Vernon Wilkins sat in his cold, dimly lit apartment, staring at the photographs that lined his walls. Each frame held memories of a time when he had been a key figure in the world of basketball—when he had helped shape Michael Jordan’s legendary shooting form. Those memories were all he had left now. At 78 years old, his coaching days were over. His body was a constant reminder of the years that had passed—slow, aching, and fragile. The world outside had moved on, leaving him behind.
His pension barely covered the rent on his rundown apartment. He hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning. The refrigerator was empty except for a carton of milk, some ketchup packets, and a single egg. The doctor’s warnings about his heart were constant in his mind, but he couldn’t afford both food and medicine. A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts—a call from his landlord about his overdue rent. With eviction looming, Vernon felt like the walls of his life were closing in.
But there was a small glimmer of hope—his daughter, Tanya, called every week, worrying about him. He lied to her each time, assuring her that everything was fine, even though he knew he was struggling. Pride had always been his shield, but it was cracking. He had worked hard all his life, and now, at the end of it, he found himself relying on charity that he could never bring himself to accept.
Then, one day, a reporter named Darius Jackson called him. He was working on a story about the unsung heroes behind basketball legends and had heard about Vernon’s role in Jordan’s early years with the Bulls. The article went viral, and the next thing Vernon knew, donations started pouring in from former players and people who had heard about his struggles. But the one thing he couldn’t avoid was the inevitable: a call from Michael Jordan.
“Coach, why didn’t you call me?” Jordan’s deep voice boomed through the phone, full of concern. “We need to talk face to face.”
Vernon had not spoken to Jordan in over twenty years, but the flood of emotions came rushing back. Jordan’s success had taken him far beyond anything Vernon could have imagined, but he had always been there in the background, teaching, guiding. Now, he had fallen so far from that world. Yet, here was Jordan, reaching out, wanting to help.
When Jordan’s jet landed, he didn’t just come with a check. He came with a plan. He wanted to build the Vernon Wilkins Basketball Academy, a training center for underprivileged kids. It would be a state-of-the-art facility, and Vernon would run it. The offer was beyond anything he had ever dreamed, but there was one problem—his pride. He couldn’t bring himself to accept charity, not from Jordan, not from anyone. But Jordan didn’t care about that. He wanted Vernon to succeed, to reclaim his purpose.
The next few days were a whirlwind. Jordan’s team helped pay his back rent, canceling the eviction. His former players, the ones Vernon had mentored, came together to raise money for him. The GoFundMe campaign skyrocketed to over $100,000. It was a humbling experience, but also a moment of realization for Vernon: his legacy had left a lasting impact on those he had coached.
As the news spread, reporters camped outside his apartment. Every corner of his life was exposed to the public, and it was a lot to handle. He wasn’t sure he was ready for all the attention, but he had to face it. The press conference announcing the Vernon Wilkins Basketball Academy was scheduled, and Jordan insisted he be there. Vernon had to let go of his pride and accept that sometimes, help wasn’t charity—it was a chance to make a difference once again.
When the press conference came, Michael Jordan spoke passionately about the Academy, about Vernon’s influence on his career. And then it was Vernon’s turn to speak. He stood at the podium, feeling the weight of the moment. His heart pounded, but he knew this was more than just a job offer. This was a chance to give back to the game he loved, to shape the next generation of players.
“This Academy isn’t just about basketball,” Vernon said, his voice steady. “It’s about teaching young people that discipline, hard work, and believing in yourself matter—on and off the court.”
The crowd erupted in applause, and Vernon felt a sense of pride he hadn’t felt in years. This was his moment, not just to coach, but to make a lasting difference. He wasn’t done yet.
But just as things were falling into place, Vernon faced another challenge—a heart attack. It came out of nowhere, a sharp pain in his chest that knocked him off his feet. Michael Jordan and his team rushed to his side, and Vernon was quickly hospitalized. His daughter Tanya flew in to be with him, and for the first time in a long while, Vernon allowed himself to accept the help he had always rejected.
As he lay in the hospital bed, Michael Jordan visited him, offering comfort and support. “You’ve got a job waiting for you, Vernon. The Academy is going forward. Don’t worry about a thing.”
Vernon recovered slowly but steadily. The Academy was moving forward, and soon enough, he was back at the community center, coaching once more. The kids, especially a young boy named Deshawn, were eager to learn from him. Vernon found joy in teaching again, guiding the next generation of players, just as he had done with Jordan all those years ago.
The Academy’s construction was underway, and Vernon could finally see the vision coming to life. There was purpose in every drill, in every session with the kids. His legacy was secure, not just through the players he had mentored, but through the Academy he had built—a place where the next Michael Jordans could rise from humble beginnings, just as he had once helped Michael rise.
One day, as he watched Deshawn hit a perfect jump shot, Vernon realized that the greatest assist of his life hadn’t come from his coaching skills—it had come from the people who believed in him when he could no longer believe in himself. The journey had been long, but it was far from over. The game wasn’t finished; there was still time on the clock for one final shot.
“Beat the Bejebeers Out of Michael Jordan That Night”: When Julius Erving was Offended By Sixers Coach Praising MJ Incessantly
Julius Erving (L) and Michael Jordan (R)
Credit: Imagn Images
The competitive fire in the hearts of the NBA’s greatest players burns strong. They respect their contemporaries, but their inner competitor refuses to succumb. Many recognize Bulls legend Michael Jordan as one of, if not the greatest NBA player of all time. However, when people praised the six-time champion too much, it rubbed some players the wrong way. An instance of this came from a coach of Julius Erving, who had no limits to his praise for Jordan.
Published in 2014, Roland Lazenby’s biography Michael Jordan: The Life highlighted an account from former Sixers coach Matt Guokas. Before a game against the Bulls, Guokas continuously praised Jordan. Sixers star Dr. J became annoyed, and his response opened Guokas’ eyes. The former coach said,
“I remember we were getting ready to play. It was in a back-to-back situation, and I was trying to make sure our guys were ready to go. I was going on and on about Michael. Doc kind of like had his head down and he was sort of fiddling with his sneakers or whatever. He finally looked up. He’d had enough of it. He said, ‘Hey, wait a minute. We can play, too, you know.’”
Following Erving’s comment, Guokas immediately realized his wrongdoing. However, his words lit a fire under the Sixers players to prove that they can compete against Jordan. Guokas continued,
“I said, ‘You’re right.’ It was a good lesson to learn. Enough said. I didn’t need to be going on about how great he is. He and Andrew Toney went out and beat the bejeebers out of Michael that night.”
According to Guokas, the Sixers’ domination was led by Erving and Andrew Toney. The most important thing is Philadelphia came out with a victory over the Bulls. However, there were no hard feelings between Erving and Jordan. Matter of fact, the Sixers legend enjoyed playing against MJ.
Erving’s enjoyment of competing against Jordan
Erving didn’t get the opportunity to compete against Jordan in his prime, but the two had great duels. The four-time MVP played against a young MJ before he became ‘Air Jordan’ but enjoyed every second of it.
In a guest appearance on the Knuckleheads Podcast, Erving recalled a moment with Jordan that he will remember forever. Erving said,
“I remember one time he came down and dunked on our whole team. And then I went down and dunked on his team. So I’m looking at him, and he’s looking at me. And he was like … ‘I can do it again, you know?’ And I was like, ‘Alright, well, I only get one shot at it and I made it!’ But it was fun.”
Jordan didn’t back down from the competition, which earned him great respect from Erving. Moreover, Dr. J had fun competing against the young star and grew to become a supporter as Jordan ascended into superstardom.
