"Which was….Holy s**t!" - Scott Van Pelt once recalled insane story on Michael Jordan's 'rock the cradle' dunk

Michael Jordan is a six-time NBA champion and is widely acclaimed as the greatest basketball player ever. His gravity-defying dunks are a part of folklore.

Scott Van Pelt of ESPN once recalled the time he first took notice of a young MJ. It was during Jordan's college days at the University of North Carolina.

Jordan was about to go up against Leonard Bias, who was a greater basketball prospect at the time. Bias tragically died at the age of 22 from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose. He was as talented as MJ at that point in time and would have certainly been an NBA legend.

Pelt recalled that when he saw Michael Jordan perform the 'Rock the Cradle' drunk, it put him on notice. Here is what Pelt had to say:

“I was in Cole Field House the night MJ first unleashed that rock-the-cradle dunk. He and Leonard Bias had a great duel that night, but UNC was going to win. There was an odd sound in Cole after it happened; a buzz that made it clear everyone had the same reaction. Which was….Holy s**t!"

Pelt continued:

“How many times did he make us feel that way? He remains the ruler, the yardstick, the benchmark by which all others are judged. And nobody measures up.”

The dunk that Michael Jordan performed was spectacular and still remains a sight to behold. It is moments like this that have cemented his GOAT status.

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How did the talented Leonard Bias die?

Leonard Bias - Boston Celtics

Leonard Bias might be a forgotten basketball name. However, he is one of the biggest "what if's" in basketball history.

Bias was a first-team All-American, two-time ACC Athlete of the Year, and the ACC tournament MVP. In terms of prospects, Bias was ahead of Michael Jordan and was drawing a lot of attention at the time. Bias played for Maryland and was a 6 foot 8-inch tall muscular player. In his senior year at Maryland, Bias averaged 23 points and 7 rebounds per game on 54% shooting from the floor.

It is no surprise that Leonard Bias was a lottery pick. He was the second-overall draft pick in the 1986 NBA Draft and was picked by the Boston Celtics. Upon being drafted, Bias and Reebok agreed on a five-year, $1.6 million deal.

After the draft night, Bias went back to his college dorm to celebrate. He indulged in alcohol and cocaine on that fateful night. Unfortunately, Bias suffered a cardiac arrest induced by a cocaine overdose. He did not survive this and tragically passed away.

Following the incident, the Bias law was introduced that introduced a provision of strict punishment for drug distribution which results in death via overdose.