Michael Jordan did not appear in the NBA's 75th anniversary photo before the All-Star Game, and it was immediately suspected that Jordan would be absent from the anniversary celebration.
What the?! The god of basketball is going to miss the NBA's 75th anniversary?
On February 21, on the official social media of the NASCAR race, the two-time "flyer" who won the "triple crown" appeared at the Daytona 500 (Daytona 500) car race as the owner of the 23XI Racing team.
Some have reason to believe that he chose racing over attending NBA events. The Deconnatals Contest ends at about 6:48 p.m. ET, an hour and a half before the Start of the All-Star Game.
Gradually, as players are introduced one after another, when the surviving legends are unable to show up, the video they have recorded in advance will be played on the spot, and they will wave to the audience all over the world in the video. In this way, Jordan's absence seems reasonable.
To be on the All-Star race in time, Jordan would need to sprint from the Daytona International Circuit to the airport, then take a private jet to Cleveland and head straight for the Cavaliers' home court before the end of the midcourt. That's probably what Jordan did. He eventually walked the red carpet and his name was read out last.
Cleveland All-Star Weekend in 1997 coincided with the NBA's 50th anniversary. Michael Jordan climbed to the top of NBA history, and as a dominant superstar, he took the lead in kicking off the NBA's 50th anniversary celebrations.
George McCann was the last to take the stage, and the player, who is considered the first superstar in the NBA, stepped onto the platform in front of him with the assistance of "Lord of the Rings" Bill Russell.
The commemoration of the 50th anniversary is simple and simple but exciting.
Twenty-five years later, Aaron Iverson, who had swung Jordan, made his first appearance as a defender. The Flying Man's Whistle appeared, and Cleveland, the city that had been repeatedly hit by Jordan, responded with a tidal wave of cheers to Jordan. The crowd made way for him, and he took the stage to hug teammate Dennis Rodman first, then walked slowly to the center and looked around. At this moment, Jordan is the brightest star.
In 2003, it was also an All-Star Weekend. Jordan took to the stage after Mariah Kelly sang "Heroes." He still stood in the middle of the crowd, and the applause in the stadium was endless. He scanned around, and O'Neill, Iverson, Kobe, Maddie, Carter, Garnett, Pierce, Yao Ming, Nowitzki and other stars stood like children watching Jordan. Jordan said, "Now I've passed the torch to the next generation, just like the great players like 'Dr. J,' 'Magic' and Bird have passed it on to me. ”
Nearly 20 years later, many of the players selected for the Big 75 this time are the first-hand visitors to Jordan's last All-Star Game. Many of them stood by Jordan's side, and the idea of passing on the torch was embodied to the extreme at this moment.
In the aisle, Jordan found "Magician" Johnson as usual, "Where are your shoes?" We can play 1 on 1 now, you and me. Jordan said.
Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade, Gary Payton, Ray Allen and other 75 stars are either laughing or silent. Even though Jordan has been retired for many years, he still has a powerful aura, such as the ascended dragon, leaping on the clouds, looking down on the world, and surpassing all superstars.
Larry Bird didn't come today, and it seems that only you "magician" deserves to sit on an equal footing with me.
LeBron James ended the game with a back-up jumper in the final moments of the game, which he said was inspired by Jordan.
"The winning goal I threw tonight, that back-up shot, was inspired by MJ. The way he wears shoes, the way he wears his jersey, and what cars he drives, he inspires me so much. I don't want to miss an opportunity like that because it's rare in my career to be in the same arena as Jordan. James said.
Anyone familiar with James knows that he doesn't talk a lot about Jordan. Jordan's relationship with James was not close, Jordan was a rookie when he retired, and then the discussion about GOAT put them in a competitive state for a long time. At halftime, Jordan and James took the time to greet each other and the two embraced each other, which may also become the most memorable moment in NBA history.
"I don't want to lose the opportunity to shake hands with the man who has inspired me throughout my childhood." James said, "In my 20 or 19 years of career, I haven't had many conversations with him, but without Jordan's inspiration, a part of my heart wouldn't be here." I've always wanted to grow up like him. ”
Celebrating the NBA's 75th anniversary will not be easy. During the coronavirus pandemic, some players unfortunately passed away, and others were unwilling or unable to travel long distances so they chose to say hello with a pre-recorded video. In 1997, all but one of the NBA's top 50 superstars were still alive, and 47 of the 50 people attended the awards ceremony.
The players who come to Cleveland cherish another opportunity to remember the past and celebrate the present. Bob Petit, a Hall of Famer, said: "It's great to be remembered, to be here, to have the opportunity to visit some of the old guys I still remember, and to see the new guys, that's particularly good." ”
The legendary St. Louis Hawks of the 1950s and 1960s is 89 years old and balances with a crutch, but his interest is still high.
Elvin Hayes caught up with Archie Clark, his old teammate from his time with the Baltimore Bullets, who told Hayes he should have passed more to the big man in the past. Hayes laughed and said, "When he plays with us, he doesn't give me a pass. ”
"But I think it also gives us an opportunity to miss others." He said, "I miss Wes Unseld, but he's not here. I also miss Nate Thurmond, who isn't here either. There are a lot of people here that you admire, and you will miss those who are no longer here.
That's why legendary players like Jerry West are in person. If you don't get together again, the old friends you know will be gone.
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary, Chamberlain stood next to Russell, Larry Bird and Julius Owen standing side by side, and the "magician" and "assassin" standing together. Today, the league can't regain its former glory, but in Cleveland, people know one thing better: It's extremely important to honor past players and recognize the contributions of former players.
The phrase "business is business" speaks to the essence of the NBA Business Alliance, but the NBA is also an alliance that pays attention to humanistic care. These cultural shapings based on the league's history envelop the cold and cruel side of the sports business league without having to be nakedly shown to the world.
Jordan reappeared, hugging James and hugging Luka Doncic. James took the baton from Jordan's hand and played the role Jordan played 20 years ago, shooting the killer ball in Cleveland. So, what could be a more appropriate ending?