Was the most nervous shot at a Ryder Cup a basketball shot?
Maybe, maybe not. To decide that, the ball’s in your court, so to say. But the shooter did say he hadn’t felt nerves like he did that day in a while.
And that shooter was also Michael Jordan.
The story comes via the first night of NBC’s coverage of the NBA, on a segment featuring Jordan and announcer Mike Tirico called “MJ: Insights to Excellence.” The exchange can be found by clicking on the video below, and below that will be some additional thoughts.
Michael Jordan was nervous over a free throw at a Ryder Cup?
He said he was. The story started when Tirico asked him when was the last time he’d picked up a basketball.
Said Jordan: “I haven’t picked up a ball in years.”
Said Tirico: “No, come on. Just like walk past. There’s got to be a hoop somewhere at your place.”
Said Jordan: “You don’t see a hoop anywhere around here, right?”
Said Tirico: “I don’t. So seriously, the last time you picked up a basketball and shot it?”
After a pause, Jordan said that came at a Ryder Cup. [He didn’t say which one, though; Jordan has been to several.]
Here is how the shot came about:
“I rented a house from the owner,” Jordan said. “He came over to do pictures. He had grandkids. And I was meet-and-greet and thank him for allowing me to stay in the house, and he had a basketball court. He says, ‘I want you to shoot one free throw.’ I said, ‘Really?’ Now, I already paid for the house; it’s not like he got to see me.
“So when I stepped up to shoot the free throw, that’s the most nervous I’ve been in years.”
Really? Why?
“Those kids heard the stories from the parents about what I did 30 years ago,” Jordan said. “So their expectation is 30 years prior and I haven’t touched a basketball.”
Good point. Here on the segment, Tirico asked if Jordan swished the shot.
“Absolutely,” Jordan said. “I got the most gratifying of that — that made my whole week is that I was able to please that kid not knowing if I could.”
The takeaway: We’d love to see a picture or video of this moment. If you’re reading this and are the owner of the house, please email the writer at nick.piastowski@golf.com.
Were there any more insights from Jordan?
There were. Tirico wondered if Jordan still loved the game of basketball — and Jordan said “love it like you wouldn’t believe.”
“In all honesty,” he continued, “I wish I can take a magic pill, put on shorts and go out and play the game of basketball today because that’s who I am. That type of competition, that type of competitiveness is what I live for. And I miss it. I miss that aspect of playing the game of basketball, being able to challenge myself against what people see as great basketball.
“But it’s better for me to be sitting here talking to you as opposed to popping my Achilles and I’m in a wheelchair for a while.”
Said Tirico: “But it’s nice to be able to share the things that can still make the game great going forward from your perspective.”
Said Jordan: “Yeah. I think one of the things why I did this [the interview] is as professional athletes, we have an obligation to pay it forward. That’s part of what this is all about is to pay it forward.”
The takeaway: The Jordan Q&A should make for an interesting watch, for sure.
