JO Jo English had to prove his worth to Michael Jordan before he could earn respect from the NBA legend.

English only played in 50 pro games but the undrafted shooting guard won a championship with Jordan’s 1992-93 Chicago Bulls.

Jo Jo English went from undrafted to earning Michael Jordan’s respectCredit: Getty

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Jo Jo English played for the NBA champion 1992-93 Chicago BullsCredit: Getty
“It was tough,” English told South Carolina-based Fox affiliate WACH. “You had to be mentally tough to survive, and I earned my respect from them, and that’s why I was able to play with them the length of time I did.”

English, who was born in Frankfurt, Germany, played college basketball at the University of South Carolina where he was a speedy four-year guard for the Gamecocks averaging 12.5 points and 2.2 assists.

Despite playing in 115 college games, the 6-4 guard couldn’t immediately land with an NBA team.

English signed as a free agent with the Bulls on October 6, 1992 after going undrafted earlier that year.

He joined a loaded squad that featured Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Bill Cartwright, B.J. Armstrong, coach Phil Jackson, and the already super-famous Jordan.

English revealed: “Scottie was like my tutor in terms of the other teams’ game plan, how we’re going to run the offense.

“I gave him credit for a lot of the philosophies I have that I teach my kids how to play defense.”

The shooting guard didn’t start any games during his three-year run with the Bulls.

He averaged 11.5 minutes, though and played in 36 games during the 1993-94 campaign.

English’s tough undrafted status eventually worked in his favour as he spent three seasons with the NBA’s greatest dynasty.

Decades later, the 53-year-old recalls having intense practice sessions with Jordan as English proved his worth to Air Jordan during an era when No. 23 for the Bulls was in his mid-career peak.

While English averaged just 1 point in six contests with the 1992-93 Bulls, Jordan led the NBA in scoring with 32.6 points and recorded 6.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and a league-best 2.8 steals in 78 games.

The 14-time All-Star and six-time NBA champion won the NBA Finals MVP in 1993 after the Bulls defeated the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and Phoenix Suns in the playoffs.

Jordan then temporarily left pro basketball for a career in Minor League Baseball while English kept bouncing around the NBA, being signed and waived multiple times.

He was traded in 1993, returning to the Bulls, and signed 10-day contracts with Chicago before being waived in November 1994.

Jordan’s brief teammate then worked his way through international basketball before retiring in 2002.

English then became a high school coach in 2012, and recently joined Lower Richland High School in 2021.