“I’m trying to inherit the ghost of Michael shooting his fadeaway… You hear this music” - 5x All-Star says he felt like he disrespected the aura of Michael Jordan and the Bulls after airballing a game-winner
Michael Jordan created several moments in the Chicago Bulls' history that will be difficult to replicate. DeMar DeRozan recently spoke about how he tries to inherit the ghost of MJ during clutch time.
DEMAR DEROZAN 🥶
CLUTCH ONCE MORE https://t.co/6CJ2scs7U4
Deebo had one of the greatest clutch performances last season for the Bulls. At one stage in the season, practically every shot he threw up found the bottom of the net when the game was on the line.
Crazy: DeMar DeRozan leads the NBA in 4Q points.
Crazier: He is shooting 53/54/88% in 4Q.
Craziest: He is shooting 56/100/96% in the clutch. https://t.co/rkgcsjMFhD
However, his early days donning a Bulls uniform were not as thrilling. According to DeRozan, airballing a game-winning shot against the New York Knicks was the jolt he needed to turn things around.
On "The Draymond Green Show," DeRozan talked about the defining moment when he decided to channel MJ.
"The moment where I really realized, like, you gotta bring it every single night in that arena, I think we was four or five games into the season. We was playing the Knicks, and I took the game-winner, I airballed. I just felt the whole vibe of everything like, what the f**k? Like, what was that?
"I felt like I disrespected the aura of what these fans is used to seeing from obviously MJ hitting game-winners. You know, you live for those moments. And to be in that moment for the first time, my fourth, fifth season in the game, and I take that shot, I told myself I would never be in that situation again.
"So, you look back at all the moments that I had in that arena it was more so like, 'Yo, this the ghost of, like, I'm trying to inherit the ghost of Michael shooting his fadeaway with the clock running down. I carried that to heart after that moment because you felt it from the fans. You felt it on social media.
"And you hear this music when you come out. It's the same thing. You gotta live up to it."
"I'm trying to inherit the ghost of Michael on this fadeaway with the clock running down"
—@DeMar_DeRozan on the aura of playing for the @ChicagoBulls https://t.co/OfIfJzhCAT
DeRozan helped the Bulls to an incredible season. For the first time since 2017, they finished above .500 and reached the playoffs.
Fans will always remember Michael Jordan's game-winner in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals
Fans will forever remember Jordan's clutch shot against the Utah Jazz to win the 1998 title. Although it was away from home, it counts as arguably MJ's greatest shot.
Michael Jordan final game vs Jazz 1998 https://t.co/3tT5DjrIpo
The Jazz were close to forcing Game 7, holding a three-point lead with 41 seconds remaining. Jordan singlehandedly carried the Bulls in that moment.
"His Airness" made a layup to make it a one-point game. He stole the ball from Karl Malone on the other end, pushed the ball up the court and drilled a dagger midrange jump shot with only five seconds left.
Today is the 23-year anniversary of an iconic shot by No. 23.
On this date in 1998, Michael Jordan scored 45 points and hit a jumper vs the Jazz with 5.2 seconds left to clinch his 6th and final NBA championship. https://t.co/8MYBbXU1JT
With that victory, Jordan delivered a third consecutive title, bringing the franchise's total to six. Since MJ's departure, the Bulls have not made the NBA Finals.