"How many opportunities are you going to have to play pickleball with Jamie Foxx, Sarver and Larry Fitzgerald?" Wilson said. "The fanboy in me was like, 'Shoot I'm going' even though I was tired and I had done three workouts that day. Jumped in the car and we played a good two hours."
The next day, Fitzgerald introduced Wilson to the woman who created his custom suits, and Wilson got measured for a couple new ones himself, before they went to lunch.
"I talk to Mike once a week," Fitzgerald said. "We chop it up, talk business, play pickleball. I need to make him start playing golf so he can start building relationships in the city. He's my guy."
Wilson has also gotten to know Devin; Larry Fitzgerald noted with pride that both Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. attended Devin's high school graduation party last month (Devin graduated early from Brophy Prep so he could attend spring ball with Notre Dame but celebrated high school graduation in May.)
Wilson said Devin reminds him of his younger brother, someone who like Larry he just enjoys hanging with. Wilson also said it was impressive, given who Devin's father is, how well Devin has turned out as a person – and mentioned that he hopes his own kids turn out the same.
The notion fits this story, given that Larry Fitzgerald would love for Devin to be Michael Wilson-esque. Fitzgerald, long a man who knew the importance of public perception, noted how well Wilson handles himself in those situations talking to others – including media.
"That matters," Fitzgerald said. "You actually get something substantive. He's got a beautiful wife whose won gold medals, he's got a beautiful family, he just does his stuff the right way."
Wilson getting on the golf course wasn't necessarily on Wilson's to-do list. The last time Wilson played, in college, he ended up hurting his back. But now that Fitzgerald is pressing, Wilson said he likely will get some lessons next offseason.
Knowing Fitzgerald, the two will really spend a lot of time together if Wilson becomes a golf guy. In the meantime, they click. For Wilson, he can only shake his head at the development.
"Larry was someone I watched in 2009 in the Super Bowl, remember our first house in Simi Valley," Wilson said, thinking back to just before his ninth birthday. "Playing Madden, and Larry was on the cover, and in the intro had him and (Troy Polamalu) clashing.
"I always use the word gratitude. It's humbling, right?"