After landing a $1 million prize shot in 1993, 23-year-old Don Calhoun found himself in the centre of a Bulls controversy during the height of their popularity. 30 years later, let’s look back at this momentous event that changed sports competitions forever.
A lot has changed since, not least Michael Jordan’s net worth, but it was his actions off-court that solidified him as the GOAT in many fans’ eyes. Here’s the story of Don Calhoun and how the Bulls rallied around him, against the interests of their own franchise.
The Shot
Anybody watching basketball back in the 90s should remember the shot. Dubbed the Immaculate Connection, young Don Calhoun was selected because the woman leading the shot liked his shoes – they wouldn’t scuff the court. Plucked from the crowd, he faced a 75-foot shot over two-thirds of the court. The prize – $1 million.
Competitions like this were common back then. This was before the internet, which gave unprecedented access to competitions and casinos. Now, people can play sweepstakes online for money so long as they have an internet connection. Back in 1993, to get a shot at the Bulls’ $1 million shot promotion, you had to fill out a form and sit in the crowd. Even then, there was only a chance you’d get picked.
Many tried and failed, to the point that organizers fooled themselves into believing it was impossible. They said it was a 1% chance and they liked those odds. Weirdly enough, many fans had and would continue to make those shots. A decade after, we saw fan Fisher Floyd do the impossible – a four shot swish including a half-court shot.
So, imagine their shock when Don Calhoun stepped up and sank the shot, nothing but net. The crowd roared as he was pulled into a Bulls bear hug, sandwiched between Jordan and Pippen. “Great shot, kid” Jordan said.
The Catch
Nobody was more shocked than American Hole ‘N One, the insurers of the $1 million shot promotion. Before any money could be processed, they had to look back over Calhoun’s form and make sure everything was above board. They found a stipulation that the lucky audience member can’t have played basketball with an organization in the last five years. Three years ago, Calhoun had played with not one community college but two. Calhoun had put this on his form, the contest organizers there knew this and didn’t see it as an issue.
Legally, the insurers were in the right. Technically, Don shouldn’t have been picked, no matter what shoes he wore. They refused to pay out, putting the Bulls under a whole lot of pressure from fans. Rules were broken, so there was no guarantee of getting that money.
The Money
That changed when the Bulls organised a press conference and announced their resolution – $50,000 a year for the next 20 years. $1 million. A whole year later, Calhoun took his son to a game MJ was playing at. Jordan recognized him and had him brought over, Calhoun hoping for an autograph on his winning ball.
Source: Unsplash
“Did you get your money?” was the first thing Jordan said to Calhoun. Then he explained that Jordan, along with other Bulls members, had told the organizers they needed to pay out. “We were upset” Jordan said. The prize money didn’t come from the insurers but from the Bulls franchise itself, from its management, players and from companies that had sponsored the event – Coca-Cola was one of them.
It was a happy ending for Calhoun and it became one of many Michael Jordan stories circulated by fans. By all accounts, Calhoun invested the money wisely and didn’t make any big purchases for six months, relaxing into a peaceful Midwestern life. At least, after passing Harlem Globetrotter boot camp and traveling with them for a while.
