NBA Is Probing Hoax Call to Michael Jordan’s Mother

MINNEAPOLIS — The NBA and the Minnesota Timberwolves are trying to find out who made an apparently bogus telephone call to the Target Center claiming Michael Jordan’s mother had been hospitalized.

Jordan found out about the call at halftime of Tuesday night’s 99-95 loss to the Wolves, after he had scored 17 points to set an NBA record with his 788th consecutive game in double figures.

NBA spokesman Chris Brienza said Wednesday the league was working with the Wolves to investigate the call. Criminal charges are possible if the caller is identified.

“Whatever they need, any phone records we have, the phone numbers people left ... we’re willing to cooperate,” Wolves spokesman Kent Wipf said. “They need to find out who this person is.”

Led by Jordan, the Bulls led 56-47 at halftime and seemed comfortably on their way to improving to 17-0 against Minnesota.

Jordan was informed when he went to the locker room that someone claiming to be his brother Larry had called the arena’s command office to say his mother had been rushed to a hospital.

Jordan said he eventually determined the call was a hoax, but he missed the first 3:14 of the third quarter trying to make sure, and admitted he was shaken by the incident.

“It was one of those things that you don’t want to just let it fall by the wayside. Anything can happen,” Jordan said. “It turned out to be a hoax. Fortunately it was that. Those types of things you just have to grin and bear it, and move on.”

Jordan, whose father was slain in 1993, had a hard time doing that after the game, though.

He still seemed unnerved and shot back a quick, “That’s none of your business,” when asked if had talked with his mother, Deloris. He later cut short his postgame interview short.

Although Bulls coach Phil Jackson left some doubt Tuesday night whether Jordan actually had verified his mother’s safety, team spokesman Tim Hallam reiterated Wednesday the call was a hoax.

It remained unclear Wednesday how Jordan determined the call was a fake.

There was no telephone listing for Jordan’s mother in and around Charlotte, N.C., where she has been living in recent years.