It was a sparsely attended ceremony, with his parents, his high school coach and a few media types in attendance.
That was the scene at basketball legend Michael Jordan‘s childhood home at Gordon Road in Wilmington on Nov. 1, 1980, when Jordan, then a senior at Laney High School, signed a letter of intent to play for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Less than a year and half later, Jordan would be in front of a TV audience of millions, and under one of the world’s hottest spotlights, when he hit the game-winning shot in UNC’s national championship win over Georgetown on March 29, 1982.
Forty-six years later, Jordan’s legendary NBA career with the Chicago Bulls (six championships, five MVP awards) made him not only a household name worldwide, but also the most famous person to ascend out of Wilmington.
But it all started, in a way, at that humble ceremony that took place before Jordan, who graduated high school in 1981, had even played his senior season for Laney.
Wilmington StarNews photographs from the signing show a happy-looking Jordan, mics from Wilmington TV stations WECT and WWAY on the family coffee table in front of him, sitting between his parents — his mother, Deloris, beaming to his right and his father, James, with a more serious countenance to his left. (Knowing, in retrospect, that James Jordan would be murdered in 1993 adds more than a twinge of sadness to the photo.)
Other photos show Jordan, looking every bit the teenager that he was, clowning around with Laney High School basketball coach Clifton “Pop” Herring, with Herring attempting to “guard” Jordan in one shot, the youngster’s soon-to-be-famous tongue sticking out.
Other StarNews file photos from late 1980 show late, legendary University of North Carolina Tar Heels coach Dean Smith watching Jordan play at Laney in early December, more than a month after the future superstar had signed to UNC.
A StarNews story on the day of Jordan’s signing said he had also visited N.C. State, Maryland and South Carolina before choosing the Tar Heels.
Reporting by John Staton, Wilmington StarNews / Wilmington StarNews
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
