mobile app bar

“Michael Jordan torched the Hornets the same night Space Jam released”: How the Bulls legend dropped a light 38 points as his 1996 basketball classic released in theatres

Samir Mehdi
Published

"There will never be another Michael Jordan": When the Bulls legend spoke about him, Dr. J, Elgin Baylor, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird being the standard measurement for comparisons in the NBA

Michael Jordan dropped 38 points on the Charlotte Hornets the same night his 1996 Space Jam released to the world in theatres. 

Michael Jordan is a man of many talents, as proven right by his extensive resume ranging from sports, obviously, to a decent resume in filmography. His 1996 Space Jam has developed into a basketball movie classic, up there with the likes of ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ and Spike Lee’s ‘He’s Got Game’, even resulting in a sequel 25 years later. 

Despite the fact that many would say LeBron James is a superstar of Jordan’s caliber, his Space Jam 2 simply did not recreate the magic that the original from 1996 did. There is something to be told about repurposing the same exact concept for a movie with similar characters and doing it with someone who’s as unnecessarily controversial as LeBron.

Also read: “Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant were unguardable”: Former All-Star Mark Jackson talks about the toughest players he played against

While Michael Jordan had Space Jam release in theatres however, he was focused on something more important; at least to him. 

Michael Jordan torched the Hornets for 38 points. 

The 1996-97 NBA season saw the Chicago Bulls come off a historic season, winning 72 games during the regular season and also claiming their 4th championship in 6 years. The ‘97 Bulls looked to replicate a similar level of success and with Michael Jordan on the team, they did. 

Space Jam released in theatres on November 15th, 1996, merely a few games into the season. On this same night, Michael Jordan and the Bulls were slated to duke it out against Glen Rice and his Charlotte Hornets. Despite the fact that ‘His Airness’ had a blockbuster movie of his release the same day, he went on to torture the Hornets defense. 

Jordan would put on a vintage ‘Michael Jordan’ performance, hitting fadeaways and driving to the hoop with ease. The Bulls go on to win the game 110-87, en route to starting the season off with a perfect 9-0 start.

Also read: “I love it, Peyton’s the baby GOAT!”: LeBron James is left in awe of a young fan impersonating his famous “Silencer Celebration”

Seems as though Space Jam’s $27.5 million opening weekend did nothing to distract the 6x champ from routinely getting after defenses. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

instagram-icon

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

Share this article