[Lee Jong-gil's Autumn Return] Vividly Capturing Even the Backstory of Jordan's 'The Shot'

Roland Raisenby 'Michael Jordan'

On May 7, 1989, at the indoor arena 'Coliseum at Richfield' in Richfield, Ohio, USA, the NBA's Chicago Bulls were on the brink of elimination in the first round of the playoffs. With 3 seconds remaining, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Craig Ehlo made a layup. The score was 99-100. Coach Doug Collins, against everyone's expectations during a timeout, called for center Dave Cowens to take the final shot. One player slammed the playboard in protest. "Enough, just leave it to me!"

Coach Collins did not accept this. It was obvious that intense defense would be applied. He revised the play. He assigned forward Brad Sellers to inbound the ball. The player who confidently said "leave it to me" walked onto the court and whispered to teammate Craig Hodges that he would definitely make this shot. It was 'Basketball God' Michael Jordan.

Jordan used a fake move to get past opposing power forward Larry Nance and sprinted straight to the free throw circle. Ehlo quickly took a proper defensive stance to block him. However, Jordan shook him off and jumped up to successfully make the shot. 101-100. Jordan wildly punched the air.

This moment was named 'The Shot' and was widely recounted in various media. The Bulls transformed into a winning franchise from this point. Jordan became an NBA icon, known as 'Air' and 'Superman.' Following Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, his era was arriving.

Roland Lazenby’s book 'Michael Jordan' does not just focus on Jordan himself during this process. It looks behind 'The Shot' and conveys the flow inside and outside the arena. It portrays the image of Jordan, the greatest player and icon of the era, as truthfully as possible.

Jerry Krause, the general manager who watched the game from the stands, said that 'The Shot' was possible thanks to Sellers’ perfect inbound pass. "It was the best pass I’ve ever seen. Michael received the pass as if threading a needle between three defenders. At that moment, I ran onto the court and hugged Sellers."

Sellers was a player drafted by Krause in the 1986 rookie draft. Krause had rejected Jordan’s request to draft Johnny Dawkins from Duke University, which later caused conflict. "Krause and Jordan viewed the joyful moment of victory from completely different perspectives. (...) The two, stubborn and always needing to beat others, shared success as Bulls members, but that success grew between them like unclaimed land. And Sellers left the Bulls after that season."

The book also mentions Lacey Banks, a reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times, who jumped up with both hands raised when Jordan’s game-winning shot went in. Banks, usually critical of Jordan, revealed his true feelings, according to an interview with a fellow reporter. The following evaluation hits the mark.

"Because he had confidently predicted the Bulls’ victory beforehand, his desperation was great, but that scene clearly revealed the contradiction of mass media losing objectivity toward Jordan. In an era when sports popularity and media profits grew unusually large, finding neutrality in sports journalism became increasingly difficult."