Died on June 28, 2016 at the age of 31, our journalist Arnaud Gelb had realized his dream a few weeks earlier: talking with Michael Jordan. For His Highness’s birthday, we decided to share this magical moment experienced in the halls of the Hornets room.
There are moments in life that are forever etched in everyone’s memory. Saturday night, I had the chance to experience one of them. Present in Charlotte for Game 3 of the series between the Hornets and the Heat, I was able to meet… Michael Jordan! A brief interaction of a few minutes but that I will remember all my life, with a colleague and friend of a Puerto Rican media.
Since being based in the United States, I have met some of the biggest NBA stars of yesterday and today such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal or even Kobe Bryant, for formal interviews or a simple handshake. But I had never met Jordan before. But nothing and no one has the aura of Jordan. The only time I had seen him with my own eyes was in February during the All-Star Game in Toronto during which Adam Silver presented him with the “Charlotte 2017” jersey since Queen City will be the host (well , for now) of the next NBA gala game. Each time you go to Charlotte, you think about it deep inside. Will Jordan be there tonight? What if our paths crossed?
“In GOAT We Trust”
What does Jordan represent? He is undoubtedly one of the most famous icons of modern times. It is a symbol of the Americanization of the world as can also be Mickey Mouse, Star Wars or Coca-Cola. The best player of all time, he is also one of (the?) most adored sportsmen of all time and has acquired the status of a living god. Reputed to be inaccessible to his fans and even to the press, his public appearances are made with the wind and he does not hesitate to cancel his trips even at the very last minute, as French fans can testify last year during the Pier 54 final. Usually surrounded by an army of bodyguards, even getting within a few meters of “His Airness” is already a memorable feat. So how did I come face to face with Jordan?
As in every game, he arrived only in the last moments before kick-off to take his reserved place just next to his team’s bench. Going to earn my place in the “media” section, I passed 5-6 meters from him, the time to take some photos while walking while the security service pressed the crowd to their seats. I was lucky enough to see the Hornets entertainment team parade which forced me to stop and was able to take one or two more photos. At the break, Jordan goes to the Owner’s Club, the VIP room where celebrities and other friends of Jordan go to eat. Among them, the rapper Nelly or Charles Oakley, one of his closest friends for over thirty years.
The match ignites in the second period with an 18-0 in favor of the Hornets in the third quarter when the score was tied. Like all the fans in the room, Jordan is on his feet, applauding, jumping at each basket and rejoicing at his team’s level of play after two very complicated first games. The owner seems proud of the game produced by his men. The meeting turned into a demonstration and the Hornets logically won by 96-80. Jordan’s first playoff win since buying the Bobcats/Hornets!
https://vine.co/v/iUe5150npTp
” Hey how are you ? “
At the end of the match, Jordan returns to his VIP suite, well surrounded by security agents. A little later, it’s Nelly who passes in turn, completely overexcited. “Bravo, Nelly” I tell her. He comes over to me and claps my hand. ” Thanks dude! he replies. Make way for the press conference and then the interviews with the players in the locker room. We are waiting for the doors to open but then Jordan comes in who wants to congratulate his team on their performance. I wanted to say hello to Nicolas Batum, who injured his foot and could not play again this season, but he was in care. His session drags on and I content myself with a few words with Al Jefferson. I go to the Heat locker room a little further but the players have already deserted the room. I leave in the corridors of the Time Warner Cable Arena, a real labyrinth, and that’s where I see Jordan coming out of the Hornets locker room. Only. Absolutely alone. Given the narrowness of the hallway, he has no choice but to head towards me. It was then that I decided to challenge him… but he was the one who came to me first, his cheerful tone. ” Hey how are you ? throws the GOAT at me. I mumble a “Congratulations, Mike!” “. The exchange could have stopped there but I started.
– “Mike, let me introduce myself, Arnaud, French journalist for BasketUSA. “
– ” Delighted. “
– “Great game tonight! “
– “That we can say! “
– “Too bad Nicolas Batum is injured. “
– ” Yes I love it. A great guy. “
– “Do you have a Jordan Store project in Puerto Rico? “
– ” Very soon. It’s in the works. “
With my colleague, we don’t want to keep Jordan any longer but we have the ultimate opportunity to immortalize this moment. Mike’s smile is a joy to see and his face is the exact opposite of the famous “Crying Jordan Meme” that is driving social media crazy. You had to be in the right place at the right time. If he had been accompanied even by a bodyguard or a member of the staff of the franchise, it was done. If the Hornets had lost, he would probably have left the room a long time ago. If he hadn’t been taken in this euphoric atmosphere, this moment would never have been possible.
In short, all the planets are aligned for this unforgettable moment. I don’t know how many people, and I’m thinking more particularly of the French, have had the chance in their lives to interact with Jordan one-on-one, but it’s still a rare privilege, I’m well aware of that. A moment I will remember forever.