Fox Nation Celebrates Basketball Memories, Legendary Player in ‘Guarding Jordan’
Fox Nation, FNC’s on-demand streaming platform, is debuting “Guarding Jordan With Jeff and Abby Hornacek” on May 4.
The interview special is between Jeff Hornacek, the former head coach of the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns, and his daughter Abby, a sports journalist.
Hornacek was also an NBA player from 1986-2000, starting with the Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers and the Utah Jazz. He guarded six-time NBA champ Michael Jordan during his career. Abby Hornacek is a sports journalist who has covered various teams, beginning with the Phoenix Suns.
“Guarding Jordan” gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at a top pro sport and the high-stakes competition against the legendary Chicago Bulls player. Subjects cover a wide range — from the court strategy guarding Jordan to the specific traits that singled him out.
“Every basketball player wants to play against the best. You know, even though we didn’t win, it was exciting just to play against that team and play against Michael,” says Hornacek.
He says his goal was to keep Jordan from the free throw line, “which was almost impossible because I think he averaged about 10 free throws a game.” The big challenge was not to make him mad! Why? “He’s just going to take it to the end.”
“What are three things that you think of when you think about Michael Jordan?” Abby asks. Her father notes how tough it is to sustain excellence, to “back that up night in and night out.” How did Jordan do it?
“With Michael, it’s a competitiveness, his ruthlessness. I would probably guess that there’s never been a game, even a pick-up game, he’s lost. Because it didn’t matter if it was practice or a game. He was playing it full out because he hated to lose.
“And I think those traits are what made him the superstar he was,” says Hornacek.