NEWSLETTER
The NBA recognized each member of the league’s 75th-anniversary team during the halftime of Sunday night’s All-Star Game. Many of the most legendary players in league history were in attendance to take center stage, but none were as warmly welcomed as the greatest to ever play.
Michael Jordan was the final name read in the emotional ceremony, receiving a massive ovation from the Cleveland crowd and his fellow greats to cap things off.
Take a look:
MJ gets honored at the #NBA75 ceremony ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/JLaHLTsCbv
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 21, 2022
Only the GOAT could get that much love from a city he dominated time and again. His mere presence captivated fans and players alike, and it was pretty darn cool to see him interact with some of those players before and after the ceremony.
Jordan could be seen sharing an embrace with LeBron James while also stopping to speak with Stephen Curry and Luke Doncic.
LeBron and MJ…LOVE to see it.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 21, 2022
LEBRON x MJ. #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/96W7h8924b
— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022
https://twitter.com/NBAspain/status/1495594966508310534?s=20&t=91IyyXVn2vvSuNJpUV0LxA
MJ IN THE BUILDING pic.twitter.com/KSfOQI3xC3
— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) February 21, 2022
When he wasn’t yucking it up with the current best and brightest, we got some great shots of him talking with some old friend. Not only did he tell Magic Johnson to grab his shoes to go one-on-one, but we saw a truly special moment between him and Dennis Rodman.
https://twitter.com/HoHighlights/status/1495596737200889864?s=20&t=PRHuwlOo64DVe9a91x57Rw
The Worm x 🐐 #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/WEjkd2DNYv
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 21, 2022
😂 Magic & Michael, still competitive! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/kU00ocm0yB
— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022
https://twitter.com/_MarcusD3_/status/1495594366072770560?s=20&t=LJW0iPeKxxR9_bv2IFRlMw
We haven’t seen a lot of these two former Bulls together since the dynasty came to an end, so don’t feel embarrassed if you find yourself staring at those images with a big old stupid smile on your face. I know I did.
While the ceremony stretched on extra long, it felt worthwhile. We might not ever see that many legends on the same floor ever again, and the fact we got to watch Jordan soak it all in made it even more special.
