When Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was a sophomore at St. Patrick High School (Elizabeth, New Jersey), he met a new student in gym class. That kid, Kyrie Irving, transferred from Montclair Kimberley Academy, and was set to star with MKG for the Celtics, a powerhouse in New Jersey. Kidd-Gilchrist and Irving hit it off fast.

"It was weird," Kidd-Gilchrist said about the two future NBA stars meeting in physical education class.

"We played nothing but basketball and football. It was tackle football. We played tackle outside with no pads with our uniforms on."


Irving and Kidd-Gilchrist won a New Jersey Tournament of Champions title in the first year together. In the second year, although banned from the state tournament, they went 24-3 and won the Union County Tournament title. Irving went to Duke, where he played one season before being selected No. 1 overall in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Kidd-Gilchrist played one season at Kentucky, where he won a national championship, and was selected No. 2 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Bobcats.



Kidd-Gilchrist spoke to ThePostGame Thursday from Terminal 23 in New York City, where he promoted the Jordan B.Fly, the brand's newest basketball sneaker, featuring the Hornets forward as its showcased athlete.


-- Follow Jeff Eisenband on Twitter @JeffEisenband. Like Jeff Eisenband on Facebook.