Joe Kleine on winning a gold medal and NBA title with Michael Jordan plus battling with Shaq, Hakeem Olajuwan and David Robinson

In The Front Row with Mike Vaccaro

Joe Kleine grew up in Slater, Missouri where he was a 2nd Team Parade All-American basketball player. Raised Catholic and a big Notre Dame fan, Kleine chose to play for the Fighting Irish and head coach Digger Phelps. After transferring to Arkansas where he played for another legendary coach in Eddie Sutton, Kleine saw his game flourish. From 1982-85, Kleine and the Razorbacks were a force in the Southwest Conference often battling with Houston’s “Phi Slama Jama” Cougars led by Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. Before his senior season, Kleine helped lead the US Olympic team to a gold medal in the Los Angeles Olympics playing for Bob Knight and alongside Michael Jordan. In 1985, Kleine was drafted 6th overall by the Sacramento Kings and would begin a 15-year career in the NBA. During his stops, Kleine was coached by Bill Russell, was teammates with Larry Bird, Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan, and battled against some of the game’s greatest big men. He won an NBA title with the Bulls in 1998 and would eventually retire in 2000. Now a broadcaster for the SEC Network and owner of multiple Corkey’s Ribs and BBQ restaurants, Kleine shares his journey with us including his Top 5 Centers he faced.