Rasheed Wallace not only made wild boasts before the match, but he also put on a brilliant display during the game.
His offense featured both inside and out, and a single straight-arm jump shot battered Temple University beyond endurance, while he simultaneously teamed up with Darnad Williams to perfectly guard the restricted area.
In the end, Sheed scored a game-high 26 points and 15 rebounds, leading the North Carolina Tar Heels to defeat Temple University and smoothly advance to the March Madness championship game!
With this, the matchups for the 1993-1994 NCAA Tournament championship game were fiercely set.
North Carolina Tar Heels vs California Golden Bears
Advancing to the tournament finals for two consecutive years was an uncommon sight across history.
"I don't like using Jordan-Pippen to describe this team."
After the match, North Carolina head coach Dean Smith spoke up: "We are a team of 12 players!"
"Don't forget, we are the true champion squad!"
It was worth mentioning.
North Carolina was the reigning NCAA champion from last season!
Their goal this season was to embark on the road to defense!
Although the North Carolina head coach emphasized after the match that a basketball game was not a project relying on one, two, or three people.
Yet the discussion topic of who truly was the new era's Jordan-Pippen remained unprecedentedly intense.
"I've heard the propaganda about the next Michael Jordan no less than a hundred times."
In Atlanta's Gold Club in the United States.
Michael watched the television news and lit a Cuban cigar: "But the next Jordan-Pippen, that's the first time I've heard of it."
After encountering Waterloo on the baseball field, Danzi had suffered a huge blow recently.
And men, well, once their emotions take a hit, they want to receive the warmth of an understanding big sister.
So Danzi had topped up hundreds of thousands of dollars at Atlanta's Gold Club these past few days, becoming a distinguished Black Card VIP of the Gold Club!
"MJ, your alma mater North Carolina is about to achieve a back-to-back championship; don't you want to go to the scene to witness your alma mater win the title? I think the North Carolina juniors and your coach will definitely be extremely excited when they see you!"
Persuading Michael from the side was none other than his agent David Falk.
During this past year of Michael's retirement, David Falk's mood was just like his name—fucked to the extreme.
During the year of Danzi's retirement, he chose to step into the baseball field and self-righteously believed he could replicate his historical status from the basketball world into baseball.
Yet Michael simplified the baseball game.
That baseball skill level of his, placed in the baseball league, was no different from Stephen Hawking playing football in the UEFA Champions League.
Now realizing the gap, Danzi didn't even want to play baseball anymore, spending all day in Atlanta's Gold Club wildly practicing ball control and pocket-picking with a group of understanding big sisters.
David Falk's busiest daily chore was trying every possible way to instill in Michael the concept of returning to the NBA to continue playing basketball, because considering his age, Michael was currently at the peak of a basketball player's career. Allowing him to indulge in wine and women all day here was simply wasting a heavenly gift.
Moreover, David Falk had also quietly permeated media personnel multiple times, suggesting that Michael might choose a comeback next season or the season after that, wanting to use this to stimulate fans' calls for Michael.
And David Falk's recent means of stimulating Michael to return to play in the NBA was:
The North Carolina Tar Heels.
North Carolina was Michael's alma mater, and furthermore, North Carolina's significance to Michael could arguably be even greater than that of the Chicago Bulls.
Don't look at Michael winning three NBA championships with the Bulls and reaping countless honors, but in this commercial league, once interests become involved, emotions are diluted.
Only university days were truly the years of youth.
And whenever Michael mentioned his NCAA days, his smile always overflowed with the smile of a god.
No person would forget the most important, most classic, and craziest shot in the entire history of March Madness.
Coming from Michael Jordan during the March Madness finals of the 1981-1982 season, in the final moments before the end of the game, Michael hit the buzzer-beating shot that helped the team win by a narrow single point and started the journey of the god.
"If you're trying to use North Carolina to awaken my passion for basketball, I have to say I really fall for this trick."
Michael put down the newspaper and took a puff of his Cuban cigar: "Last year I didn't have time, and couldn't witness North Carolina win the championship on-site."
"This year, I really want to see these little guys."
As soon as David Falk heard there was a play, he was immediately overjoyed.
No matter what.
As long as Michael could move his feet to leave the muddy quagmire of sensory intoxication that was Atlanta's Gold Club, even if it wasn't going to an NBA site, but just going to a park basketball court to shoot some hoops, David Falk would still feel extremely gratified.
"That's great MJ, I believe your juniors will definitely be extremely excited after seeing you. Moreover, this year's finals' excitement is no less than last year's; Li Fei and Jason Kidd, these two hailed as the NCAA's Jordan-Pippen, they are this year's projected number one or number two picks..."
"NONONO."
David Falk excitedly introduced him to Michael, but Danzi impatiently shook his finger.
"The ones who can become All-Star players in the future are definitely not the two of them; at most, the two of them will just scrape by as ordinary starters."
"Oh?"
David Falk was somewhat surprised: "You mean to say someone else will become an All-Star in the future."
"Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace?"
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Michael shook his head, still maintaining a face full of disdain.
"Could it be Lamond Murray, or last year's MOP Darnad Williams?"
"Neither."
Michael pulled one out from the newspaper, pointed at a name with his finger, seemingly quite satisfied with his own unique choice, and smugly said: "Trust me, he will counterattack to become a future NBA superstar."
"It's him, Green Stewart!"
"Who...?"
David Falk looked at the newspaper, looking at that fellow frantically pounding Chris Webber's head, and couldn't help scratching his head: "This..."
Green Stewart, if not for this fifth-string player throwing heavy punches with Chris Webber, David Falk wouldn't have heard of this person at all.
So, could this brother really cut it?
After all, this was Michael's vision...
This finals not only alarmed Michael.
Looking across the history of the entire NBA, its attraction was also an unprecedented existence.
The heat had long since far surpassed last year's record-breaking ratings of the Michigan Fab Five vs the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Various NBA teams also cast their sights toward the March Madness finals.
Especially the teams that had listed Li Fei as a primary focus paid an abundance of attention.
After all, this was Li Fei's last live-action match before the draft.
"Jerry, to what stage has Michael's comeback reached?"
United States, Chicago
Bulls head coach Phil Jackson knocked on the general manager's office door.
The moment the door opened, the black-silk female secretary sitting on Jerry Krause's lap was startled, pulling her tight-fitting skirt and leaving with a red face.
Once the female secretary left, Jerry Krause smoothed out his suit trousers, wiped his sweat, and said: "David Falk has said countless times that Michael will return, but to be honest, I'm not certain about this matter either."
In 1994, the relationship between Phil Jackson and Jerry Krause had already developed cracks, and the two looked at each other with mutual disfavor, but at least it hadn't reached the point of complete fracture where Krause would blurt out the words "it's the organization that wins championships, not the players" just to tick off Phil Jackson.
Especially during this one year of Michael's retirement, on the matter of Michael's return, the two still maintained a unified front.
After all, Michael's return could not only make the Bulls leap into a championship-tier team, but it could also resolve the plunging television ratings for the Bulls this season.
"However, I heard from David that Michael is getting ready to go watch this year's March Madness finals." Krause said.
"Going to watch the NCAA finals doesn't necessarily mean Michael will make a comeback either."
Phil Jackson wasn't particularly surprised by this, after all, Michael's sentimentality toward his alma mater North Carolina was even deeper than that for the Bulls.
"Let's put the matter of Michael's comeback aside first."
Jerry Krause said: "Do you think there's any possibility that Michael is going to watch a certain player on-site?"
Phil Jackson instantly thought of something, a trace of displeasure immediately overflowing across his face: "Don't tell me you want to use someone to lure Michael into a comeback; I don't want to hear such falsehoods."
"You can just directly say which young man you've taken a fancy to; I understand you, which lottery ticket are you trying to scratch in the draft again?"
Jerry Krause was an unadulterated gambler, and among the N core reasons for the rupture of their relationship, one of them was the differing ways of building a team.
Michael and the Zen Master intended to reinforce around the current core roster, whereas Krause was enthusiastic about scraping lottery tickets via the draft, and even capturing good players from various obscure corners to hoard treasures.
Because Scottie Pippen back then was scraped out by him using a draft lottery ticket, and Pippen had let him taste the sweetness.
Future European King Toni Kukoč was also a player Jerry Krause had hoarded.
He even tried to have rookie Tracy McGrady replace an aging Pippen in 1997, attempting to forge a combination of Michael and McGrady.
This drew stern condemnation from Michael and the Zen Master at the time, leading the relationship cracks to tear even wider, because it had nothing to do with championships or not—at that time, Michael viewed Pippen as the best brother by his side for his five championships; how could a meritorious subject of five championships be swapped away on just a word from you?
The conflict of ideologies made the Zen Master dislike Jerry Krause, and at the same time, he knew Krause's nature.
Dabbling about Michael going to watch college student matches on-site and using someone to lure Michael's comeback.
This excuse couldn't have been more obvious.
"You really wronged me, Phil."
Krause narrowed his eyes, revealing a cunning and scheming smile: "If that person is Li Fei, I believe Michael will be attracted by Li Fei to make a comeback."
"Li Fei + Michael Jordan + Scottie Pippen!"
Krause lit a cigar and took a puff like a victor:
"This lineup of mine will turn the league upside down!"
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