On the morning of the 2009 Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony, anticipation filled the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Media outlets from around the world scampered to claim the perfect space inside the pressroom, notable sportscasters shared stories of their favorite Michael Jordan moment and fans attired in replica Michael Jordan jerseys swarmed the room in hopes of catching a glimpse of the man regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time.
But if Jordan is indeed the greatest player to touch a basketball, does that make him more important than the game? Jordan’s arrival in Springfield, Mass., made the Hall of Fame ceremony a much bigger deal than it has ever been before. Much bigger. Officials handed out a record number of press credentials, reported a 5 percent increase in attendance, and had to move the ceremony from the Hall of Fame to the Springfield Symphony Hall because it offered double the capacity. And to take advantage of the grand moment, the Hall of Fame raised the ticket price from $200 to $1,000. Jordan pointed out the price hike during his induction speech.
Although it was always expected that Jordan would receive the most extravagant induction into the Hall of Fame, the level of hoopla proved that Jordan should have been inducted alone. Vivian Stringer, David Robinson, John Stockton, and Jerry Sloan were mere extras in the “Last Hurrah for Air Jordan.” They all got a chance to tell their basketball stories during the morning press conference, but only a few reporters paid attention. MJ was the main event and Stringer, Robinson, Stockton, and Sloan only postponed what everyone had traveled miles to witness.
Do not expect this type of spectacle to happen again. Shaq, LeBron, or even Kobe will not demand this much attention. Never again will Nike, or any other shoe company, donate $250,000 to the Basketball Hall of Fame so that a player can have his or her own exhibition. Jordan took the game of basketball to an international level by doing things that no other human being could duplicate on the court. It’s too bad that Stringer, Robinson, Stockton, and Sloan had to take a final bow with Jordan. Because just as he did during his playing days, Jordan proved that he belongs in a class by himself. –amir shaw
