"For a long time I wasn't even aware that he had scored less" - Uwe Blab recalls outscoring Michael Jordan in the Sweet 16 of the 1984 NCAA Tournament
Only a few people can say that they outscored Michael Jordan in a basketball game. One of those players is former NBA player and Indiana Hoosier Uwe Blab. The German native once scored more points than Jordan in a game between North Carolina and Indiana.
In an interview with German news outlet Sport1, Blab recalled playing against the UNC Tar Heels in the Sweet 16 of the 1984 NCAA Tournament. He noted that Jordan was not the only great player for UNC at the time. He mentioned several future NBA players such as Kenny Smith and Sam Perkins.
"It wasn't just Jordan. In addition to MJ, Kenny Smith, Brad Daugherty and Sam Perkins, three other later good NBA players played there," Blab said.
In the Sweet 16 game, the Hoosiers will get an upset 72-68 win over the Tar Heels. Jordan was almost a non-factor in his final collegiate game, scoring just 13 points on 6-for-14 shooting. He was outscored by Blab, who had 16 points and three rebounds.
"This is definitely one of the highlights of my career," Blab said. "I also blocked a throw from Michael Jordan at the time. That was a huge number."
Jordan entered the 1984 NBA draft and was picked at No. 3 by the Chicago Bulls. He ended up becoming one of the greatest players the world has ever seen. He won six championships with the Bulls, while also turning into a global icon and symbol.
Meanwhile, Blab would follow Jordan in the NBA in 1985. He was drafted 17th overall by the Dallas Mavericks. He spent four seasons in Dallas before splitting time between the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs in the 1989-90 season.
Michael Jordan spent three years in North Carolina
Before becoming the GOAT, Michael Jordan spent three seasons playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels. Jordan won the NCAA championship in his freshman season, hitting a game-winning jump shot in the final.
In an interview with Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America," Jordan revealed that the game-winner made him realize his potential. It was to the point wherein he became "Michael Jordan."
"Up until that point, no one knew who I was," Jordan said. "Outside of the university, I was just known as Mike Jordan. When I hit that shot, my whole name became Michael Jordan. It resonated with a lot of people outside of UNC.
"I just started piling on that name itself from the successes that I endured throughout the rest of my career. It wasn't about Mike. It was more about Michael then."
Michael Jordan reflects on his time at UNC and says his buzzer beater to win the 1982 national championship is “the moment he went from Mike to Michael Jordan.” gma.abc/3eqvbjw https://t.co/bhl8hOTeEp
Jordan would become a scoring threat in his final two seasons in North Carolina. He averaged 19.8 points as the main focal point on offense for Dean Smith. MJ's offensive prowess carried into the NBA as he became a 10-time scoring champion.