to the Indianapolis Colts on October 31, 1987. The interview was hailed by ESPN anchor Tom Mees as, "The night ESPN SportsCenter truly arrived and was born. We have now gone from a highlight service and interviews to a legitimate news gathering and breaking news operation." On March 22, 1989, Gray got the exclusive and only television interview with NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle in Palm Springs, California when Rozelle suddenly decided to retire. On October 5, 1993, during Game 1 of the 1993 American League Championship Series between the Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, Gray reported Chicago Bulls minority owner Eddie Einhorn told him Michael Jordan would retire from the Chicago Bulls the next day. Jordan was in attendance at the game with Einhorn. Gray followed Jordan out of the stadium to the parking lot with a camera crew and Jordan acknowledging and confirming to Gray what Einhorn told him was true and that Jordan would retire. During Game 4 of the 1996 NBA Eastern Conference Finals, Gray interviewed Leonard Armato, Shaquille O'Neal's agent, while the game was going on with questions about the future of Shaquille O'Neal and then head coach Brian Hill. After a series of tough questions, Gray ended the interview by saying to Armato, "Try to enjoy the game now that you've been grilled!" The interview served as a platform for O'Neal and set the stage as a month later O'Neal left the Magic and signed with the Lakers. During the 1997 NBA Finals, Gray interviewed Dennis Rodman during an NBA on NBC segment. After repeatedly questioning Rodman about his comments about the Mormon religion when (the Chicago Bulls were in Salt Lake City to play the Jazz during the Finals), Rodman finally had enough of the questions, walked off the interview set with tears in his eyes and removed the microphone without assistance. NBC showed the ending of the interview as it happened during the NBA Finals pre-game show. On June 24, 2000 in Glasgow, Scotland, Gray interviewed Mike Tyson after his swift knockout of Lou Savarese where Tyson proclaimed he "wanted to eat his (Lennox Lewis') children." Gray has been known for his close relationship with Kobe Bryant, which showed in the immediate aftermath of Bryant's sexual assault case (the night when the news broke, Gray appeared on SportsCenter in defense of Bryant's character) and in several sideline interviews. It was Gray