NBA legend Michael Jordan joined “Good Morning America” on Thursday morning to promote the upcoming release of his 10-part documentary, “The Last Dance.” During the interview, the 57-year-old legend singled out the exact moment that he went from “Mike” to “Michael.”
To many, Jordan is the best player to have ever dribbled a basketball. His runs with the Chicago Bulls are a thing of legend. He wasn't always so well-known, however — a fact he touched on during his interview.
In 1982, Jordan and his UNC Tar Heels were pitted against Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas inside the Superdome for the NCAA championship. With time running out and his team trailing by one point, Jordan received a pass from Jimmy Black, then proceeded to knock down a game-winning shot.
It was in this moment, Jordan says, that he became “Michael.” From then on, his legacy took off like a rocket:
“Up until that point, no one knew who I was,” Jordan said during his interview. “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,” Jordan added. “And I just started piling on that name itself fro 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.” https://t.co/Z6WhFwgo4p pic.twitter.com/bhl8hOTeEp
— Good Morning America (@GMA) April 16, 2020
Jordan has done quite well for himself since his collegiate days. He went on to earn six NBA championships, 14 All-Star selections and a whopping 10 scoring titles. After his playing career, he was an NBA executive and now owns the Charlotte Hornets.
Still, MJ's game-winner with UNC will be remembered as one of the greatest moments in March Madness history and the exact time the GOAT truly became a household name.
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