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NBA players pay homage to Michael Jordan on his 50th birthday

HOUSTON — When Michael Jordan rejoined the Chicago Bulls in 1995 following his first retirement, Ron Harper was in his second season with

Michael Jordan, considered the greatest baskteball player to ever play the game, was honored by the media and the NBA days leading to Sunday’s All-Star Game in Houston. The six-time world champion and Hall of Famer turned 50 Sunday. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images)

the team. Still, that didn’t stop Jordan from singling him out upon his return to offer what Harper — who was coming off a tumultuous first year in Chicago — described as some much-needed counsel.

“He came to me and he said, ‘We work hard here every day,’” Harper, who retired in 2001, said before Sunday night’s All-Star Game in the Toyota Center. “He said, ‘We don’t take days off. We practice hard. We play hard. We work hard.’ It was amazing to see how great he was. It was an amazing run.”

For Harper, who had played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers prior to joining the Bulls, Jordan’s reuniting with the team essentially gave way to him resurrecting his NBA career. All he did over the final seven years of his career was win five world titles, including three as a member of the Bulls.

Jordan who, during the 1980s and 1990s, disseminated the NBA globally with his electrifying leaping, scoring, and dunking ability, turned 50 on Sunday, another majestic milestone for the Hall of Famer and six-time world champion that attracted national headlines and was commemorated by many throughout the league, most notably current and former players who were on hand here for the All-Star festivities.

From the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony on Thursday in the Hilton Hotel in downtown Houston, where the 12 finalists for the Class of 2013 inductees were announced, to after the West squad’s 143-138 win over the East All-Stars, Jordan’s legacy and awe-inspiring impact on the basketball world were reminisced by those who were mesmerized by his astounding achievements and contributions during his illustrious career.

“He’s one of the ones who changed the game with Earving “Magic’ Johnson and Larry Bird,” Harper said of Jordan, now the majority owner and chairman of the Charlotte Bobcats. “When he came into the league, he took the league to new heights because he wasn’t a guy who was just another player. He was an extremely good basketball player. He worked extremely hard and he showed me what it’s like to be a real pro. It was a great experience playing alongside him.”

Jordan twice came out of retirement in 1998 and 2001, but not before manufacturing a career that prompted several of his peers and media pundits to label him “the greatest basketball player of all time.” Born in Brooklyn, N. Y. in 1963, Jordan was once told he was too short to play basketball as a slim, 5-foot-11 sophomore at Laney High in Wilmington, N. C. and eventually was cut from the team.

That Jordan was passed over by his high school coach only fueled his desire to master his mechanics. Having witnessed his height increase by four inches the following year, Jordan consequently made the varsity squad as a junior only to emerge as an instant star and arguably the team’s most prolific scorer.

From there, it was on to Chapel Hill, N. C., where he spent three seasons at the University of North Carolina, a collegiate campaign that was highlighted by Jordan making the game-winning shot, a baseline jumper from the left side against Patrick Ewing and mighty Georgetown, a perfectly executed play that, as Jordan has acknowledged time and again, was a pivotal turning point in his well-documented basketball career.

Jordan, who was a 14-time All-Star, hoists his last of three All-Star MVP trophies in 1998. (AP Photo)

Selected with the third overall pick in the first round of the 1984 NBA draft, Jordan wasted little time making his presence felt as a rookie, averaging better than 28 points per game while shooting an astounding 51 percent from the field. Even before the season’s halfway point, he had become a fan favorite in opposing arenas, a trend that ultimately led to him controversially being voted as a starter for the 1985 All-Star Game. His first year in the league would end with him walking away with Rookie of the Year honors.

“I came (in the NBA) before (Jordan), so I’m one of the older guys,” said Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, who played 15 NBA seasons between 1982 and 1999. “He pushed me and I pushed him. We didn’t talk much. We just played. As great players, you don’t talk because they’re going to bring it to you anyway.”

Before Jordan, a five-time NBA MVP, reached the pinnacle of his career, the Detroit Pistons proved to be the Bulls’ Achilles Heel, having eliminated Chicago from the postseason three consecutive seasons between 1987 and 1990. However, in the following year, under the guidance of then-second-year coach Phil Jackson, the Bulls swept the Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals and eventually won the first of three consecutive world championships.

After a two-year hiatus from basketball, the six-time NBA Finals MVP returned to the Bulls in 1995, playing four more seasons in Chicago, a run that brought the franchise three more NBA titles. Following a second retirement that lasted approximately three years, Jordan made one last comeback, this time with the Washington Wizards before calling it a career for good after an April 16, 2003 loss at Philadelphia.

Since his retirement, there have been ongoing debates as to whether No. 23 should be retired by every NBA team in honor of Jordan’s contributions to the game. LeBron James, who made headlines days leading to the All-Star Game in Houston when Jordan said Lakers star Kobe Bryant is a more successful player than the Miami Heat star, is among the current players who believes players who wear No. 23 should discontinue occupying the number.

Following a November 13, 2009 win against the Heat, James, who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers at the time, said he would switch from

Jordan is still very much active in the NBA. The former North Carolina All-American is now the majority owner and chairman of the Charlotte Bobcats. (Photo by Kent Smith, NBAE Getty Images)

wearing No. 23 to No. 6 after the season out of respect for Jordan and that other players should follow suit.

“I feel like no NBA player should wear 23,” James, a three-time league MVP, said after that game. “I’m starting a petition, and I’ve got to get everyone in the NBA to sign it. Now, if I’m not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it.”

Memphis Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph, who has met Jordan on several occasions, agreed with James that players should no longer wear No. 23.

“Most definitely,” Randolph, a two-time All-Star, said during Friday’s Media Day session. “That shouldn’t even be a question. That’s not even a question to me. He paved the way for us, the things he did and stuff, what he brought to this game.”

Then, of course, there are some who believe that No. 23 shouldn’t be retired by every team, most notably Wilkins and former NBA great Gary Payton. Payton, who played for five different teams during his 17-year NBA career, was a member of the Seattle SuperSonics team that lost in the six games in the NBA finals to Jordan and the Bulls in 1996.

“I don’t think so,” Payton said. “He didn’t play for a lot of those teams. But if they do, he deserves it. They consider him to be the best basketball player of all time, which has been true.”

Scottie Pippen, who was a member of the Bulls’ six championship teams, turned down interview requests by MemphiSport, but tweeted Sunday morning, “Happy 50^th birthday MJ — my friend, winner, ultimate competitor and the greatest.”

Said Wilkins when asked if the NBA should retire No. 23 in honor of Jordan: “No, because he played with the Bulls most of his career. If another team like Washington, for example, wants to retire his jersey because he played there, then that would be a great thing. But he’s synonymous with the Chicago Bulls. That stands in a place by itself. I don’t think they should retire No. 23 across the board.

“It would be an interesting argument. I mean, he’s the brand of basketball, let just be honest, no matter what anybody else try to say.”

Andre Johnson covers the NBA for MemphiSport. To reach Johnson, email him at andre@memphisport.com. Also, follow him on Twitter at @AJ_Journalist.

Former Grizz O. J. Mayo savoring breakthrough season in Dallas

One by one, Dallas Mavericks shooting guard O. J. Mayo was embraced by those with whom he had assembled strong ties over the previous four years.

First by Zach Randolph. Then Rudy Gay. Then Marc Gasol. Then Tony Allen.

Dallas Mavericks shooting guard O. J. Mayo (right) attempts to drive past Grizzlies defender Tony Allen during Friday night’s game in FedExForum. Allen held his former teammate and the Mavs’ leader scorer in check by limiting him to 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting in Memphis’ 92-82 win (Photo by Justin Ford)

Then Marreese Speights. Then Hamed Haddadi. Finally, before Friday’s opening tip between the Mavericks versus the Memphis Grizzlies in FedExForum, he found his way to the opposing team’s bench and exchanged pleasantries with his former coach, Lionel Hollins.

For Mayo, it was a moment about which he knew would come to fruition the moment the five-year veteran in July signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Mavericks. But as the former Grizzlies reserve tells it, it was a moment in which he admittedly has anticipated since the start of training camp.

“I’m a little excited,” Mayo said while addressing reporters before the game. “After being here four years and coming back, it’s a little different. It’s an exciting feeling to go against my guys.”

While Mayo’s first trip back to Memphis since joining the Mavericks allowed him to reunite with family and old acquaintances in a city he still calls home, the outcome of Friday’s contest was unfavorable for a Dallas team that has been hampered by a slew of injuries for most of the season.

The Mavericks (12-15) had five players to score in double figures against Memphis (18-6). Still, that wasn’t enough to upend a more experienced and healthy Grizzlies team that captured its four consecutive win with a 92-82 victory. An announced crowd of 17,677 — many of whom cheered Mayo during player introductions — witnessed Mayo struggle on the same court where he emerged as one of the NBA’s most-feared sixth men in recent years.

(Click here for “Reaction to O.J. Mayo’s unimpressive return to Memphis“)

Having entered Friday’s game as the Mavericks’ leading scorer with 20.9 points, Mayo played the second-most minutes behind forward Shawn Marion, but managed just 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting. He was held in the check for a majority of the game, particularly in the first half against Allen, one of the NBA’s best defenders. Although Dallas trailed, 40-39, at intermission, Mayo registered one point through the opening 24 minutes, while misfiring on each of his four field goal attempts. However, he exhibited some energy during the Mavs’ furious fourth-quarter rally when he forced a steal, then sprinted back to the other end of the floor and drained a 3-point basket that trimmed the Grizzlies’ lead to 88-82 with 1:42 remaining.

In assessing Mayo’s performance, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said the nervousness of returning to FedExForum on the opposing squad coupled with his team’s late arrival to Memphis at approximately 2:30 am Friday following Thursday’s late game against Miami, may have been among the factors that gave way to his top scorer’s inability to find his rhythm against his former team.

“I thought O. J. did a good job of letting the game come to him,” Carlisle said after his team was dealt its second straight defeat. “He forced some shots. But your first game back at your old place is always tough. It’s a tough stretch. We have down bodies, but we’ll keep working at it.”

Despite the Mavericks’ early-season struggles, Dallas appears to be a suitable fit for the 25-year-old Mayo who, during his three-year stint with the Grizzlies, never cemented the full-time starter’s role for which he had lobbied in Hollins’ system. In his brief time with the Mavs, Mayo has become not just the catalyst of the team, but the player whom opposing teams assign their top defender.

“I’m not the GM,” said Allen, when asked why he believe the Grizzlies did not re-sign Mayo after last season. “But he’s definitely making a name for himself in Dallas.”

Such was the case in a Dec. 8 game at Houston. That’s when Mayo enjoyed arguably the grandest game of his career when he matched his career-best by erupting for 40 points on 15-of-26 field goals in 116-109 win. It was a feat that Mayo, the NBA’s 12^th-leading scorer, hadn’t accomplished since his second year (and his most efficient campaign with the Grizzlies) in the league when he exploded for 40 points on 17-of-25 shooting against Denver. Mayo’s recent breakout game for the Mavs, to his credit, reinforced that his joining the franchise was befitting, considering the Mavericks were seeking veteran leadership at the shooting guard position after the departed Jason Terry signed a three-year contract with the Boston Celtics over the summer.

“I love O. J.,” Carlisle said before Friday’s game. “Since coming to us, he’s demonstrated a great work, a lot of physical toughness. I mean, he’s played through injuries. He had a really bad thing where the skin was ripped off the palm of his hand and he played through it. I’ve never seen anybody play through an exhibition game like that. He’s played through a turned ankle three or four weeks ago and he didn’t miss any games. We’ve seen growth, his long-range shooting, his reading situations. Right now, he’s our only 20-point scorer. He’s getting a lot of attention and learning to deal with the double teams and getting the other teams’ best defender.”

Among those whom seemed delighted to see Mayo Friday was Hollins, although his former coach declined to say whether he believes Mayo is in a better situation in Dallas.

Saying Mayo is having an “outstanding year,” Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins embraced his former player moments before Friday’s game. (Photo by Justin Ford)

“You can’t ask me a question and put me in a box and get me to say we didn’t need O. J.,” said Hollins, who demoted Mayo to a reserve role early in the 2010-11 season after he was late to a game-day shootaround. “O. J. was a good player. He was placed in a role that was hard for him to deal with at that time in his career. I thought he did a good job. He didn’t shoot consistently, but he served that role. O. J. is having an outstanding year. He’s shooting 52 percent from the field. He’s getting to the free throw line more. He’s probably had higher assists than he had ever. He’s gone on a different team and had a chance to start. Even now, he’s getting to the free throw line more because they don’t have any big men clogging up the lane.”

Now that Mayo has found his niche on the Mavs’ roster, the team is hoping to add some size to its lineup in the coming days. Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki, who has been out since having offseason knee surgery., began practicing recently with the team and reportedly could return for the Mavericks’ Dec. 27 game against Oklahoma City team sources said. Nowitzki, who averaged 21.6 points in 62 of 66 regular-season games last year, traveled with the Mavericks Friday to Memphis and participated in a light shootaround before the game.

“I’m ready to go to war with him,” Mayo said of Nowitzki. “I look forward to playing with him. He’s one of the best players to play the game.”

Unlike his final two seasons in Memphis, when he found it difficult adjusting to a reserve role and admittedly “acted immaturely” after losing his starting job to then-rookie Xavier Henry, Mayo conceded that joining the Mavericks has given him a new outlook on his career. How else to explain why on Friday he all smiles for most of his ten-minute pregame interview session with the media?

“I knew it would happen,” said Mayo, when asked if he sensed the Grizzlies’ Game 7 playoff loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last year was his final game with the team. “But of course, it was supposed to happen two or three times before that. I miss the people, the food, it’s a great city.”

Given his resurgence in this, his fifth season, it safe to assume that Dallas is a better situation.

Andre Johnson covers the Grizzlies for MemphiSport. To reach Johnson, email him at andre@memphisport.com. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.