1 on 1 with D.J. Augustin
Posted by George Kiel III | Jul 16, 2009
Although it may not be said publicly, there are many young players in the NBA who would jump at the chance to be a part of the Jordan Brand. While this accomplishment is far-fetched for many players, a handful of athletes are picked by Jordan himself to represent one of the biggest and most successful brands ever. With that said, we caught up with Charlotte Bobcats point guard D.J. Augustin, one of the youngest NBA players on Jordan Brand now. In this interview, Augustin shares with us a plethora of secret perks one gets for being a part of the Jordan Brand team and also tells us the process by which shoes he and the other JB members are allowed to wear on the hardwood. Click here to view this in-depth interview in its entirety. |
D.J. Augustin attacking the rim in the Jordan 6 Rings “Flint”
Nice Kicks: First off, tell me how your signing with Jordan Brand came about.
D.J. Augustin: Well, you know Michael Jordan, at this point, is the co-owner of our team. He owns a certain amount of our team, and when I was in summer league before my rookie season, I was trying to decide which brand I was going to sign with out of Adidas and K1X. At that time, I didn’t even know that Jordan wanted to sign me. I played pretty good in the summer league and my agent and I were going back and forth trying to decide who I was going to sign with. One day, my agent called and said Michael Jordan wanted me on the Jordan Brand team. I couldn’t pass that up no matter how much money the others were offering.
Nice Kicks: Well, seeing that he personally wanted to sign you, do you have a personal relationship with him?
D.J. Augustin: Yeah, because it is only a certain amount of us that are with Jordan. He doesn’t just go out and get a bunch of guys, so it was special for him to pick me. He only picks a select few of players such as Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby, me, Kevin Martin, Rip Hamilton to name a few. It’s a small group of dudes, so we all have a certain relationship with him and we’re all close. He’s a cool dude and he’s just like one of us.
“One day, my agent called and said Michael Jordan wanted me on the Jordan Brand team. I couldn’t pass that up no matter how much money the others were offering.”- D.J Augustin |
Nice Kicks: You say he’s just like one of the players. Last year, a photo surfaced of Michael Jordan practicing with the team. What do MJ usually wear when practicing with the Charlotte Bobcats?
D.J. Augustin: One time, when he was out there shooting with us, he had on the Air Jordan 11 “Space Jams”. Another time, he had on the Air Jordan 3 “Black Cat”. One day he had on a pair of Jordan PHLY Legends; you know his nickname is “Black Cat”, so he had “Black Cat” imprinted on the side of his PHLY Legends. He wears those a lot. Jordan comes to a lot of our practices but this year he didn’t as much. He was talking and joking with us when shooting around sometimes, but this past year he was more serious with us because it was more pressure on us to win.
Michael Jordan posting Raymond Felton up in the Jordan PHLY
Nice Kicks: Has Michael Jordan ever hinted at making the entire Charlotte Bobcats roster a Jordan sponsored team? Maybe recruiting some of your other teammates to jolt to Jordan Brand?
D.J. Augustin: No, he never really mentioned that. I don’t think he would since a lot of guys are with different shoe companies. For example, Raymond Felton is with Adidas, Raja Bell is with Nike, Boris Diaw is with Nike. We have a lot of guys that are with different companies, so I don’t think he would do that since guys are in their contracts.
Nice Kicks: Since your signing, we know Michael Jordan has slid you a couple of classic Jordan sneakers under the table, right?
D.J. Augustin: (Laughs) No, because sometimes I get shoes that don’t even come out until two months from now. I have to hide those and keep them away from my homeboys. They’ll try to steal them. So, being a part of the brand means I get a lot of exclusive shoes that don’t come out until later on; some that never come out at all. That’s a real nice perk we have, so it’s no need for Jordan to personally give us exclusives.
To read page 2 of the interview click here.
Dec 3, 2009 at 11:19 am
hey ULIKEMYKICKS say sumtin else bout dj imma come and find you and molly wop yo a**
Dec 3, 2009 at 11:17 am
i swear i wanna buy all of the michael jordan shoes there all beasty
Aug 3, 2009 at 3:38 pm
lmoa @ sean may not gettin anything
Jul 17, 2009 at 7:40 pm
krispy
Jul 17, 2009 at 4:50 pm
cool interview
Jul 17, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Damn dude so pretty much ur just gon comment about me n shiiiit that’s all only no shoes or nothing ur just gon talk about that im a homo omg dude give that shiiit a rest its old I give props 2 da dude who came with it n only him all da other cats like biff sully n u just followers I don’t remember who came up with it but give up its old like yo mamas pusssy
Jul 17, 2009 at 12:50 pm
I’m from Charlotte & I seen Jordan on Our local news station and I agreed with what he said. The bobcats will def not go 2 the finals nxt year but we can very well make the playoffs. Maybe in a few years we mite make it 2 the finals. I still liked the Charlotte hornets better than the bobcats. Hornets used 2 háve the illest jerseys
Jul 17, 2009 at 11:27 am
great interview, as others have said, he gave real answers, even called other people’s shoes ugly. LOL.
Jul 17, 2009 at 11:19 am
Great interview NiceKicks/GKIII. DJ seems like a cool dude and I love how he plays on the court. I’d love the Mavs to get a real PG like him!
Jul 17, 2009 at 9:31 am
lol @ you stupid dudes. You guys don’t know crap about basketball. Him and Kevin Durant are like best friends, he just called his shoes ugly. I personally like the KD1’s they are nice and light and they play well, but those were his opinions.
Jul 17, 2009 at 9:07 am
Romeo, U still alive? Do like “I Am Not Human” says, then kill urself! All U own is cheapy ish, LAME. Maybe yo comments will die with U.
Jul 17, 2009 at 8:24 am
Dwayne Wade is on Jordan Brand now.
Jul 17, 2009 at 3:54 am
Based on what a few dumb a$$es are saying I guess i need to get my own signature shoe pretty quick if I plan on continuing to give my honest opinion of various shoes. Do you guys even think before typing in your comments? At all? Naw, i didn’t think so.
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Nicekicks- great interview
DJ- nice to see some honest answers in an interview. I felt the same about the KD1’s since I first saw em, and everybody knows that shaqs are just vomit in the shape of a shoe. Not really familiar with anyone on the bobcats team, so I won’t judge him as a player, but he’s in the league so he must be doing something right
Jul 17, 2009 at 12:56 am
wow dude shouldnt be criticizing other player’s signature shoes, especially if they’re better than him and he doesnt even has his own line. he probably thinks hes so sick…
he’ll never have his own shoe
Jul 17, 2009 at 12:25 am
dang…hearing about how they get they’re shoes and clothes and stuff…i need a jordan connect!
Jul 16, 2009 at 11:50 pm
Dj a real dude talkin like we would cuz we all know shaqs r trash n da kd1 r ugly n he kept it real but fo reals id be askin 4 good kicks 2 ball in like 8s 7s 6s 5s 13s 11s 3s 4s n so on not no cheapy shiiit but yeah keep it up dj
Jul 16, 2009 at 10:55 pm
+++++itzpaqmanb+++++ Get off his nuts!!! U must want to swallow his cum! and while u at it can you get off my nuts too please? They startin to hurt
Jul 16, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Man i went to high school for a while wit this man (hightower High School) and he is a cool dude i got to play him a few times which neva ended well for me lol but its good to see people doing well in life…..keep up the good work DJ
Jul 16, 2009 at 8:26 pm
great content…very good interview D.J. not afraid to share his opinion
Jul 16, 2009 at 8:00 pm
This is whats good. DJ is gonna be that next big PG in this league. Most yall ain’t never seen him play, but dude shoots it better than any PG in the league, Nash included. He’s as quick as anyone, handles with anyone, and the team is still building so quit wit all the hate. Great interview.
Jul 16, 2009 at 7:08 pm
F all yall who hatin on DJ the kid got skills
Jul 16, 2009 at 6:56 pm
good job on the interview….. sorry but the bobcats aint ever gonna amount to anything…..LAKER THREE-PEAT!!!!
Jul 16, 2009 at 6:52 pm
WHY DID JORDAN PICK THE WORST JORDAN BRAND SHOES TO HOOP IN? He is gettin old isn’t he. I think his is getting alzheimers. Doesn’t he remember he has access to any JB shoe he wants, I sure as hell wouldn’t be hoopin in those!!!!!
Jul 16, 2009 at 6:49 pm
I just ordered the Nike KD1 from Eastbay.com it’s on sale for $59.99. If you use promo code: FITNESS1 at the checkout you get 15% off making the $50.99. I’d say that’s one hell of a buy for a signature shoe!!!!
Jul 16, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Just goes to show how many immature idiots are on this site.
Good interview.
DJ had a great rookie season. He was a great college player and he could bust a** on every douche on this site. You need to think before you speak. He is in the NBA. No one in the NBA is trash or they wouldnt even be in the L.
Get your IQ up and get an education.
Jul 16, 2009 at 6:44 pm
these guys make me so jealous, like they can just say they dont like a pair of jays and they send em a different pair? are u kidding me? im just mad he doesnt ask for 7s or 11s to play in every week
Jul 16, 2009 at 6:40 pm
DAMN, look @ MIKE hoopin! WOW! PRESENT DAY MIKE TOO!
Jul 16, 2009 at 6:39 pm
DJ doin what he do. Good interview. To the haters, keep workin hard and paying money for shoes all while DJ gettin paid to get hella Js sent to him.
Jul 16, 2009 at 6:18 pm
I Am Not Human..
You Are An Idiot..
This Dude Probably Never Steps Foot In A Footlocker..
Dont Hate On Em..
Bet He Could Hoop You Out Anyday..And All The Other People Talkin Bout Dude..
Anyway..
Nice Interview..
He Kept It 100..
Jul 16, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Just an aside, i agree with DJ. he doesn’t need to be the best player in the L to know whether a shoe’s ugly or not. He dissed the KD1s, but said the KD2s are nice.
Jul 16, 2009 at 6:03 pm
dis bama aint never gonna get his own shoe hahahaha… he sucks what the hell is he thinkin? kevin durant gonna be the best player in the league (other than lebron) someday while this scram is gonna be some back up point guard
Jul 16, 2009 at 5:52 pm
very interesting interview! i’m glad to read this! i want more interviews!
YEAH! SHAQ’S ARE ULGY!
Jul 16, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Awesome interview!!!
Jul 16, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Wow he just made me 10 times more jealous of him. I don’t see why people are hating on him though, in their hearts they would love to switch places with him
Jul 16, 2009 at 5:35 pm
GOOD STUFF. I ALWAYS WONDERED HOW JB SENT THE SHOES OUT TO THE PLAYERS, AND NOW I KNOW THEY SEND EM OUT 10 PAIR AT A TIME IN PACKAGES. THATS COOL. AND DJ IS A COOL BROTHA, HE GAVE REAL ANSWERS LIKE HE WAS TALKIN TO ONE OF THE FELLAS. SO MANY PLAYERS GIVE POLITICAL ANSWERS & DONT SAY WHAT THEY REALLY WANNA SAY. NICE TO KNO HE AINT LIKE THAT
Jul 16, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Come on nice kicks…. Its the summer im sure you could have got somebody better than Douchebag Augustin! Who cares what he thinks? He is so generic he probably had to stand in line at footlocker like everybody else to get his Flints!! I think jordan signed him because since he is part owner he has to have SOMEBODY on his team wearing them and his name probably was randomly selected.
Jul 16, 2009 at 5:19 pm
great interview GKIII, keep them comin, I need more of these homie…..
Jul 16, 2009 at 4:59 pm
KD2 ? i bet its gonna b crazy ,
, D.J ASSstine sounds like a true d**Kbag , he cant b dissin other players signiture shoes , HE DONT EVEN HAVE HIS OWNs & I BET HE’ll NEVER GET A CHANCE TO HAVE HIS OWNs BECAUSE HE S TRASH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!