This March 29, 1982, file photo shows Houston’s Clyde Drexler (left) and North Carolina’s Michael Jordan (center) battling for the ball during an NCAA semifinal final game in New Orleans
Buzz Peterson knew Michael Jordan as well as anyone when they were in college.
Roommates and teammates at North Carolina, they spent countless days competing on the basketball court in practice and endless hours talking hoops. Their nights often included shooting pool and tossing cards in their Granville Towers South dorm room. There often were arcade games — before the home video game craze hit — at the Pump House on Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill.
But Peterson never saw this coming: His roommate becoming an NBA owner and hosting the league’s All-Star game in his home state of North Carolina.
“You know, staring across the dorm room at him back then, no, I never would have thought this would happen,” Peterson told The Associated Press.
That’s understandable; they were young kids who didn’t know any better.
Looking back now, Peterson said he should have known what Jordan’s parents instilled in him: He could achieve anything and he was destined for something extraordinary.
“Michael has always been very sharp, very smart,” said Peterson, who now works as an assistant general manager for Jordan’s Charlotte Hornets. “He’s a very good listener. He gathers information and opinions and then makes decisions. And once he makes the decision to go after something, he goes all out. He is absolutely driven to be successful in whatever he chooses.”
It’s well-known that Jordan uses failure to motivate him.
The only thing seemingly that has eluded Jordan, who turns 56 on Sunday — the day of the All-Star game — is ultimate success as an executive and team owner.
His Hornets have yet to win a playoff series since he took over as majority owner nine years ago and they remain mired in NBA mediocrity while struggling to compete in a small market.
But Jordan wants to keep his team — and the city — relevant. It’s one reason he aggressively pursued the All-Star game with such vigor.
“I think getting the All- Star game here is an accomplishment that will go on his list, and it will stand out for him because it’s really not about him,” said James Jordan Jr., Michael’s older brother. “This is an event that’s bigger than him. It’s really about the world — and he’s going to be the host of it.” AP
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