The NBA's 75th Anniversary Team ceremony on Sunday was a landmark parade that witnessed young and veteran stars grace the occasion and ended with a little surprise.
The NBA's 75th Anniversary Team ceremony on Sunday was a landmark parade that witnessed young and veteran stars grace the occasion and ended with a little surprise.
At the start of the festivities, it was unclear if legendary basketball player Michael Jordon, a Chicago Bulls veteran that NBA would have wanted to have for its All-Star Game halftime festivities, would be in attendance. This was due to a race known as the Daytona 500, which had two of Jordon's 23XI Racing cars competing.
Jordon was seen attending the race in Daytona Beach, Florida, and hence his absence from the pregame photo with the 75th Anniversary Team forced fans to believe he had chosen the race over the NBA event. As an owner of 23XI, Jordan watched Bubba Wallace finish second in the NASCAR Cup season-opener, then immediately make his way to Cleveland to be recognized with the 75th Anniversary team during NBA's All-Star Game.
Upon arrival, Jordon hugged former teammate Dennis Rodman, along with LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, among others.
Immediately Jordon appeared to josh Magic Johnson as 'an old dog' and challenged the LA Lakers legend to a game of one-on-one - clash fans would have wanted to see over the rest of the All-Star Game.
The NBA celebrated its diamond anniversary with a glittering tribute to honour 75 years on the hardwood floor. Forty-five members of the 75th Anniversary Team stood side by side on a circular stage, wearing blue blazers with the 75th logo on their chests.
Each NBA legend was introduced to a massive ovation, with the loudest cheers going to Michael Jordon, who was the last player to walk onto the raised podium at centre court. The former Cleveland star spun in a circle to return the love coming from every corner of the arena.
Before Jordan's entrance, Kobe Bryant's photo on the giant scoreboard sparked an emotional response and chanted "Ko-be, Ko-be" for the late Lakers legend, who died tragically in a 2020 helicopter crash with his young daughter, Gianna.
Jordan's attendance was something of a surprise as NBA kept a tight lid on any details of the celebration. All in all, it turned out to be a memorable day for the Chicago Bulls legend.