Spike Lee Reminisces About Michael Jordan at Montclair Film Festival

MONTCLAIR, New Jersey — Filmmaker Spike Lee shared memorable moments from his courtside experiences with Michael Jordan during the Montclair Film Festival over the weekend.

Lee humorously recalled being called a “motherf-ker” by the NBA legend while sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden, the “world’s most famous arena.” The Brooklyn native expressed his pride in these encounters, declaring, “I’ve had the privilege and honor to be called a ‘motherf-ker’ by the GOAT himself — many times.”

Reflecting on Jordan’s dazzling performance, Lee mentioned the iconic “double nickel” game in 1995, where Jordan scored 55 points against the New York Knicks. “Anytime the Bulls would come, me and Mike would get into it,” he laughed, sharing a memorable quip from Jordan: “Sit your skinny black ass down!”

Lee also touched on the intense media scrutiny following a tough Knicks loss during the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. “If we lost that (next) game, I would’ve had to move,” he admitted, noting blame from major outlets like The Post and Daily News.

In addition to his basketball anecdotes, Lee shifted the conversation to Hollywood, discussing an unexpected moment with Denzel Washington. He described how Washington improvised by rapping lyrics from Nas’ “Illmatic” while acting alongside A$AP Rocky. “In my mind I’m saying ‘WTF?’ But this is the great Denzel Washington, so I’m not calling cut,” Lee shared.

Lee participated in the interview hosted by Stephen Colbert, who jokingly suggested they should take their conversation on the road, saying, “Spike, I’ve got some great news for you, I’m available in June.”