Bulls legend Michael Jordan made 9 baskets on this Japanese Game Show, was heartbroken for missing the 10th shot
Advertisement
When Michael Jordan first retired, he found a way back to the court, with plans for Space Jam. The second time he retired, he and Charles Barkley appeared on a Japanese game show called “Pro Sportsman” which had a convoluted game idea to have multiple moving baskets, wobbly rims different levels, and everything. Something that looks like straight out of an arcade game area.
Pro Athletes, and in this case a hyper-competitive athlete like MJ always made it a point to be a winner-always be first. Any chance he got, he would be on the floor, at the golf course, casino, anywhere he could showcase his competitive side. When a game show like this one presented itself, there is no way Jordan would have turned it down. It scratched every competitive itch he had!
Michael Jordan is the only one ever to beat this game, a record that stands until today
MJ and Chuck went head to head to see who could win this highly televised game show in 2001. Jordan didn’t actually win the first game he played, missing 9 out of his 12 shots. Something so rare to see one of the greatest offensive threats of the NBA do. But he wouldn’t take two losses in a row even if it was a game show. He put on a spectacle, winning the game of 9 hoops with his last shot attempt.
Charles wasn’t bad either, hitting 4-9 baskets he was supposed to shoot into, but he was no MJ. One because it didn’t look like he was trying at all, and second, he wasn’t really known too much for his shooting.
2001 was the year he made his comeback for a second time, but this time with the Wizards. Maybe this game show was the one final push he needed to get back on the court in some capacity?
