This week’s Sports Illustrated tells the story of the day Michael Jordan failed to make his high school varsity team because fellow sophomore, Leroy Smith, was given the last spot.
The article goes on to show all the ways Michael Jordan held on the name “Leroy Smith” throughout his career and used it constantly as motivation.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1193740/index.htm
I knew Leroy from the weightroom. Back when the facilities were free-weights in two concrete rooms. He was a cool guy.
Must have had a ton of talent if the last roster spot went to a guy who eventually played professional basketball.
[quote=“Charlotte2002, post:3, topic:26199”]Must have had a ton of talent if the last roster spot went to a guy who eventually played professional basketball.[/quote] Exactly what I was thinking. Another explanation would be that this is B. S. from the old myth machine. I’m sure I heard the Wilmington High coach state once that the whole "cut Michael " story was a fabrication.
http://onlyagame.wbur.org/2012/01/14/jordan-high-school
Leroy was a great guy around campus while I was in school. He always had a smile on his face. He always had a ton of girls around him as well. He was a bright spot for a terrible team.
[quote=“4ever niner, post:4, topic:26199”][quote=“Charlotte2002, post:3, topic:26199”]Must have had a ton of talent if the last roster spot went to a guy who eventually played professional basketball.[/quote] Exactly what I was thinking. Another explanation would be that this is B. S. from the old myth machine. I’m sure I heard the Wilmington High coach state once that the whole "cut Michael " story was a fabrication.
http://onlyagame.wbur.org/2012/01/14/jordan-high-school[/quote]
That’s what the writer of this article worked to get to the bottom of, because it is common knowledge now that he never got cut, he just didn’t make the varsity squad as a sophomore. Also, to the writer’s knowledge, this is the first time the actual coach who made the decision has been able to tell his story.
As for the name Leroy Smith, the article explains that throughout Jordan’s career, it is documented how Jordan used the alias Leroy Smith when checking into hotels, referenced the name Leroy Smith when making a statement about why he was pursuing baseball, and a character named Leroy Smith appeared in a Nike marketing campaign for air Jordans.
I’ve got all of Leroy’s instructional videos.
There is a photo in the printed edition of the SI story that shows Leroy getting up very high blocking a shot at the Old Coliseum (now Bojangles’ Coliseum) in 1983-84 with Keith Williams (#5) and Ray “Air Grom” Gromlowicz (#31, also a Laney grad) boxing out.
Nostalgic.
WisselBall!
And the “Leroy Smith” webpage is still active.
[quote=“dmastinsc, post:6, topic:26199”][quote=“4ever niner, post:4, topic:26199”][quote=“Charlotte2002, post:3, topic:26199”]Must have had a ton of talent if the last roster spot went to a guy who eventually played professional basketball.[/quote] Exactly what I was thinking. Another explanation would be that this is B. S. from the old myth machine. I’m sure I heard the Wilmington High coach state once that the whole "cut Michael " story was a fabrication.
http://onlyagame.wbur.org/2012/01/14/jordan-high-school[/quote]
That’s what the writer of this article worked to get to the bottom of, because it is common knowledge now that he never got cut, he just didn’t make the varsity squad as a sophomore. Also, to the writer’s knowledge, this is the first time the actual coach who made the decision has been able to tell his story.
As for the name Leroy Smith, the article explains that throughout Jordan’s career, it is documented how Jordan used the alias Leroy Smith when checking into hotels, referenced the name Leroy Smith when making a statement about why he was pursuing baseball, and a character named Leroy Smith appeared in a Nike marketing campaign for air Jordans.[/quote] Just read the article, which I was resisting doing because I hate all the hype surrounding MJ. Seems as if his high school coach is a much better man than he is.
According to the article, Smith was already about 6’6" to Jordan at 5’10" when he got the spot over Jordan.
Leroy Smith was bothered with chronic knee problems, possibly related to fast growth at such an early age, that plagued his career.
Leroy was always a favorite here. We should bring him back and let him know he still is.
P.S. The only “myth” is that Jordan would have ever amounted to anything had it not been for Smith.
Did you mean “never” or “ever”? You are correct that Michael being cut is not a myth. It is a lie.
4ever, I referred to the article you linked, which seemed to be very clear. Smith made the varsity team as a soph. Jordan, his classmate, did not. Sorry if that devalued your $200 tennie pumps.
