“When Michael broke down, everyone was very emotional” – The time Michael Jordan delivered a tear-jerking eulogy after his father’s death

Friends and family gathered to pay their last respects to James Jordan in mid-August 1993. His body had been discovered in a South Carolina creek on Aug. 3, with a fatal gunshot wound to the chest.

Among those mourning was his superstar son, Michael Jordan, whose grief was palpable as he stood before the congregation. The Rockfish A.M.E. Church was filled with nearly 200 people, including his Chicago Bulls teammates and NBA figures who had come to honor the man who had been a fixture in Michael’s life both on and off the court.

An emotional Jordan

Michael wept openly as he stood before the gathering, struggling to put his emotions into words. The bond between him and his father was one of the most well-known in sports, making this moment all the more heartbreaking.

“When Michael broke down, everyone was very emotional,” said Johnny Williams, an assistant to the pastor at Rockfish A.M.E. Church.

Authorities later charged two 18-year-old North Carolina men with his murder as they shot him point blank in his sleep before driving off with his car.

His father’s death was not just a personal tragedy; it was the end of a chapter that had played out in front of millions. James had been his son’s biggest supporter, often seen in the crowd at Bulls games, smiling proudly — or during practice sessions.

The loss was and the pain was evident as the five-time NBA champion stood before his loved ones, struggling to find the right words.

Unfortunate loss

Just months before his tragic passing, James had celebrated his son’s first three-peat with the Bulls, a feat that made Michael one of the game’s greatest players. The elder Jordan was a beloved figure not just to his son but to many of the Bulls’ players, who had formed a close bond with him over the years.

As such, there was only little the younger Jordan could say about the influence and impact his father had on him and the society.

“He talked mostly about what his dad taught everyone he met and he thanked the people for coming out and showing support,” Williams recalled. “He said even though his dad was gone, the lessons he had taught Michael and his children and others he met would live on.”

James had been a constant presence in his son’s career, from high school days in Wilmington, North Carolina, to the championship runs with the Bulls.

The murder of Michael’s father left a void that even basketball could not fill. Less than two months after winning his third NBA title, the Bulls icon shocked the world by announcing his retirement from basketball.

He stepped away from the sport he dominated to honor his father’s dream — one that led him to an unexpected detour into professional baseball.

His father had always envisioned him as a Major League Baseball player and in the wake of his loss, Michael made that dream his own. However, his time in baseball was short-lived, as he returned to the NBA in 1995.

When he led the Bulls to their fourth title one year later, he dedicated the championship to his old man with the title-clinching day falling on Father’s Day in 1996.