Fans haven’t seen Michael Jordan get emotional too much in his career.

Hoop fans saw the legendary basketball player cry when winning his first NBA championship and again when clinching his fourth league title on Father’s Day back in 1996 in memory of his murdered dad. But aside from that, Jordan’s emotional moments have been seldom.

That changed Tuesday night, when Jordan cried while delivering a speech after being named the Charlotte Business Journal’s Business Person of the Year.

"I've been criticized in a lot of different areas from a business standpoint, but I take pride in the ideas and concepts and views that come out of this organization to build the type of basketball program ...that the city of Charlotte can be proud of," the NBA Hall of Famer and owner of the Charlotte Hornets said, while tearing up, according to ESPN.

He added later: "For all of the people that think that I'm in this for the short term, you better pull your socks up and just hang around — because my promise to this organization and this community is to bring a winner. I left home. I came back home. And I plan on staying home.”

Hornets president Fred Whitfield said that Jordan was “genuinely honored and humbled by the award.”

Jordan closed in saying the Hornets organization is “just scratching the surface.” In the past he has mentioned how badly he yearns for an NBA championship ring as an owner, to add to the six that he won as a player. 

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(Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)