With college recruitment and signing days becoming as televised and talked-about as games themselves, it’s hard to remember a time when picking a school was a much less formal process.
Courtesy of ESPN’s Darren Rovell, a letter between Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and former recruit Michael Jordan (who ended up playing for rival North Carolina, of course) shows just how different it used to be. Krzyzewski was among those who missed out on the prized recruit in just his first year on Tobacco Road, and he sent Jordan a letter when he heard of the news.
“You are a fine young man, and you should make an immediate impact on whatever you choose,” Krzyzewski writes.
While many coaches continue to send letters to recruits or thank them after they pick another team, it’s still interesting to see the exchange in 1980, before what would become a legendary college and pro career for young “Mike.”
Check out the letter below.
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