Michael Jordan inducted into North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
It took a while, but the inevitable finally happened, as the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame finally shored up its biggest void. After
being elected into the hall by the board of directors in 1993, Michael Jordan is finally a member of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
The greatest player ever to set foot on the basketball court, Jordan had a sparkling career that included five Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards, fourteen National Basketball Association
(NBA) All-Star Game appearances, three All-Star Game MVP awards and six NBA Finals MVP awards. He joined the Chicago Bulls in 1984 and during his time at Chicago he soared to new heights, marching to six NBA titles.
In a statement released by the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Jordan said, "This is obviously a tremendous honor and I am proud to be an inductee. When I think about all the great
athletes from North Carolina that inspired me to become the best I could be, it's humbling to know that now I stand with them as members of a very special fraternity."
The honor was thrust upon the legend in a ceremony at the the Time Warner Cable Arena during the half time break in the game between the Charlotte Bobcats and the Toronto Raptors. The
ceremony began as a video tribute was played in the honor of the Wilmington native and former University of North Carolina star, who went on to become a six-time NBA champion.
After the tribute, Jordan stepped onto the court with retired North Carolina coach Dean Smith. Jordan who helped Coach Dean Smith bag a first-ever national championship by hitting
the game-winning shot in 1982, was then bestowed with a Hall of Fame ring and plaque. Jordan, the owner and the majority share holder of the Charlotte Bobcats said in a brief statement after the ceremony.
"Every time I put on that uniform, North Carolina, Chicago, even Washington, I knew I represented my state, the people of North Carolina," Jordan said to a cheering crowd. "Thank
you, Charlotte. Thank you, North Carolina."
The phenomenal player, who averaged an awesome 30.1 points per game throughout his career, now joins 273 other inductees in the prestigious list. A humbled and overwhelmed Jordan
said in a brief statement that it is “truly a pleasure” to be in the company of such great stalwarts of the game.
The ceremony was witnessed by more than 12,000 cheering fans, and included many members of the hall including former North Carolina State star basketball player David Thompson.
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