The story of Michael Jordan getting cut from the varsity team when he was in high school remains an intriguing one.
MJ says it was one of the disappointments of his early life that fueled him to greatness. His HS coach noted that he wasn’t cut from the team but was merely ‘assigned’ to the junior varsity because he was still a sophomore.
We can argue all we want about this, but Jordan says he was cut, and that’s the only thing his fans want to hear and believe.
“It was embarrassing, not making that team,” he said in 1991. “They posted the roster, and it was there for a long, long time without my name on it.”
Jordan wasn’t really cut
It’s unclear how many young players tried out for the Laney High School varsity team that year, but they were vying for 30 spots—15 on the varsity team and 15 on the junior varsity squad. Back then, it wasn’t common to see sophomore players on the varsity team. They usually start on the JV team and get promoted during their junior year.
Because Mike was among the 15 players chosen for the junior varsity, he wasn’t cut during the tryouts. However, Laney HS coach Pop Herring decided to include MJ’s buddy and fellow sophomore Leroy Smith, which is probably why Jordan felt offended.
But Herring was merely making an exception. First, there was not one returning player on the varsity team who was taller than 6-foot-3. So, instead of putting the 6-7 Smith on the junior varsity squad with his fellow sophomores, Pop promoted him to the senior team.
Mike took out his frustration on the court
According to his story, Jordan went home and cried inside his room after seeing the two lists. So he took out his frustration on the basketball court and dominated the junior varsity scene. He recorded multiple 40-point games and turned Laney HS JV games into a must-watch.
With an impressive sophomore season, Mike easily made the varsity team as a junior. He averaged over 20 points per game that campaign and instantly became the team’s go-to option. During his senior year, MJ led Laney to a 19-4 record and was named to the McDonald’s High School All-American game. The rest, as they say, is history.
During the unveiling of MJ’s bronze statue outside the United Center in 1994, he invited Herring to the momentous occasion. And although he thanked his old coach for believing in him, Jordan rekindled his old wound when he reminded the 20,000 or so in attendance that Herring was the ‘first guy’ to cut him on a team. That was the last time Herring heard from His Airness.
