A few years ago, LeBron James admitted to pursuing a “ghost”, that of Michael Jordan. DeMar DeRozanhe does not run after, but he felt the presence for his first season in Chicago.
It’s Game 5 of the regular season, Oct. 28, and the Bulls have won the first four. Facing the Knicks, at home, they have the match point. The former Raptors and Spurs try his luck.
“I made an airball”he recalled for the Draymond Green podcast. “I felt like I was disrespecting the aura of these fans, used to seeing Michael Jordan’s winning baskets. We want to live these moments and I was right in it for my fifth game. I took this shot and thought I would never be in this situation again. »
This failure was rather well digested by the All-Star guard since he will register several baskets of the win during the season, in particular two shots at the buzzer in a row on December 31, 2021 and the next day, the first day of the year 2022 This airball against New York served as a driving force for the rest of the season.
“I tried to inherit Jordan’s ghost with his fadeaway in the final minutes. I kept it in mind, because you feel it from the fans. Here, we see the jerseys of Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Bob Love, we hear the music. You have to be on top. »
Even more than twenty years after the departure of Michael Jordan, the city of Chicago and the United Center remain the preferred lair of “MJ”. DeMar DeRozan understood this very quickly.
“I lose my mind just when I arrive in the parking lot of the hall. I remember all the images of Jordan back then in that parking lot. As soon as I’m there, I can’t lie, I feel it. We have the feeling that we have to give everything every night, especially for these fans. »
| DeMar DeRozan | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saison | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Until | Pd | Fte | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2009-10 | TOR | 77 | 22 | 49.8 | 25.0 | 76.3 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 8.6 |
| 2010-11 | TOR | 82 | 35 | 46.7 | 9.6 | 81.3 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 17.2 |
| 2011-12 | TOR | 63 | 35 | 42.2 | 26.1 | 81.0 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 16.7 |
| 2012-13 | TOR | 82 | 37 | 44.5 | 28.3 | 83.1 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 18.1 |
| 2013-14 | TOR | 79 | 38 | 42.9 | 30.5 | 82.4 | 0.7 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 22.7 |
| 2014-15 | TOR | 60 | 35 | 41.3 | 28.4 | 83.2 | 0.7 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 20.1 |
| 2015-16 | TOR | 78 | 36 | 44.6 | 33.8 | 85.0 | 0.8 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 23.5 |
| 2016-17 | TOR | 74 | 35 | 46.7 | 26.6 | 84.2 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 5.2 | 3.9 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 27.3 |
| 2017-18 | TOR | 80 | 34 | 45.6 | 31.0 | 82.5 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 23.0 |
| 2018-19 | SAN | 77 | 35 | 48.1 | 15.6 | 83.0 | 0.7 | 5.3 | 6.0 | 6.2 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 21.2 |
| 2019-20 | SAN | 68 | 34 | 53.1 | 25.7 | 84.5 | 0.7 | 4.9 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 22.1 |
| 2020-21 | SAN | 61 | 34 | 49.5 | 25.7 | 88.0 | 0.7 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 6.9 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 21.6 |
| 2021-22 | CHI | 76 | 36 | 50.4 | 35.2 | 87.7 | 0.7 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 27.9 |
| Total | 957 | 34 | 46.5 | 28.8 | 83.7 | 0.7 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 20.8 | |
