Michael Jordan and the Comment That Cost $15,000

There's a reason they have rules.  They apply to everyone.  Michael Jordan found that out the hard way, to the tune of a $15,000 fine from the NBA. 

What did he do, you ask?  Well, it seems that Jordan, who is part owner of the Charlotte Bobcats basketball team, was talking about Texas freshman Kevin Durant.  You know the 6' 10" Durant?  The kid Boston Celtics' manager Danny Ainge got fined $30,000 for sitting next to his mother Durant.  Yeah, that kid. 

It seems that Kevin has impressed Michael, to the point that when asked about what he was looking for in a player, Jordan told the Charlotte Observer he was interested in versatile players and added, "The kid who may present that is the kid in Texas.  He may have that because he has all the right signs".  No, no, no, Michael, you can't do that.  Team coaches and executives are barred from talking about underclassmen who have yet to declare for the NBA draft.  Even though Jordan only referred to him as "the kid in Texas", everybody knew who he was talking about.  This past season, he averaged nearly 26 points and more than 11 rebounds per game.  He's a small forward who played over 35 minutes per game with a .473 field goal and .816 free throw percentage. 

Here's what they had to say about him at NBADraft.net:
Strengths: A dynamic wing player with freakish length and agility and a scorers mentality … Has the ability to essentially score at will on the college level ... A special player offensively, who has fully developed post skills to go along with an NBA-range jumper ... His ability to pull up off the dribble is absolutely illegal for a 6-10 player ... Simply dominates even elite NCAA competition and top defenders, as his combination of height, length, athleticism, and skill is completely unrivaled on this level ... Despite a laid-back nature, he has developed leadership and demands the ball in crunch time ... He's skilled and instinctual enough to have an offense run through him ... Already a great rebounder who understands the importance of boxing out and can simply leap over players who try to push him out of the lane... Has the potential to become a great defender with his 7'5" wing span and great leaping ability ... The best NCAA freshman to play in some time ... Born in September, he's a year young for his grade, further adding to his intrigue!

Sure, there are some questions about him, but he's still just 18.  I think this is one kid who bears watching.

Want to see his moves?  You can check it out here on youtube.com