Rare Air time: Michael Jordan, the '84 U.S. Olympic trials and me

Of course, Jordan could play a little basketball too. He'd just finished his third season at North Carolina -- ironically, losing to Indiana in his final

Jon Wertheim | Apr 30, 2014

Rare Air time: Michael Jordan, the '84 U.S. Olympic trials and me /

A pre-NBA (and pre-Nike) Michael Jordan stole the show in Bloomington in the summer of 1984. — A pre-NBA (and pre-Nike) Michael Jordan stole the show in Bloomington in the summer of 1984 :: Heinz Kluetmeier/SI

Of course, Jordan could play a little basketball too. He'd just finished his third season at North Carolina -- ironically, losing to Indiana in his final college game -- as the national player of the year and was pegged as a high lottery pick. At the Olympics trials, his aura grew, as he distanced himself from the other players. My friend and classmate, Pat Knight, the coach's son, regaled the seventh grade kaffeeklatsch with stories of Jordan's feats during practices. Bob Knight gushed uncharacteristically about his shooting guard and warned that any NBA team foolish enough to pass up drafting Jordan would regret the decision. "Jordan's game is made for the NBA," he declared. Knight wasn't entirely prescient that spring; the players he cut from his team included Malone, Barkley, John Stockton and Joe Dumars. But he sure had Jordan pegged.

The author got some of what would be increasingly uncommon one-on-one time in public with Jordan. — The author got some of what would be increasingly uncommon one-on-one time in public with Jordan / Courtesy of Jon Wertheim

"Okay," the handler said. "Michael won't be available again until tomorrow."

Published Apr 30, 2014

JON WERTHEIM

Jon Wertheim is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and has been part of the full-time SI writing staff since 1997, largely focusing on the tennis beat , sports business and social issues, and enterprise journalism. In addition to his work at SI, he is a correspondent for "60 Minutes" and a commentator for The Tennis Channel. He has authored 11 books and has been honored with two Emmys, numerous writing and investigative journalism awards, and the Eugene Scott Award from the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Wertheim is a longtime member of the New York Bar Association (retired), the International Tennis Writers Association and the Writers Guild of America. He has a bachelor's in history from Yale University and received a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He resides in New York City with his wife, who is a divorce mediator and adjunct law professor. They have two children.