UPDATED 10/23, 6:30 p.m. ET: The clip of Michael Jordan delivering a pristine free-throw shot has made the rounds online—the very one he spoke of during a recent interview with NBC's Mike Tirico.
See original story below.
Michael Jordan may be synonymous with basketball greatness, but even the six-time NBA champion admits he hasn’t shot a ball in a long time. During his debut as a part of NBC’s return to NBA coverage on Tuesday night, the Chicago Bulls legend told broadcaster Mike Tirico that it had been years since he last played.
When Tirico asked if he ever just picked up a basketball and shot around, Jordan replied bluntly: “I haven’t picked up a ball in years.”
Pressed further on when he last took a shot, Jordan recalled a moment at the Ryder Cup, where he was staying at a rented house.
“I met the owner and his grandkids,” he said. “The owner asked if I’d shoot one free throw on the basketball court at the house. When I stepped up to shoot the free throw, it was the most nervous I’ve been in years.”
Jordan explained the nerves came from the kids’ expectations: “Those kids heard the stories from the parents about what I did 30 years ago. So their expectation is 30 years prior, and I haven’t touched a basketball.”
When Tirico jokingly asked if the shot went in, Jordan smiled and replied, “Absolutely.”
The five-time NBA MVP, who retired for the final time in 2003 after two seasons with the Washington Wizards, is widely considered the greatest player in basketball history. Despite not picking up a ball in such a long time, Jordan is keeping his basketball spirit alive by joining NBC this season as a “special contributor” for the network’s NBA broadcasts, marking his first on-air role since retiring more than two decades ago.