Former NBA player recalls woman asking for autographed sneakers in exchange for a night: “There must have been 100 pairs of shoes in there, all autographed by NBA players
by Peter Sunjic
The NBA players are often known for their love of female company. Whether it is their well-publicized relationships with various celebrities or finding themselves in the middle of a cheating scandal, the two have long gone hand in hand.
And who could blame them? All the fame, money and attention mostly do their thing for many athletes, especially if they are on the road as long as the guys from the NBA are.
However, one old story offers a revealing glimpse into just how closed that dating circle really was, and in many ways, still is. Back in 1991, a prominent NBA player opened up about dating within the world of professional athletes. What he discovered that night, hidden behind a closet door, left him stunned, to say the least.
A closed hiding many stories
It started as nothing more than a regular game in the Association. It was the regular postgame routine and a nearby restaurant where players often gathered to unwind. The unnamed NBA player just wanted to relax, but one drink led to another, and soon he found himself in the company of a “beautiful young woman.” And, well, he asked if the two could spend some more time together…
She agreed, but with one condition that stood out. As her condition for spending the night with him, she asked for a pair of autographed sneakers. It was different from what the player was expecting. And, at first, it didn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary. After all, NBA players sign and give away shoes, jerseys, etc., all the time.
So when they went back to her place, the player reached into his bag, pulled out his sneakers, signed them, and handed them over without much thought. However, what happened afterwards stuck with him years later.
“She took them to her closet and opened the door,” he said, laughing as reported by The Los Angeles Times. “There must have been 100 pairs of shoes in there, all autographed by NBA players.”
It was a time when Magic announced his diagnosis
Unfortunately, we do not know which NBA player shared this story, but the lesson behind it remains clear. It was not an isolated incident. It was just a picture of how closed the dating world around professional athletes could be. After all, it was the same people hanging out at the same bars and restaurants, so it was kind of inevitable that sooner or later they would bump into each other.
However, it is also important to note that this was a time when a bigger problem arose. Not long after, Magic Johnson stunned the sports world by publicly announcing his HIV diagnosis, a revelation that forced players to confront the risks that came with that lifestyle.
Sports agent Leigh Steinberg was blunt about the impact this revelation would have.
“Sports is a tiny world, and Magic Johnson’s proclivities were well-known,” Steinberg said. “This is a wake-up call sent across the country to all athletes.”
He added that Johnson’s disclosure was going to have “a chilling effect on their sexual behavior,” and for many, it did exactly that.
Back then, this was simply the reality of athletes living in their small “ecosystems” with the same people around. And that story with 100 pairs of signed sneakers is just one of many that points to that exactly.