A game-winning shot in 1982 transformed Michael Jordan into the man we all know and love. This new Air Jordan 1 tells that story.
James Worthy was the man that night. “Big Game James,” as he was affectionately known, was the University of North Carolina’s hope for a title in the 1982 NCAA championship game against the Patrick Ewing-led Georgetown Hoyas. Worthy and Sam Perkins were tasked with scoring close to 40 points between them for their team, viciously crash the boards and, more important, do their best to limit the near-unstoppable Ewing. Worthy did his part and then some, pouring in 28 points while shooting 75 percent from the field. Perkins chipped in too, tallying 10 points of his own and seven clutch rebounds. But Ewing was as unstoppable as he had been all year, dominating the Heels with 23 points and 11 rebounds.
As many anticipated, the championship matchup was close. And even though UNC was the more balanced of the two teams, coach John Thompson’s Hoyas had a fighting chance because, well, they had Ewing. Michael Jordan, a sophomore standout one year after winning the ACC Freshman of the Year award, wasn’t a footnote in the game but he wasn’t on the marquee next to Worthy and Ewing either. The game's final seconds would forever change that narrative.
