Just as he did as a player, Michael Jordan came through in the waning seconds to strike a deal for controlling interest of the Charlotte Bobcats.  Jordan had exclusive rights to negotiate with current owner, Bob Johnson, up until midnight Friday night and the two sides came to an agreement to transfer ownership late that night. Once again, Jordan "hit a shot" in the clutch.  But, will this ability to succeed continue once Jordan is approved for full ownership of the Bobcats?

 

Jordan has succeeded at every level of basketball as a player.  However, in almost a decade as a personnel manager, he leaves something to be desired.  No one will forget his choice of Kwame Brown with the first overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft as the Washington Wizards' President of Basketball Operations.  Nor will anyone forget the Adam Morrison selection with the third overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft as the Bobcats' Managing Member of Basketball Operations.  While these two drat picks are the most glaring mistakes on Jordan's resume, they were such bad picks of certifiable busts, it's hard to ignore them.

However, Jordan deserves credit for bringing Hall of Fame coach, Larry Brown, into the Bobcats fold this season to lead the team on the court.  Both Brown and Jordan have also worked in conjunction to bring in the players that would fit into Brown's system, such as Stephen Jackson who has been like a shot of adrenaline that now has the Bobcats contending for their first ever playoff berth.

So, how can Jordan succeed as the eventual owner of the Bobcats?  Do as he's done with Brown and listen to those that know more than he does.  Brown has decades of experience that dates back to his days as a player for the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 1960s.  Jordan needs to surround himself with other great basketball minds to help him come to an ultimate decision with player personnel.  As a player, Jordan must have picked the brains of others in order to become the greatest basketball player of all time.  Sure he had that almost incomparable drive and desire to win, but he needed to sit back at time and learn.  Jordan will need to do the same as the owner.

Speaking of that drive and desire to win, Jordan has to approach his ownership the same way he during his youth.  The constant reminder of Kwame Brown, Adam Morrison, and failed seasons with the Bobcats needs to be the equivalent of Jordan not making his varsity team as a high school sophomore.  The naysayers and skeptics about Jordan's team ownership need to be Harvest Leroy Smith all over again.  He'll need to want it as bad as he did as a player.

Jordan is a cultural icon, we know this.  However, in North Carolina, it's on another level as he grew up there, succeeded at  Emsley A. Laney High School in Wilmington, and won a national championship at the University of North Carolina.  Becoming the owner of the Carolina Bobcats, the expectation of success should continue.  Jordan needs to  put himself out there and become the face of the franchise for right now anyway.  With the Bobcats, he's purporsely stayed away from any marketing campaigns.  That needs to change.  I'm not saying he needs to be Mark Cuban and be at every game and showing the seeming limitless passion for his team, but he needs to let the fanbase know that he's actively all in, so that they'll be all in.

It will be a long road before the Bobcats become consummate contenders, however, all things are possible, especially if Jordan is involved.  The question is, will we see Jordan the buzzer-beater or Jordan the suck selector?  Long-time fans of Jordan are hoping for the former, but thus far the odds are for the latter.  However, Jordan can change those odds if he changes his seeming absence and puts himself at the forefront of the team once again.