Lance Stephenson signed with the Charlotte Hornets because of Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan played a huge part in convincing Lance Stephenson to leave the Indiana Pacers for the Hornets in free agency

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The Charlotte Hornets landed former Indiana Pacers’ guard Lance Stephenson on a three-year, $27 million deal. It was a surprise to many because it was widely believed he would re-sign with the Pacers. In fact, Lance Stephenson

even cried when he told the Pacers he was leaving to sign with the Hornets

A meeting that involved several in the Hornets’ organization, including head coach Steve Clifford and owner Michael Jordan, convinced Lance Stephenson to join the Hornets.

“When I shook [Jordan’s] hand, I was shaking,” Stephenson said via Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling. “I was very nervous because that’s like everybody in the world who played basketball’s idol. I thought I would never meet Michael Jordan, but when I finally met him and talked to him and got to know him, that was the best feeling ever.”

“I thought that [Jordan] set the tone for the meeting with his initial remarks,” Clifford said, “where he explained to Lance why he liked him so much as a player and how much he thought he could help our team here. Also, the types of things that [Jordan] thought he needed to do to take his game to the next level.”

The Hornets now have raised expectations because of their core of Lance Stephenson, Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson.

With the Pacers last season, Lance Stephenson averaged 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game this season while shooting 49.1% from the field, 35.2% from beyond the arc and 71.1% from the charity stripe.

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