Former Lakers small forward Tracy Murray offered a unique glimpse into the legendary Jordan Dome, a private gym where NBA stars famously played high-intensity pickup games with Michael Jordan during the filming of the 1996 movie “Space Jam.” Murray, who was an extra in the film, shared his recollections of Jordan’s return to basketball in 1995 and the unparalleled level of competition within the dome.
“Michael was tough. Period,” Murray stated when reflecting on Jordan’s comeback after his baseball hiatus. “When he was making his comeback, we were playing pickup games at the Jordan Dome when he was filming ‘Space Jam’ because a lot of us were in the film as extras and things like that, and he was tough then and that was off a couple years of playing baseball you know – he still hadn’t lost a step. He was just knocking the rust off, but he was STILL Michael Jordan.”
Murray, a Los Angeles native and UCLA product, played for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2002-03 NBA season. In his single season with the Lakers, the small forward appeared in 31 games, averaging 2.0 points and 0.7 rebounds in 6.2 minutes per contest.
While his time on the court was brief, he later returned to the Lakers organization in an assistant coaching role. Murray vividly described the setup of the Jordan Dome, a place of convergence for basketball’s elite and Hollywood’s biggest names. “If you parked outside the dome, you’ll walk in this little area where the door was, and you walk into the door and you’ll see the court. It was like the Long Beach Arena – the old Long Beach [49ers] Arena floor with two portable baskets on there.”
Beyond the court, the dome was equipped with amenities for Jordan and his guests. “To the left would be like a net where he could practice on his golf swing and hit the ball in the net. It was like a poker table because guys like playing cards or whatever. If you look to the right there would be chairs lined up along the court for – a lot of stars and celebrities came in to watch the pickup games.”
When asked about the star-studded spectators, Murray reeled off an impressive list. “Awww Shoot. The Wayans, Queen Latifah, the whole ‘Space Jam’ staff, tons of comedians, anybody that was somebody came through and watched. Black Hollywood was up in there. Everybody was there!”
The pickup games themselves were legendary for their intensity and the sheer talent on display. “The pickup games were the best pickup games EVER! Best pickup games I’ve ever played in my life! And if I didn’t improve as a player that summer then, I deserve no spot in the NBA. That’s how intense it was, that’s how many top players in the league were there – it was like an NBA All-Star game in there EVERY day. I mean it was that type of talent.”
Murray emphasized the true positional play in these games, a rarity in pickup. “Everybody was playing their natural positions. You didn’t see 4s playing 5s or anything like that; you look at the 5 spot you got Shaq, ‘Zo, Mutombo, Ewing. … You know at the power forwards you having Chuck and Rodman and Oakley – Larry Johnson…some of the top power forwards, Karl may have come but I wasn’t there if he came through. It’s like you had that type of caliber player in there. Point guards you know, you had Rod Strickland, Tim Hardaway guys like that coming through. 2-guards of course you have Michael, Reggie…every top 2-guard in the league coming in there. You had Scottie and Grant Hill – Grant Hill in his prime! You know people forget about Grant Hill. Grant Hill in his prime was a MONSTER. Glen Rice, Steve Smith – I mean it was for real up in there.”
The games were played to seven points, creating a high-stakes environment. “You were only going to seven. So you’d better be ready to be able to strap it up and perform right away or else you’re sitting for a couple hours before you get back on. That’s what the weight room was for. If you lose, you better go lift weights because it’s gonna be a while. It was intense up in there!”
Murray recalled one particular matchup that epitomized the competitive spirit: “The most intense game that I remember was when Reggie and Mike were playing and you know those two…they got after it. They have a little history with each other, so even pickup games are just like NBA Playoff games with those two, and the most trash-talking, physical, in-your-face pickup game I’ve ever seen between two people.”
He concluded, “It was a joy to watch to be honest with you to see two great players, two Hall of Famers have that much pride in a pickup game not wanting to lose. I mean the level of trash-talk was DISRESPECTFUL on both ends but to see – but to see that you know, nobody’s getting paid for this…this is love, this is pride, this is respect. And to see that level during the summer was incredible.”
Beyond his reflections on the Jordan Dome, Murray also weighed in on the hypothetical scenario of the Houston Rockets facing Michael Jordan’s Bulls in the NBA Finals. Referencing a past conversation with Kenny Smith in which Smith told me on Scoop B Radio that had MJ not retired, the Rockets would have beat MJ and the Bulls in the NBA Finals “no question.”
Murray agreed with Smith’s assertion that the Rockets would have prevailed.
“To piggyback on what Kenny Smith is saying, Kenny was my teammate for one of those championships he got two of ‘em with Dream,” Murray said, referring to Hakeem Olajuwon.
“There was NO answer with Chicago for Hakeem Olajuwon. No answer. He was the most dominant big man that I’ve ever played with and that I have ever seen. That’s no shade to Shaq, no shade to him at all – I played with him and Shaq. No shade, but Hakeem Olajuwon was – what he did to David Robinson, what I witnessed in the front row – what he did to David Robinson and that was the MVP year? I’ve never seen a center like that to ANYBODY ever. And I’ve seen Kareem all through my childhood you know, kill people. But what Hakeem Olajuwon did? He was THE DESTROYER! I’ve never seen a great center look like a college player against a pro. It was just a one-way butt kickin’ and I’ve never seen that before in my life.”