While there was talk of Russia joining NATO prior to the rise of Putin, Putin's specific comments on this matter were just empty political rhetoric done as a throw away sound bite to score a few points, not an actual genuine request to join NATO.
If NATO and its leading members (such as the US) had made a serious overture to invite Russia into NATO – laying out the welcome mat, without imposing any significant conditions, maybe even offering some inducements – would Putin have said No?
