Raymond Felton played for seven teams in his 14 seasons in the NBA. However, the best years of his career were spent playing for the Charlotte Bobcats , the franchise that picked him fifth overall during the 2005 NBA Draft and tasked him with helping turn the struggling team around.
It was also during that time that he had the rare opportunity to have the complete Michael Jordan experience. With MJ initially starting out as a minority investor before becoming a majority owner in 2010, Felton recalled the times when the Bulls legend actually set foot on the team's practice court to play one-on-one against the team's players.
Already retired from the NBA and 50 at the time, Felton claimed it was remarkable how Jordan was still able to impose his will upon them and let them hear about it, too.
For most of the 2000s, the Bobcats struggled to win and didn't make the postseason until the 2009-10 season. So, being the ultimate competitor that he was and still is, there were times when Jordan would join the Bobcats players to try and teach them a thing or two.
"He came and played one-on-one with me. It was me, Gerald Wallace, Jeff McInniss, and I want to say Jason Richardson. I think it was us," Felton remembered on "Run It Back."
Felton added that the one-on-one games weren't planned; Jordan just came in, thought he would test the players and played against them.
"He literally didn't have no clothes. He went to the back, got a Bobcats practice uniform, and had some Jordans — whatever Jordans he had on at that time. I don't even think there is a Jordan that I ever seen before — just some chill Jordans. It wasn't even no numbers," Felton continued.
"And we just came out there. He came out there and he literally—I don't know what Jordans it was — but it was fun though, man."
Felton holds the memories from that day near and dear to his heart. In fact, he still keeps a picture of him defending Jordan during that practice session in his phone.
"I even got that picture still in my phone. I'm still trying to get it framed and autographed by him at some point. And in the picture I was smiling. I'm guarding him, but I'm smiling because I'm like, man, I'm sitting here guarding my GOAT right now," Felton reminisced. "I'm guarding my GOAT right now — the best player to ever play the game for me. I'm guarding him right now."
Jordan's influence, especially on the players who grew up in the 1990s, was undeniable. Felton can attest to that. He was born in Marion, South Carolina, and played college basketball at the same institution Jordan attended: the University of North Carolina.
So, it was safe to say that Felton was well-versed in the Jordan lore. And to face off against someone he had grown up watching and idolizing was surreal, to say the least.
"It was a surreal moment in that situation. But at the same time, I was trying to score on him but I don't think I ever did," Felton stated.
Felton went on to play for other franchises and even enjoyed a deep postseason run with the New York Knicks in 2013. However, he will never forget his stint with the Bobcats, where he experienced greatness firsthand.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
