The early NBA success of Michael Jordan, alongside head coach Dean Smith’s presence, turned the University of North Carolina into a top college program in the 1980s. Subsequently, it became a dream destination for several high school graduating basketball stars at the time. However, the notion did not hold for Rex Chapman, as he refused to join them even after MJ’s persuasion tactics. In a recent interview with ‘VLADTV’, the former Phoenix Suns guard revealed the intricate details of the four-decade-old situation.
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Coming out of Apollo High School, the Kentucky-born was a highly anticipated talent in 1986. Amidst the competition, NC coach Smith and his staff visited Champman in his hometown for an in-home visit. During that time, the latter had mentioned his admiration for Jordan, who had played under the then-head coach for three years (1981-84).
Consequently, Smith attempted to leverage his bond with MJ to bring Chapman to North Carolina. As the former Suns guard recalled, “Very shortly thereafter, Dean had Michael call me on behalf of him and tell me how great Dean is, playing in North Carolina, there’s nothing like it. It was really cool”.
However, the antics failed to bear fruit as Chapman committed himself to the curriculum of the University of Kentucky. The 56-year-old cited the appointment of Eddie Sutton as their head coach as the major driving force behind his decision. Showcasing faith in Sutton’s track record of producing NBA-caliber guards over the years, Chapman kickstarted the new phase of his journey.
The decision panned out in favor of Chapman as he rose through the ranks in the college basketball circuit. After winning the SEC Tournament MVP in 1988, he decided to go pro, where the biggest challenge awaited him.
The face-off between Rex Chapman and Michael Jordan in the NBA
The guards went against each other on several occasions since 1988 with their contest reaching the extreme during the 1995-96 season. On February 23, 1996, Chapman’s Miami Heat hosted a confident Chicago Bulls roster, that produced a record-breaking 72-10 run later. Despite being the underdogs, the home side stunned the visitors with a 113-104 scoreline.
Chapman played a major role in the triumph, recording 39 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals as per ESPN. Furthermore, he went 9/10 from behind the arc while shooting 12/17 from the field. This performance turned him into the joint highest-scoring individual in a single game against the Bulls that season.
However, Jordan eventually had the upper hand as the Heat failed to contain him in the subsequent clashes. Soon, the two teams met in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. There also the Black Jesus’ team displayed their dominance with a 3-0 sweep before marching on to win the championship.
Amidst the humiliating sequence of events, Chapman displayed his worth as a player during the contest. This added further volume to his talent while justifying the endeavors of the late great Smith.
