Anecdotes (II) . Michael Jordan and the stranger, by Tim Shea

I have received some feedback from a few NBA friends about a previous post concerning Michael Jordan and his fixation on wanting to draft Gonzaga's Adam Morrison at #3 in 2006. 

https://piratasdelbasket.net/anecdotes-by-tim-shea

I want to clarify.

I wasn't upset with MJ, nor did I feel any sense of superiority. My emotions and perspective were more about feeling a bit of empathy for MJ. As the GOAT (the Greatest Player of All Time), he had been the one NBA player who seemed to, for so many years, "make the right decision". He was now not on the court but involved in the business side of basketball. I was reminded of the lyrics from the late, great George Michael's song Older, which said, "Change is a Stranger You Have Yet to Know". It reflected MJ's new circumstances.

Just as it was unimaginable for the Bobcats Basketball Operations staff to have stepped onto the court and tell Jordan how to play the game, he did not have the right to come onto OUR COURT and dictate our choices.

It was evident that Michael couldn't see the "Stranger".

I could.

The New York Yankees

In Spain, soccer reigns supreme, and baseball holds little significance. However, in the world I grew up in, baseball was, and still is, the National Pastime.

At the age of 15, after three previous tryouts, I received a letter at home inviting me for another tryout, this time at Yankee Stadium in New York! The news of my invitation spread quickly through our small community in Rockaway Beach, NY, creating quite a buzz among the locals. The day of the 90-minute car ride to the Bronx in a borrowed car from a family friend, driven by my father, felt like a dream. For our Spanish readers, it was akin to being invited (at 15 years old) to try out for the Real Madrid soccer team at the Bernabeu Stadium.

I can never fully express how that day felt. The enormity of the stadium, the field, the smells, the sounds, and even the exquisite quality of the infield dirt are beyond words. I could never have imagined stepping onto such perfectly manicured green grass, where every blade seemed to be trimmed by hand to match its neighbor. I was told that I performed well. It was like living in a dream that I will never forget. Yet even today am unable to recall the ride home.

The Expansion

In 2004, I was the International Scouting Director for the newly formed Charlotte Bobcats, who had become the 30th NBA franchise. To build our team, the league allowed us to choose from a list of "available" players under contract with the other 29 teams. I recommended that we select two international players: Zaza Pachulia of the Orlando Magic, with a contract of only $620,000, and Primoz Brezec of the Indiana Pacers, with a salary of $1.6 million.

Naturally, our basketball operations team had differing opinions on which players we should or shouldn't select, and when it came time to finalize the selection, our general manager and head coach, Bernie Bickerstaff, unexpectedly declared, "I just want a European player," and we selected Brezec.

This narrow-mindedness was a key factor in why there were only 38 international players at the time. Looking to the 2024-25 NBA season, there are already 125 international players.

And I remember thinking, "The future is now!"

Nike

On September 11, 1999, There was a game that is remembered not only for the result, but also for symbolizing a turning point for European basketball, demonstrating that European quality and talent could compete with the biggest stars of the NBA.

• Nike sent Coach George Raveling (RIP) with NBA Players that were some of the best including Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, Derek Fischer, Keith Van Horn, Michael Olowakandi to play against FC Barcelona of Coach and Maestro Aito with Derek Alston, JC Navarro and Roberto Dueñas and Co.

• FC Barcelona against the Nike All-Stars team at the full house of the Palau Sant Jordi. This match was a unique spectacle, packed with more than 15,000 spectators as part of the FC Barcelona centenary celebrations. There was an atmosphere mimicking the spectacle of American basketball, with impressive performances, dim lighting, and choreography by the Los Angeles Lakers cheerleaders, creating a very Show Business, festive atmosphere.

• Coach Raveling had an emergency and had to be immediately hospitalized. I was then responsible for conducting the final practice session. Before we started, I asked the players, as Assistant head coach, to sit so I could speak with them. After simply alerting them that FC Barcelona was a very good team and was in conditions to beat us I was admonished by Scottie Pippin with the words, "Why don’t you shut up because you don’t know what (the Fuc#) you are talking about".

Barça won the match 84-78.

An historic victory by a European team against a selection of NBA players. This victory completely underscored Barkley's statements, who publicly acknowledged FC Barcelona's outstanding performance and the atmosphere created by its fans. Young players like Juan Carlos Navarro particularly shone, making it clear that European basketball could compete at the highest level against American style and power.

Besides all the side activities, such as shooting contests and skill demonstrations, the festive atmosphere made the event more than just a basketball game: it was a celebration of the sport and a showcase of the growth of European basketball, which was beginning to rival the NBA in terms of technical level and competitiveness.

And now, from what we are reading, the NBA is right around the corner.

With that said thanks for reading, I wish you all a good morning, good afternoon, good night, and good luck.