Michael Jordan has spent decades being remembered for his championships, iconic shots, and gravity-defying finishes. But one of the most recognizable features of the six-time NBA champion still manages to catch people off guard when they meet him in person, and a certain WNBA guard experienced it firsthand.

Sophie Cunningham recently got an opportunity to meet the Chicago Bulls legend, and her biggest takeaway was not about his accomplishments or his basketball knowledge. It was something much more physical.

“I’m just always so fascinated with how big his hands are,” Cunningham said during an episode of the No Hesitation podcast with Drew Hanlen.

Hanlen could not help but laugh at her response, pointing out that she had just been talking about meeting one of the greatest basketball players of all time, only to focus on the size of his hands. Cunningham clarified that she had met Jordan before, but his massive hands continued to fascinate her.

The encounter came through Cunningham’s recent involvement in NASCAR. The Indiana Fever guard has taken on media and reporting opportunities around the sport, while Jordan regularly attends races as co-owner of 23XI Racing. Their paths crossed during the NASCAR weekend, giving Cunningham another chance to see him up close.

Her observation might sound like a funny detail, but Jordan’s hands were genuinely one of his most unusual physical advantages. And one of the most famous plays in NBA Finals history offers a glimpse of just how much control he could have over a basketball.

Michael Jordan’s hands helped him pull off an iconic NBA Finals move

During Game 2 of the 1991 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, Jordan drove toward the basket with the ball in his right hand. He appeared ready to finish with a powerful dunk, but Lakers defender Sam Perkins stood in his path. Rather than force the attempt, Jordan adjusted while suspended in the air, transferring the ball from his right hand to his left before extending toward the rim and laying it in off the backboard.

The move became one of the defining highlights of Jordan’s career. It was an incredible display of body control, coordination, and the ability to manipulate the basketball while airborne.

Jordan later explained that the switch was not something he had rehearsed. He reacted instinctively because he anticipated Perkins challenging his attempt. Still, the play illustrated the kind of freedom he had when controlling the ball with one hand, even in situations where most players would struggle to maintain possession.

Jordan’s hand size was not the sole reason he became one of basketball’s greatest players. His athleticism, footwork, shooting ability, competitive mentality, and relentless work ethic all contributed to his dominance. But his hands gave him another tool that helped separate him from other elite players.

That advantage allowed Jordan to palm the basketball, control it through contact, and adjust his grip without needing to bring the ball back into both hands. He could hold it away from defenders, change the angle of a finish, and make pump fakes more convincing because the ball stayed so secure in his hand.

Jordan himself once compared the ability to handle the basketball with his hands to using a paintbrush. He explained that the wide gap between his thumb and index finger gave him the grip to move the ball and create different possibilities with it.

Jordan’s hand size was not the sole reason he became one of basketball’s greatest players. His athleticism, footwork, shooting ability, competitive mentality, and relentless work ethic all contributed to his dominance. But his hands gave him another tool that helped separate him from other elite players.

Former Bulls head coach Phil Jackson also recognized the advantage. He once highlighted Jordan’s ability to pick up the ball with one hand while dribbling and take it toward the basket, explaining how difficult that made him to defend.

It complemented practically every part of Jordan’s offensive game. He could protect the basketball when attacking the rim and finish in ways that seemed impossible for someone moving at full speed.

Cunningham may have been jokingly fixated on one detail during her latest encounter with Jordan, but she was not wrong to be fascinated. Even decades after his final NBA championship, the physical gifts that helped make him a basketball icon remain impressive up close.