Don Calhoun is certainly not a household name in basketball.
In fact, he never stepped foot as a professional on an NBA court.
Calhoun did not make the NBA as a pro, but he did win $1m from the BullsNBAHe did, though, drain a $1million shot that changed sports contests forever — in front of none other than Michael Jordan himself.
On April 14, 1993, Calhoun stood on the floor of Chicago Stadium, just 15 feet from MJ and his Chicago Bulls teammates.
The lucky fan had been signed up for a million dollar, three-quarter-court contest shot that the team had been running every night.
And the rules should have been simple.
Calhoun wasn’t able to shoot it with both hands — instead he’d have to throw it like a quarterback.
The Bulls had held the promotion 19 times that year already — two shots had hit the backboard, and another person bounced one off the rim.
A total of 16 other efforts came nowhere close, and the best estimate of someone like Calhoun making the shot was less than 1 per cent.
But he defied all odds.
As the Bulls huddled nearby, Calhoun stepped up to the free throw line and launched a high-arching rocket.
Seconds later, the ball dropped back down and flew straight through the net.
Calhoun drained a 75ft shot to win a $1m prize in April 1993NBAonESPN The arena exploded as the ball flew through the netNBAonESPN Calhoun celebrated with the Bulls and Jordan after making his historic shotNBAonESPNCalhoun’s incredible effort sent Chicago Stadium into raptures, and he celebrated wildly with the Bulls on the court.
“Great shot, kid,” Jordan, who was smiling ear-to-ear, said before squeezing the city’s newest hero tight.
As the celebrations exploded around him, Calhoun became the toast of Chicago for the next 24 hours, and was about to become a millionaire.
Or so he thought.
After Calhoun made the shot, the insurance company that was required to pay the fan his well-deserved cash voided the payment.
American Hole ‘N One Inc. had discovered that the punter — who at the time was working as an office supply salesman — had played college basketball and deemed him a violation of the competition rules.
The insurance company refused to pay out Calhoun’s $1m Bulls shotGetty Thankfully, Jordan and the Bulls made sure their fan got paid in the endGettyThe stipulation suggested that the fan who took the shot could not have played in an ‘organised’ version of the sport in question for a certain time period before the contest.
With his million-dollar dreams crumbling, a familiar hero came to Calhoun’s rescue.
The Bulls held a news conference, where the fan sat beside long-time chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and several contest sponsors.
“It is unclear at this time whether the company that insured the event will pay on the policy,” a joint statement read.
“However, regardless of its decision, (restaurant group) Lettuce Entertain You, Coca-Cola and the Chicago Bulls will honor the $1m award and ensure that this event has a happy ending.”
Calhoun would immediately receive his first of 20 annual $50,000 payments and in the weeks that followed, he appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and was, quite unbelievably, made the unofficial mayor of Chicago for a brief period.
According to ESPN, he never got the full details about how the team, sponsors and insurance company worked out his payments.
But after they did, Calhoun realized that a key assist came from someone else behind-the-scenes — Jordan himself.
Jordan helped ensure Calhoun eventually received his million-dollar prizeGettyAfter failing to get MJ to autograph the ball he drilled on the night he made his shot, the fan later tracked down the Bulls star at one of his children’s school games.
Calhoun was denied by Jordan’s security multiple times, who told him the star doesn’t sign anything for fans at his kid’s games.
After trying to explain who he was, and why MJ would recognize him, Calhoun was told he could walk with the icon to his car after the game.
“Did you get your money?” Jordan, who was known to enjoy high-stakes bets of his own, asked when the pair finally met.
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Calhoun said yes, and MJ then told him something that nearly knocked him off his feet.
“We made them give it to you,” His Airness, who is also an avid golfer, said.
“We were upset that they were trying to not pay you.”
Calhoun left stunned, having originally heard rumors that Chicago’s players were annoyed at the thought of him getting stiffed.
But that short exchange was confirmation that the great Michael Jordan had helped make him a millionaire.
The ball Calhoun used to make the shot, which was eventually signed by the greatest NBA player in history, is now in the possession of his son.
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