Michael Jordan steals the show in rare public appearance at NBA All-Star game

All eyes were on Michael Jordan when the basketball legend made a rare public appearance and shared an embrace with LeBron James

Basketball icon Michael Jordan stole the show at the NBA All-Star game in a rare public appearance that sent fans into meltdown.

Jordan was on hand for the mid-season All-Star game, where he was one of several legends being honoured in the special NBA75 presentation commemorating the 75th season of the NBA.

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The 59-year-old, who is now a part owner of the Charlotte Hornets, looked in excellent shape and was in great spirits as he made the rounds at Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

There was an incredible moment when Jordan and LeBron James — the two greatest basketballers of all time — embraced on the sidelines and shared a few words.

LEBRON x MJ. #NBA75pic.twitter.com/96W7h8924b

— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022

two decades apart in the same building pic.twitter.com/MffdIfk2Ta

— alex (@steven_lebron) February 21, 2022

Speaking after the All-Star game, which was won by Team LeBron, James said he wasn’t going to miss the very rare chance to catch up with his childhood idol and now-rival for GOAT status.

“I did not want to lose the opportunity to shake the man’s hand that inspired me throughout my childhood,” he said.

“I haven’t had much dialogue with him in my 19 years in this business, but a part of me wouldn’t be here without MJ’s inspiration. I always wanted to be like him growing up.

“It’s crazy that the game-winning shot today was a fadeaway. And it was inspired by MJ.

“I didn’t want to waste that opportunity. We’re just not in the same building a lot and we haven’t been in the same building a lot throughout my career. It meant something to me.”

LeBron James and Michael Jordan shared a nice moment after the presentation of the NBA 75th anniversary team. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Jordan, who won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, was in a jovial mood as he mingled with former and current stars of the game.

He gave rising star Luka Doncic a friendly bear hug and even engaged in some old fashioned trash talking while waiting backstage for the NBA75 presentation.

Spotting LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson, Jordan half-jokingly challenged the five-time NBA champion to a game of basketball.

“That’s an old dog right there,” he said

“Where ya shoes at? We can go play 1-on-1. Me and you, right now.”

As the players judged the 75 best in NBA history made their way onto the stage, the biggest cheer came when Jordan was introduced to the crowd.

Michael Jordan completely stole the show. Photo: Jason Miller/Getty Images/AFP

Fans lost their minds at the rare sighting of Jordan, who completely stole the show.

SB Nation’s Brady Klopfer tweeted: “I can’t think of a bigger testament to Michael Jordan’s importance that we’re all freaking out about the fact that he showed up for 10 seconds at an event that most of us are watching on TV.”

Michael Jordan turns EVERYONE into star struck fans. He’s one of the rare folks that still got it.

— Kazeem Famuyide (@Kazeem) February 21, 2022

Michael Jordan remains larger than life.

— Robin Lundberg (@robinlundberg) February 21, 2022

Never thought I’d see the night that LeBron James got upstaged in Cleveland by Michael Jordan.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) February 21, 2022

Jordan was in element among basketball royalty and shared a nice moment on the stage with former Chicago teammate Dennis Rodman, who opted to wear a hoodie under his NBA75 blazer instead of the crisp turtlenecks many of the other legends were rocking.

But Scottie Pippen, their other teammate who was part of the all-conquering Bulls, was conspicuously absent.

The relationship between Pippen and Jordan appears beyond repair after Pippen slammed his star teammate for how he was portrayed in the documentary The Last Dance.