“Michael Jordan should have been the MVP in 1981”: Chris Mullin talks about the Bulls legend scoring 30 points in the McDonald’s All-American game and being snubbed from MVP honors

Chris Mullin, who played against Michael Jordan in high school, claims that the Bulls superstar scored 30 points in the McDonald’s game but wasn’t MVP. 

As difficult as it may be to comprehend, Michael Jordan wasn’t exactly a star athlete during his earlier days as a basketball player. He stood at a mere 5’8 a freshman in high school and didn’t make varsity as a sophomore either, despite the fact that he had a growth spurt that landed him at a respectable 5’11. 

However, as many know of Jordan’s unrelenting drive to be the best that ever stepped foot on a basketball court, he would eventually become of the best high school players in the country during his senior year of high school.

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Michael Jordan would make the varsity team in his junior year at Laney High School and his senior year saw him average 26.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 10.1 assists. His stellar play in his final year at Laney High landed him a spot on the McDonald’s All-American Team. 

Chris Mullin talks about playing with Michael Jordan in high school. 

Considering the fact that Warriors legend, Chris Mullin, was in the same class as Michael Jordan during their high school days, it’s fair to say that he has seen the 6x champ blossom from an aspiring youngster to what he has become today. ‘The Last Dance’ docuseries saw Mullin talk about the McDonald’s All-American game from 1981, amongst other events.

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“In 1981, we all played in the McDonald’s game together. Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan, myself, Bill Wennington. That was the first time I saw Michael play, and he was incredible. He should’ve been the MVP. I wasn’t, I don’t think, but I think he scored 30 points. He was the most athletic, most energetic guy, just as he was throughout his career.” 

Mullin was right as Jordan was not the MVP of this game despite breaking the scoring record for single game points scored in an All-American game. MVP honors instead, were bestowed upon Adrian Branch and Aubrey Sherrod. Funnily enough, Branch was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the 1985 NBA Draft, a year after they selected ‘His Airness’ himself.