“We were actually about to walk onto the court, and magically he appears into the hallway” - Ray Allen on Michael Jordan’s appearance and his conversation with Magic Johnson at the NBA 75 ceremony
While many did not expect Michael Jordan to make an appearance at the NBA 75th Anniversary ceremony in Cleveland due to his race in Daytona, the Chicago Bulls legend made a surprise appearance.
Video of him challenging Magic Johnson to a one-on-one was all over the internet, and Ray Allen gave an insight into what exactly transpired. Although Jordan made a late appearance at the event, he made sure to announce his presence behind the scenes.
59-year-old Michael Jordan challenges Magic Johnson to a game of 1-on-1 right now! #NBA75
Magic’s laugh 😂 https://t.co/o8H8OOrDLL
Speaking on the Dan Patrick Show, Ray Allen was asked what it felt like being in the same room with those legends and if he walked up to Jordan. In response, he said:
"I see him (Michael Jordan) all the time. He was at Daytona for the race. So, we were actually about to walk onto the court, and magically he appears into the hallway. And then he sees Magic (Johnson) as he comes through, and he asked him if he had his tennis shoe with him."
"It was just quintessential Magic-Jordan like we knew growing up, and to be able to be sitting here with these guys and calling them peers now is so surreal."
Allen was the leading three-point scorer in the league before Stephen Curry broke his record at Madison Square Garden in December. He was also on-hand to congratulate Philadelphia 76ers James Harden for clinching the No. 3 spot on the all-time three-pointers made leaderboard.
Michael Jordan has not lost his competitive edge
MJ's winning mentality has always been unrivaled, as the six-time NBA champ was willing to go above and beyond to make sure he won. His perfect run in the NBA Finals is a testament to how much he wants to win every opportunity he gets.
Albeit jokingly, Michael Jordan could have played one-on-one against Johnson. He has come out of retirement on several occasions to play against players who believed they could guard him.
While Jordan is no longer able to show his skills on the court, he is still trying to win more championships, this time as a manager. He is currently the owner of the Charlotte Hornets and is looking to compete for the title.
Jordan has been spotted on several occasions being animated following how his team is playing. Miles Bridges has also talked about how MJ is always on them to play better.
For now, the Hornets have to find a way to make it to the playoffs, even though they are far from being a championship team. They are currently ranked ninth in the Eastern Conference standings with a 35-35 record. If the season ends today, they will need two wins in the play-in tournament to clinch the 8th seed.