'He had a nice suit on and I wanted to mess him up a little' - Michael Jordan on the origin of his pregame chalk toss

Today, LeBron James is known for a similar thing, as he also enjoys tossing chalk before games. However, Jordan will forever associate this action with Kerr, musing that he invariably thinks of "Red" whenever he sees the Los Angeles Lakers superstar performing it.

When reminiscing about the late broadcaster, "His Airness " certainly evokes many memories. This is particularly true since Kerr, who started his role in 1975, was the color commentator throughout MJ's entire 13-year run with the team. Ultimately, Johnny's long-standing contributions to the Bulls, which continued until the end of the 2007-08 season, led Jordan to honor him as "the face of the franchise."

The last chalk ritual

When "Red," a former player and later coach in the league, was honored at the 2009 game, the halftime ceremony stretched to 30 minutes. However, no one complained about the longer break.

After all, the Chicago-born legend had given fans numerous unforgettable moments over the years. This also explains why many greats like Dolph Schayes, Jerry Colangelo, and Scottie Pippen, among others, showed up for the event. Of course, Jordan couldn't miss it either.

"For me to come back here and honor him, they didn't have to ask me twice," Mike said, adding, "I owed him that and the fans owe him that. He made many people smile for many years."

According to MJ, despite the ceremony's emotional atmosphere, partly due to Kerr battling prostate cancer and not feeling well, there was still space for a small joke between them. Just like in the past, Michael approached Kerr and clapped his hands, letting chalk dust fall on him.

Sadly, this would be the last time their ritual took place, as just a few weeks later, "Red" passed away at the age of 76.