LeBron James ignited controversy in April 2014 during a playoff game. The Miami Heat beat the Charlotte Bobcats 98-85. In the third quarter, James glanced right before an uncontested fast-break dunk.
Michael Jordan, the Bobcats’ owner, sat left of the bench. Some camera angles hinted James stared at Jordan. The moment fueled debate among fans.
ESPN’s broadcast crew believed the look carried a message, but King James shut down the speculation:
“No. Don’t start that. Absolutely not, man, absolutely not,” he said postgame, insisting he was focused on the play, not Jordan.
“I was able to read (Josh) McRoberts, get a steal and push the lead back up. I absolutely didn’t look at M.J., for sure,” James added.
Before the series, Jordan acknowledged Charlotte was a heavy underdog against the defending champs, joking at an Air Jordan XX9 event:
“I don’t know how much congratulating we should have playing Miami,” Jordan said.
While he didn’t publicly react to the alleged stare-down, Jordan’s pre-series comments hinted at the gap between the teams.
While the focus was on James’ possible glance at legendary Jordan, some speculated he was simply directing his look toward the Bobcats’ bench as a statement to his opponents.
Thirty years ago, Michael Jordan sent shockwaves through the NBA
After a 17-month retirement, the Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan announced his return to basketball. Jordan made the announcement on March 18, 1995, via a one-page fax released by his agent, David Falk. The letter stated:
“WASHINGTON, DC. (March 18, 1995) — The following statement was released today by Michael Jordan, through his personal attorney and business partner David B. Falk, Chairman of Falk Associates Management Enterprises, Inc. (‘FAME’) located in Washington, D.C., in response to questions about his future career plans: ‘I’m back.’”
On This Date: Michael Jordan announced his return to the @NBA with two words … "I'm back" 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5XKA6gfGv7
— ESPN (@espn) March 18, 2019
Michael Jordan returned to the NBA in the 1994-95 season when the Chicago Bulls had a 34-31 record. The next day, he scored 19 points in a loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Five games later, he dropped 55 points on the New York Knicks. Though not in top shape, Jordan averaged 26.9 points over 17 games, pushing the Bulls to a 13-4 finish and the No. 5 seed in the East.
After offseason training, he powered the Bulls to a record 72 wins and a title in 1995-96. The team kept rolling, clinching championships in 1997 and 1998 for Jordan’s second three-peat.
After leading the Bulls to a three-peat in the 1992-93 season, he stepped away at age 29. His decision was also deeply personal – Jordan pursued baseball to honor his late father, James, who envisioned his son as a pro baseball player.
In 1994, Jordan signed a minor-league deal with the Birmingham Barons, a Chicago White Sox affiliate owned by Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf.
At age 31, with limited MLB prospects and a league-wide strike in full swing, Jordan left baseball to return to the Bulls.
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I am a writer passionate about telling the stories behind the game of basketball. From the culture and personalities shaping the sport to the moments that define it, I explore basketball beyond the box score.
