Getty EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 21: Devin McCourty #32 of the New England Patriots is congratulated by his teammate Stephon Gilmore #24 after intercepting the ball against the New York Jets of the New England Patriots during the first half at MetLife Stadium on October 21, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
The New England Patriots’ star cornerback Stephon Gilmore recently signed with Jordan Brand.
The Jumpman website interviewed Gilmore about joining the family, and the 29-year-old from Rock Hill, South Carolina, confirmed the news with a retweet of the B/R Kicks story.
Breaking: Stephon Gilmore @BumpNrunGilm0re signs with Jordan Brand
Gilmore joins athletes outside of basketball like Roy Jones Jr., Davante Adams, Dwayne Haskins, Cameron Jordan, and fellow Patriots player Dont’a Hightower. Boston has become a major spot for Jordan Brand athletes with Gilmore joining Hightower and the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum.
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Gilmore Talks Signing With Jordan Brand
Gilmore has received several honors as a professional and collegiate athlete, but he didn’t hold back his excitement for joining the Jordan Brand team. He said:
Oh man, I was so excited. I grew up wanting all the Jordans as a kid. I looked up to Michael Jordan, and my dad had all his jerseys. It took two years, but to have this opportunity to join the Jordan Brand? I’m excited. It’s a brotherhood. It’s MJ, the best to ever play the game. How he handled himself on and off the court has always stood out to me.
Gilmore’s Professional Stats and Awards
Since joining the NFL in 2012, Gilmore has had 24 career interceptions and established himself as arguably the NFL’s best cornerback. In 2019, he scored his first two touchdowns in the NFL returning two picks for a score.
He appears to be at the top of his game and has a new challenge as more of a vocal leader for a team that lost Tom Brady in the offseason.
Inking a deal with Jordan Brand figures to bring the soft-spoken Gilmore more attention.
Gilmore the Basketball Player
According to the article, basketball was Gilmore’s first love in sports.
In the interview, Gilmore talked about bringing some of the skills that he learned in basketball and applying them to the gridiron.
I played point guard, so I had some handles and played great defense. I could always stay in front of whoever my competitor was. I think that if I didn’t play football, I could have been a great defensive player and shut down whoever is on the court — playing hard, going out and fighting to get the job done. I don’t take it easy on anybody. You run more in basketball than you do in football, so stamina, agility and staying in front of individual players are all things I’ve taken to the field.
Many great players excelled in other sports before choosing the one they play professionally. Michael Jordan himself played baseball before going on to fame in hoops, and ultimately making a run as a minor-leaguer years later in the Chicago Whitesox organization. In this instance, Gilmore and Jordan share common ground.
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