reading this interview with MJ's daughter...
https://www.instyle.com
What was school like for you?
For the most part, school was easy. My first two years of high school I went to a private Jesuit Catholic Academy in Wilmette, Illinois. For my junior and senior year, I transferred to public school: Two totally different experiences. Public school was way more my speed, because I got to witness different walks of life, learning from and meeting individuals who lived on the West and South sides of Chicago. I wouldn't have experienced that at private school. I benefited tremendously from public school, as I was able to understand that the average person does not live like me. It was mind-blowing at times to hear my classmates’ stories about their upbringings. We would compare and contrast how I lived and how they lived and, oddly enough, it really proved that we weren't really that different, except my dad was doing what he did, and their parents were doing something different.
What was the reception like at public school? Did you have to fight to be known as an individual?
Initially, it was a little tough, because there was no hiding that I was Michael Jordan's daughter. Everyone just stared, whispered, and had side conversations about me. There was a lot of trying to figure out why was I there. I also had a hard time right before college. I tweeted that I was going to Syracuse University, and at that time I didn't have that many followers so I didn't think much of it. A local media outlet picked up my tweet and ran it as if it were an interview, and I was pissed! I was extremely upset, because it was like—first off, I didn't do an interview, and secondly, you just took my tweet and spun a story I had no say in. It was frustrating, because once I arrived on campus I had to deal with stares from everyone. I was being judged and talked about before I even had a chance to ask a question in class. But the university and my professors reassured me that they weren’t going to treat me differently.
You studied sports management in school. How are you using that degree?
I went right into that field upon graduating. For about four seasons I worked for the Charlotte Hornets as a basketball operations coordinator. I now work full-time for Nike and Jordan Brand as a field representative in sports marketing.
I am still connected to the Hornets even with my role at Nike and Jordan brand, as I represent some of the Hornet Jordan players such as Kemba Walker, Nic Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Cody Zeller, Frank Kaminsky, and Dwayne Bacon. As long as I'm connected to basketball, athletes, and athletics in some kind of way, I'll be happy.
Your dad keeps a low profile; we rarely see him out. Why is that?
You know what, my dad is just like me: very much a homebody and has always been a private person. He just so happened to have chosen a profession that was made for the public eye, and honestly I think if he could've had his same career without the fame, he'd probably still do it. You won't catch him in New York City or L.A. unless it's for business.
You and your siblings are pretty elusive, too. Why aren't you all out there living the glam life of heirs and heiresses?
That has a lot to do with how my mom raised us. My dad always said, “You go out and do what you want, if you want to have that life I support you.” My mom was more about, “I'm going to raise you how I think you should be and once you become an adult you decide what you want to do.” We were all raised in Chicago, our family would come over every weekend, and my mom made us understand where we came from, and that this life was a blessing and not to take it for granted. Now that we're all older we're doing us. [My brother] Jeffrey is another homebody who lives in Portland; [and our other brother] Marcus is more open to that public personality and doesn't mind showing up to a party or doing an interview. And myself, well, I'm a combination of the both of them.
Your fiance, Rakeem Christmas, is an NBA player himself; how did you meet?
Rakeem and I met at Syracuse in college. He was my first friend on campus and we became best friends while we were there. It wasn't until after we graduated, and after he went through the NBA draft, that he realized that he had feelings for me—and at first I was like, that's kind of weird [laughs]; we're such close friends! But here we are three-and-a-half years later, engaged.
What was the father-boyfriend introduction like?
Honestly, I was more nervous than Rakeem. I don't introduce many people to my father, so once Rakeem actually met him, it was a bit hysterical, because they were both nervous, and just awkwardly sitting there not knowing what to ask, which made me step in and break the ice. Nowadays they're almost like best friends and it's kind of gross, but I'm happy that it was smooth sailing, and it's been great ever since.
He met my mother well before we even started dating, back when she would come visit me at Syracuse, and they're just as close as him and my father, and probably text every week.
Alright let’s get to the question on everyone’s mind: How many pairs of Jordans do you own?
It's safe to assume somewhere around 500 sneakers. As I mentioned before I have sneakers everywhere, and the collection keep on growing.
Are you only allowed to wear Jordans; is your father strict about that?
I honestly don't think he'd really care. But honestly, it's like, we’re the best so why would I wear anything else? Jordan is top-notch, and I say that humbly. If I am wearing any other sneakers it's from brands like Balenciaga, Gucci and others like that. You won't catch me in any competing brands. But I will wear Nike and Converse since we're all in a partnership.
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