Dean Smith on Michael Jordan's development at UNC: "His big jump was when he grew between his freshmen and sophomore year"

It's widely perceived that Michael Jordan 's coming out party was when he hit the championship-winning basket during the 1982 NCAA men's basketball championship game against Georgetown.

Many believe that it was that 'shot' that propelled Jordan to greatness. However, during a 1993 interview with Charlie Rose , UNC head coach Dean Smith says Jordan's leap happened when he grew two inches after his first year with the Tar Heels.

"Well, he came in really at 6'3", 170 lbs," said Smith. "Michael grew more than you right now. I was just so impressed with him in how he listened in practice. But his big jump is when he grew between his freshmen and sophomore year."

Mike was a starter during his freshman year

Jordan was the superstar guard from Wilmington's E.Laney High School when he chose to play for the Tar Heels . However, by choosing UNC, Mike had to play behind Sam Perkins and James Worthy.

"I didn't think would start," added Smith. "He didn't think he would. He was told in Wilmington he wouldn't even play at Carolina, and he wanted to prove them differently. He continues to prove people differently, and he also grew two inches, and I can't control that."

After an outstanding debut season, Jordan was named to the All-Final Four team and ACC Freshman of the Year. But more than those, the added two inches during the summer increased Mike's height to 6'5", giving him elite size for a two-guard. The rest, as they say, is history, as he would dominate in his final two seasons at UNC before taking over the NBA.

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Jordan was born to a 'short' family

MJ's growth spurt is important to his career because he was born to a short family. James Sr. was only 5'10" tall, while Deloris was just 5'5". When he was cut from his high school team during his sophomore year, he was just 5-10. Mrs. Jordan said Mike would always tell her that he wished he was taller because he wanted to be great in basketball.

"Go put salt in your shoes and pray," Deloris would tell MJ. "He would tell me I was being silly, but I had to pacify him so I could finish dinner. Then his dad would walk in, and he'd tell him he wanted to be tall. We'd say, 'You have it in your heart. The tallness is within you. You can be as tall as you want to be in your thinking."

Michael grew five inches that summer to become 6'3" as a junior. That year, he finally made the varsity. One year later, he was in the McDonald's All-American game, averaging 26.8 PPG, 11.6 RPG, and 10.1 APG as a senior. Then, as Smith said, he added another two inches after his freshman year. Somewhere along the way, Mike added one more inch to become a full-grown 6'6" man. Just imagine what would have been if not for those two growth spurts.

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