Advertisement

Michael Jordan gives amazing gift to fan who played pickup in full MJ uniform

Dan Devine
Senior NBA writer
Jeffrey Harrison smiles as he opens the gifts Michael Jordan sent him. (Photo via @DarnayTripp)
Jeffrey Harrison smiles as he opens the gifts Michael Jordan sent him. (Photo via @DarnayTripp)

Over Fourth of July weekend, footage of a man taking the court for a pickup game in a full-on Michael Jordan uniform — jersey, shorts, sweatband on the arm, sleeve on the calf, the kicks, the works — went viral:

[Follow Dunks Don’t Lie on Tumblr: The best slams from all of basketball]

Many cracked jokes at the notion of someone hitting the blacktop in full MJ regalia. NBC Sports even cut a “Roundball Rock”-soundtracked highlight reel to commemorate the moment:

Now, we know a bit more about the Man Who Would Be MJ … and so, too, does His Airness himself, who’s been in a giving mood of late, and who decided to reach out to make one super-fan’s dream come true. From Darnay Tripp of KREM:

There was nothing unordinary that led to Jeffrey Harrison’s sudden and unexpected fame. At least not to him. When he showed up in Coeur d’Alene on the 4th of July wearing what he normally does to play pickup basketball, his homage to the basketball icon caught the eye of a spectator and captured the attention of sports fans far and wide. Like many basketball fans, the 33-year-old Pasco native idolizes Jordan.

“He wakes up in the morning watches Michael Jordan videos, studies Michael Jordan moves,” said Harrison’s close friend Alfred Byrd. […]

“They can laugh at him and say, ‘Haha he’s wearing old Michael Jordan clothes he’s a wannabe,’” said Byrd. […]

It is part of an obstacle [Harrison] and millions of others in the United States face on a daily basis. The obstacle is called autism. Byrd has known Harrison for 20 years and seen the challenges he faces. From not being able to have a job, to the criticism that comes when he is doing what he loves.

Harrison said people are not always nice and sometimes he gets frustrated. But, he is never defeated. He challenges the perception of who he is and what he is capable of both in life and in basketball.

“I am a good player, I always have fun playing basketball. I also take the game real seriously,” said Harrison.

That commitment to the game — right down to the form on the fadeaway — inspired the Hall of Famer to reach out to Harrison and let him know he appreciated the homage:

More from Tripp:

In the box Jordan wrote him a letter saying in part, “Continue to believe in yourself, play hard and always remember to enjoy the game.” Words of inspiration from the greatest basketball player of all time, written specifically to Harrison.

Harrison also got to talk to Jordan on the phone Friday. At the end of the conversation, Jordan said he was going to be watching for him and he hoped he enjoyed the things he sent him. […]

“I knew it was him. It kind of brought me to tears after I got off the phone so I figured this is really going to be nice. The fact that Michael Jordan took the time to call and put all this together. I love it, even the cologne, even the sweats, I love it,” said Harrison.

In pure dollars and cents, this Jordan gift doesn’t approach the $2 million he donated to programs focusing on building trust between law enforcement and communities of color, or the $5 million he gave to support the forthcoming National Museum of African American History and Culture. The magnitude of its impact in the life of a man whose love of Jordan helps him fight a tough daily battle, though, can’t be overstated, which makes it pretty darn important and cool in its own right.

More basketball coverage from Yahoo Sports:

– – – – – – –

Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at devine@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!

Stay connected with Ball Don’t Lie on Twitter @YahooBDL, “Like” BDL on Facebook and follow Dunks Don’t Lie on Tumblr for year-round NBA talk, jokes and more.