tucker portrayed in Ben Affleck’s Air, Howard has been in the room for every pivotal moment in sneaker history.

In this powerful sit-down with Matt Barnes, he tells the full story for the first time. From growing up in poverty in Hampton, Virginia to becoming the person who helped sign MJ to Nike (when Jordan wanted Adidas), Howard reveals the untold stories behind the Jordan 3 design conflict with Tinker Hatfield, the Mercedes-Benz analogy that saved Jordan Brand after retirement, and the moment Phil Knight told him “it’s been a good run.” 

He also opens up about his battle with amyloidosis, his heart transplant in December 2020, and how MJ donated $1 million to establish the Howard H. White Center for Amyloidosis. Along the way, you’ll hear never-before-told stories about MJ’s competitive fire (cycling in Hawaii, ping pong obsession, staring at a blank TV before The Shot), Kobe telling Howard “I want to sit at the table with Mike,” and the mother’s wisdom that guided Howard through it all: “Even a dog can wag its tail when it passes you on the street.”

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