Six-time NBA basketball champion Michael Jordan picked an unexpected guest to host his induction into the NBA basketball Hall of Fame: former NBA basketball player and North Carolina Star, David “Skywalker” Thompson.
The choice of David Thompson came as a surprise to most Michael Jordan fans, because Jordan had enjoyed a close relationship with former NBA coach Phil Jackson and former college coach Dean Smith, who were both front-runners in the list of potential hosts to his induction.
But despite these strong relationships that influenced his career, Michael Jordan said that he wouldn’t have become who he was without David Thompson, having seen him as a athletic role model in Jordan’s local area.
David Thompson played college basketball for North Carolina State, and is the only former NC State college player to have had his number retired.
Thompson earned the nickname “Skywalker” due to his 48-inch vertical leap, and also holds the NBA’s third highest single game scoring title with 73 points.
The choice of David Thompson came as a surprise to most Michael Jordan fans, because Jordan had enjoyed a close relationship with former NBA coach Phil Jackson and former college coach Dean Smith, who were both front-runners in the list of potential hosts to his induction.
But despite these strong relationships that influenced his career, Michael Jordan said that he wouldn’t have become who he was without David Thompson, having seen him as a athletic role model in Jordan’s local area.
David Thompson played college basketball for North Carolina State, and is the only former NC State college player to have had his number retired.
Thompson earned the nickname “Skywalker” due to his 48-inch vertical leap, and also holds the NBA’s third highest single game scoring title with 73 points.
Michael Jordan - greatest basketball player of all time?
While there isn’t any official title, Michael Jordan is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time.
Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, after having difficulty defeating the Detroit Pistons back-to-back over two years, finally won the first of six championships in the 1990-1991 season defeating Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.
After that accomplishment, Jordan would go on the first of two “three-peats”, winning three championships before his first retirement.
Jordan spent a year in retirement, playing minor league baseball, which his then-recently murdered father had dreamed about. He came back from retirement to win another three consecutive championships with the Chicago Bulls.
