It’s not every time you hear the “true” backstories of sports legends from the horse’s mouth, especially from an A-list superstar like Micheal Jordan. Holding nothing back, the NBA Hall of Famer shared insights on his older brother, Larry, including why he didn’t make the NBA.
Michael Jordan Was Second-Best Before He Became a Legend
In his playing days, no NBA basketball player could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Jordan in terms of overall ability. On average, he had 30 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block each game. Think about that for a second.
Still, he once mentioned that only late Lakers legend Kobe Byant could beat him in a one-on-one matchup because he knew all his moves. However, long before King Kobe came into the picture, one of Jordan’s older brothers walloped and outplayed him in one-on-one games.
At 5’8, Larry Jordan was as athletic as Mike, and he had no trouble dunking thanks to an impressive 44-inch vertical leap. In a rare video of him and his brother, MJ mentioned that Larry, who played for the North Carolina school team before he showed up, was the first Air Jordan.
MJ’s Big Brother Motivated Him
In the documentary The Last Dance, Michael Jordan reveals the influence of his older brother, Larry, on his competitive spirit. He credits Larry with pushing him to develop a “winning mentality” during their childhood. He also mentioned that their healthy competition pushed him to want to be better than Larry.
MJ’s choice of jersey number further evidenced his desire to emulate Larry as a youngster. He took the number 23 at the University of North Carolina, mirroring about half of Larry’s number 45.
Mother Nature Snubbed Larry Before the NBA Did
While Larry had consistent talent, his growth trajectory differed from that of his younger brother, Michael. Unlike Michael’s significant growth spurt that propelled him to 6’4″ by his senior year and third overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft, Larry remained under six feet.
Despite this, the 5 ’10 Larry secured a spot on the 1978 varsity team that Michael famously didn’t make. He continued his basketball journey at UNC-Wilmington. However, his height prevented him from making the NBA and limited his opportunities in traditional leagues.
According to Michael Jordan’s former coach, Clifton “Pop” Herring (deceased), Larry had an unmatched competitive fire. Coach Herring jokingly remarked that the roles might have been reversed if he had been taller, perhaps 6’2.
Respite for Larry, or Not
However, Larry’s career took an exciting turn with the formation of the World Basketball League (WBL) in 1987, a league catering to 6’4″ and shorter players. The Chicago Express drafted him in the third round, and Larry instantly became the team’s most popular player, partly due to his famous brother.
Yet, Larry resolved to carve his path with decent ball handling, shooting, and speed. In his only season, he helped the Express reach the WBL Finals, but the Las Vegas Silver Streaks were the winners.
Unfortunately, the WBL folded in 1992, marking the end of Larry’s professional basketball career.
