Where did Michael Jordan dunk it from? The free throw line.
Or, at least that’s what everyone answers.
But most people don’t realize that they’ve never seen Michael Jordan dunk from the free throw line.
Because he didn’t. In both slam dunk contests, his foot was well beyond the free throw line. You can see it plainly. Everyone in the world gave him credit for something he didn’t do.
But it doesn’t matter, because everyone wants and needs to believe that he’s Air Jordan and that he can dunk 15 feet away from the basket. We’re inspired, excited, entertained and adopt it as a staple of excellence in our pop culture.
It’s a GREAT story.
The truth…Michael Jordan got really close and then our minds filled in the rest.
The story we tell ourselves is more important than the truth of the story.
Michael Jordan can dunk from the free throw line because we want him to be able to dunk from the free throw line.
We want to believe. You don’t have to make it perfect or just right or 100%. You just have to be great enough so that our hearts can fill the gap. You have to give enough so that our feeble minds can attach to it and fill in the story we desire.
I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com