Was the most nervous shot at a Ryder Cup a basketball shot?
Maybe, maybe not. To decide that, the ball is in your court, so to speak. But the shooter did say he hadn’t felt nerves like 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, in a segment with Jordan and announcer Mike Tirico called “MJ: Insights to Excellence.” You can find the exchange by clicking on the video belowand below that are some additional thoughts.
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Michael Jordan was nervous after a free throw at a Ryder Cup?
He said he was. The story started when Tirico asked him the last time he picked up a basketball.
Jordan said, “I haven’t picked up a ball in years.”
Tirico said, “No, come on. Just like you’re walking by. There must be a hoop somewhere at your house.”
Jordan said, “You don’t see a hoop anywhere here, right?”
Tirico said, “I don’t. So seriously, the last time you picked up a basketball and shot it?”
After a pause, Jordan said this was during a Ryder Cup. [He didn’t say which one, though; Jordan has been to several.]
This is how the recording came about:
“I rented a house from the owner,” Jordan said. “He came over to take pictures. He had grandkids. And I was a meet-and-greet and thanked him for letting me 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 have already paid for the house; It’s not like he needs to see me.
“So when I stepped up to take the free throw, that was the most nervous I’ve been in years.”
Real? Why?
“Those kids heard the stories from the parents about what I did 30 years ago,” Jordan said. “So their expectation is 30 years ago and I haven’t touched a basketball yet.”
Good point. Here in the segment, Tirico asked if Jordan swung the shot.
“Absolutely,” Jordan said. “That was the most satisfying thing for me – it allowed me to please that child all week, not knowing if I could.”
The takeaway: We would like to see a photo or video of this moment. If you are reading this and own the home, 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, “I love it like you wouldn’t believe.”
“Honestly,” he continued, “I wish I could take a magic pill, put on a pair of shorts and go play the game of basketball today, because that’s who I am. That kind of competition, that kind of competitiveness is what I live for. And I miss it. I miss that aspect of playing basketball, being able to challenge myself against what people see as great basketball.”
“But it’s better for me to sit here and talk to you, instead of popping my Achilles tendon and having to sit in a wheelchair for a while.”
Tirico said: “But it’s nice to be able to share the things that can still make the game great from your perspective.”
Jordan said, “Yeah, I think that’s one of the things why I did this [the interview] is that as professional athletes we have an obligation to pay it forward. That’s part of what it’s all about: paying it forward.”
The takeaway: The Jordan Q&A should certainly make for an interesting watch.
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