The music world will remember Kenny Rogers for his country hits and rotisserie chicken. The sports world will remember him for the time he scored on Michael Jordan.
After Rogers' death on Saturday, a video began going around showing the country singer faking out Michael Jordan during a pickup basketball game.
In honor of Kenny Rogers today, let's remember the time he scored on Michael Jordan at the 1988 Kenny Rogers Classic Weekend. pic.twitter.com/CODlblr099
— Sporting News (@sportingnews) March 21, 2020
The 1988 game was part of the Kenny Rogers Classic Weekend, a three-day fundraising celebration at his Georgia home. The festival featured live music, golf, fishing, and a star-studded 3-on-3 celebrity basketball game played against NBA legends and other celebrities, including Michael Jordan, Isiah Thomas, Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkens. A $400,000 prize pool was in play.
Naturally, Jordan took the game seriously.
After Jordan's slam dunk, the ball gets passed to Rogers near the top of the key. Jordan gets in his face, but Kenny ... knows when to hold 'em. Rogers pump-fakes, side steps, and finds nothing but net.
Los Angeles Lakers play-by-play man Chick Hearn had the call: "Kenny Rogers puts Michael Jordan in the popcorn machine and hits a 21-footer! How about that shot?"
Jordan would get his revenge later on. The clip shows Jordan sending a layup attempt from Rogers right back.
If you're gonna play the game, boy, you gotta learn to play it right.