From Prison to the Nike Jordan Brand: A Story of Radical Redemption

Inspired by Larry Miller’s journey and the courage to tell the truth.

When I read Jump by Larry Miller, I had to close the book and sit with it—more than once. His words weren’t just a revelation; they were a mirror.

Larry Miller is the Chairman of the Jordan Brand at Nike, a titan in the world of business and sport. But what most people didn’t know, until he bravely came forward, was that at age 16, he committed an act of violence that changed two lives forever. He took the life of another young man in an act of retaliation, was arrested, and spent time in prison. For 56 years, he held that truth in silence, even as he rose through the ranks of corporate America.

Can you imagine the weight of carrying a secret like that? The fear of being found out. The shame of your past colliding with your present. The pain of knowing you caused another family’s lifelong grief. He could have continued hiding it. But he chose to tell the truth. And in doing so, he gave others permission to rise out of hiding too.

What moved me most was not just the confession. It was how he told it, with humility, accountability, and zero excuses. He didn’t justify what he did.

He didn’t frame it as a mistake of youth. He owned it. Fully. He shared how that moment haunted him for decades. How it fueled his ambition. How it shaped every step of his career.

And how, despite all his success, he never felt truly free until he told the truth.

That is what it means to RISE THROUGH IT.

Because we live in a world that often says: “You are your worst decision.” “You don’t get a second chance.” “Success can only belong to those with a clean past.”

But what if we reimagined leadership and opportunity through the lens of transformation?

What if we stopped using people's backgrounds as fixed definitions and started seeing them as part of a much bigger picture?

Larry Miller’s story forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about our systems, especially in hiring, leadership development, and reintegration.

How many brilliant minds have been excluded from boardrooms, startups, nonprofits, or government roles simply because of something they did decades ago? Something they’ve healed from, grown through, and risen beyond?

If Nike - a global icon - could stand behind Larry as he told the world the truth, what’s stopping other organizations from seeing humanity and not just history?

I think about my own journey. When I came home from prison, I didn’t just have to rebuild my career, I had to rebuild my identity.

Like Larry, I had to look at myself in the mirror without the armor of achievements, titles, or credentials. Just me. Stripped down. It’s terrifying to admit what we’ve done. But it’s even more terrifying to never be given a chance to show who we’ve become.

Challenge to Rise

This week, I challenge you to reflect on one part of your past that you’ve been afraid to share - but that shaped who you are.

What would it look like to own it, even if just with one trusted person? Not for pity. Not for applause. But for freedom.

Because when we release the fear of judgment, we unlock a deeper kind of leadership—the kind that’s rooted in truth.

Leading with Courage

Larry Miller’s story invites us to rethink what redemption really looks like in the workplace. As leaders, business owners, and decision-makers, we have the power to shift culture - starting with how we define potential.

Redemption shouldn’t disqualify someone from leadership. It should inform it.

Let’s ask better questions in our boardrooms and HR departments:

• What has this person overcome?

• What have they learned from their past?

• How has adversity shaped their character and capacity to lead?

If we truly believe in growth, we must stop punishing people for where they’ve been and start championing them for how far they’ve come.

Breakthrough Moment

Here’s how Larry’s journey reflects my RISE Through It™ process:

• Reframe – He shifted how he saw himself, ,not as a prisoner of his past, but as a leader whose transformation could inspire others.

• Identify – He recognized that silence was no longer serving him, and that the path to integrity required radical honesty and surrounding himself with his truth-tellers.

• Surrender – He surrendered the illusion of perfection. The mask of invincibility. And embraced the vulnerability of truth.

• Evolve – By coming forward, he evolved into a more powerful version of himself, one that could now lead with integrity, not fear.

Behind the Scenes

This story hits close to home. As someone who also carries a past that could have closed every door, I’ve learned that redemption is a daily choice.

Not just for ourselves—but for how we see others. For how others stand in their own power because we are their example.

This week, I’m working on building conversations with companies and organizations about second chances and inclusive leadership.

The goal? To create cultures that don’t just say they value transformation, but actively invest in it.

We rise stronger when we rise together.

With deep respect,

Rashmi