Kobe Bryant is perhaps closest to Michael Jordan: Rod Thorn

You spotted Michael Jordan when he was in school, how did he catch your eye?
I remember it was in 1984 during a high school game in the University of North Carolina. He was moving and dribbling better than most of his seniors and I thought he was the best athlete around. I was the general manager of Chicago Bulls that time.

Anything you want to share that the world doesn’t know about him?
He always came across as a serious, professional guy in front of the world. But he was quite a rib-tickler and had a terrific sense of humour. At times, the teammates were surprised that it was Michael who was making fun of them when he did.

How was your relationship with him?
We shared a professional relationship but when I left Chicago, the gap narrowed. We started meeting frequently and played golf. He is also a golfer. Such a brat he was, whenever he saw he was winning, he used to make fun saying, “your game is got to get better”. We used to play in different places in America.

What did you say to yourself when you saw him becoming a star?
I said thank god, we got lucky we drafted him (laughs). Well, I thought he would be good but didn’t know he was going to be arguably the best player in the world.

Which present player do you think could have given Jordan a run for his money?
That is not possible but yes in terms of athleticism, Kobe Bryant is perhaps  closest to him. A guy playing in the same team (Los Angeles Lakers) for more than 15 years is no joke.

And not LeBron James?
He is also an unbelievable player. He is heavy (250 pounds), stands at 6 feet 8 inches, he is fast and can jump high. He is the best right now but you need to wait and watch till the end of his career to judge him on that level. But he is a very good guy, popular with teammates and does a lot of charity.

You also selected Carl Lewis along with Jordan? What made you do that?
We drafted him in the seventh round. He was also a great athlete – which he proved to the world later – and had played in high school. But then I realised he was not good enough a basketball player.

Your reaction when you later saw him as a track star on television?
I thought if he could shoot the ball well, he could have been quite a package in the NBA.

From what age one should start playing the sport in India?
I think 10-12 age-group is a good time to start. I do notice the talent in India and NBA has committed to build the game, have more tournaments and pick players from the grassroots level.

But in the US, many start at five years..
Some people do, but you see genetics matter a lot in this case. It is there in their genes.

So what diet one should follow here to build those muscles like the NBA players?
(Laughs), I don’t divide it in levels but there should be a balanced diet. A lot of proteins. Food that will help you grow your body. .

But the NBA workshops has not done much in the last few years..
I think you need to give it time. We are coming to India very frequently which we never did before. The sport is the second fastest growing sport here behind soccer.

Any player in India who caught your eye?
(Points to Shireen Limaye of Maharashtra). She looks like a big player in the making.

Do you think cricket distracts most youngsters in India and they shy away from basketball?
I can’t say that but it is indeed the most popular sport here. It looks like a difficult game to me. I have seen the game and know a few names.

Sachin Tendulkar?
Yes that name sounds familiar but I have never seen him play. Must be a great player. People talk about him a lot.