Right Before Hanging Up His Boots, Spoilt for Choice Michael Jordan Rolled Back Time to ’82 Only to Pick His “Greatest Moment”
Follow Us
Michael Jordan became acquainted with John Thompson after his NCAA run in 1982. John Thompson was the head coach at Georgetown. He was a pioneer for black coaches in basketball, and in 1982, he was the first black coach to ever make it to the final four in NCAA history. In the 1982 championship game, Jordan faced Georgetown, led by freshman Patrick Ewing.
After his retirement from coaching in 1999, Thompson became a commentator for TNT. He then got an opportunity to sit down with Jordan and interview him before he retired from the league.
Michael Jordan’s greatest moment in basketball
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
In 2003, Michael Jordan had an interview with John Thompson during the All-Star break. The former coach asked His Airness about his time in basketball. John asked him, “You have had fantastic moments in this sport, but what’s your greatest moment?”
The 1982 NCAA championship match had 3 future Hall of Famers in it. Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and James Worthy. James Worthy led all players in scoring and had 28 points. But Jordan took the go-ahead shot and made it with 14 seconds left on the clock.
Trending
“Gonna Be On LinkedIn”: Charles Barkley Begins Job Hunt, Shaq Goes AWOL as NBC Takes ‘Inside The NBA’, TNT to Deep Waters
May 20, 2024 12:20 PM EDT
30 Days Before Second Marriage, Shaquille O’Neal’s Heartfelt Confession Won the Respect of Ex-Wife Shaunie Henderson
May 18, 2024 01:00 PM EDT
Replaced by Shaquille O’Neal and $14 Million Worth TNT Deal, Here Are the Former “Inside the NBA” Analysts
May 20, 2024 12:35 PM EDT
Shaquille O’Neal Reveals Retirement Plans as Inside the NBA Crew Prepare for Uncertain Future With TNT
May 20, 2024 01:00 PM EDT
Shaquille O’Neal, Tempted by Elon Musk’s Tesla Creation, Offers $159,999 Worth Trade to 30YO Comedian
May 19, 2024 06:38 AM EDT
Get instantly notified of the hottest NBA stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.
Follow Us
So when asked about the greatest moment, Jordan said it was the shot that started everything. As soon as he said that, Thompson understood what MJ was referring to and said, “Don’t say the shot against us”.
Michael Jordan replied, “If I had any doubts about playing on the college level or playing with the big guys, that shot gave me the confidence that I belonged where I was”.
Jordan went on to say that it was what gave him the confidence to be better than anyone thought he could ever be. He realized with that one shot at the buzzer that he was on the right path. Jordan went on to hang up his boots shortly after. However, this was not the first time that His Airness bid farewell to NBA.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Michael Jordan retired for a third time in 2003
Jordan retired for a second time in 1999 when Phil Jackson left the Chicago Bulls. Even though he had mentioned earlier that he wouldn’t play under any coach besides Phil Jackson, the real reason behind his retirement is still uncertain. He has mentioned that he lost the drive for the game. But Jordan made a return to basketball in 2001.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
In 2000, he acquired ownership of the Washington Wizards. One year later, he started as a player for the team. Though he never made the playoffs with the Wizards, Jordan scored his 30000th point on the Wizards. He later retired for the third time in 2003.
Watch This Story: At Nearly 11 Million Views, Kai Cenat’s 24 Hour Livestream With Offset Creates New Record for the American Content Creator In His Streaming Career
Edited by:
Debmallya Chakraborty