Chicago Bulls icon Horace Grant believes the NBA’s decision to name the MVP award after Michael Jordan is thoroughly "deserved" as the league honoured its greatest player.
On Tuesday, the NBA announced the award presented to the league’s most valuable player is set to be renamed the Michael Jordan Trophy. It is one of six newly named awards following the naming of the All-Star Game MVP after the late Kobe Bryant.
The five other former players are Wilt Chamberlain (Rookie), John Havlicek (Sixth Man), George Mikan (Most Improved), Hakeem Olajuwon (Defensive) and Jerry West (Clutch). Jordan has been honoured with the MVP award as the Bulls legend claimed the title five times during his illustrious career, that saw him become a global icon as the NBA became popular around the world.
Grant joined the Bulls when he was selected by the franchise with the 10th overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft, linking up with the team alongside fellow rookie and future legend Scottie Pippen. The power forward was thrilled to hear the news that his former teammate will be immortalised for the foreseeable future with his name attached to the MVP award.
“Deserved,” Grant exclusively told Mirror Sport when asked about the ‘Michael Jordan MVP Trophy’. “Deserved. I mean, when you have a guy who brought such greatness to the NBA and won five MVPs, six NBA championships - why not?”
The Jordan Trophy stands at 23.6 inches tall and weighs 23.6 pounds, in honour of Jordan's jersey number 23 and his six titles. Its five-sided base represents Jordan's five league MVPs.
Grant, whose signature goggles combined with his dominant play saw him become a renowned figure in the NBA, joined the Bulls before Jordan became the iconic figure he is today. However, he had won Rookie of the Year and impressively led the NBA in scoring the season before Grant’s arrival - but what was it like for his teammate to enter the locker room and have Jordan as a peer?
“It was definitely a combination of both being in awe of who [Jordan] already was at that time, and trying to grind towards what we felt we could become as a team,” Grant said. “I saw what he had accomplished in his first three seasons before Scottie [Pippen] and I had got there - it was like, ‘wow’.
“When Phil Jackson came on board as head coach, he kind of settled us down in terms of being in awe and helping Michael to ensure we were the best teammates we could possibly be.”
Jackson certainly did settle the Bulls down as the trio of Jordan, Pippen and Grant went on to lead Chicago to three successive NBA championships between 1991 and 1993. The team dominated those years before Jordan originally retired, with Grant and Pippen leading the Bulls to the Eastern Conference semi-finals before the former joined the Orlando Magic.
Grant - whose career spanned 17 seasons across the Bulls, Magic, Seattle SuperSonics and Los Angeles Lakers - reminisced about one particular moment that stands out in his memory when he looks back on his title-laden spell with the Bulls. The 57-year-old recalled a match against the Atlanta Hawks where he realised Chicago were becoming the dynastic force that dominated the 1990s.
“We were down like 10 points in the fourth quarter with a couple of minutes left,” Grant added. “But as a team we didn't feel threatened, because we had number 23.
“We won the game on the back of Michael Jordan. I mean, we sat back like, ‘Wow, wow. I'm glad that he's on my team’.”
The infectious energy displayed by Grant showcases how undoubtedly pleased and proud he is of Jordan’s accomplishments and the naming of the MVP award after him. If the NBA called Grant and said they were awarding a ‘Horace Grant Trophy’, what would he want that to honour?
“Hard work,” Grant said determinedly. “Hard work. That award would represent the hardhat guy who did all the dirty work. But the most important thing about that trophy?
“It has to have to have my goggles on.”
Watch the Boston Celtics take on the Orlando Magic live on Sky Sports and NBA League Pass on Sunday, December 18 th at 8:00pm U.K. time as part of the NBA’s ‘NBA Sundays presented by NBA2K23’ Primetime initiative.
