Picture this: 21,000 basketball fans cheering as two men get engaged at center court, making history as the NBA’s first gay proposal.
Almost a decade ago, that’s exactly what happened during a Chicago Bulls basketball game.
What started as a desperate Facebook post became a groundbreaking moment that would capture hearts around the world.
Jake Conrad had a problem. His boyfriend, Michael Holtzman, a lifelong Chicago Bulls superfan, had never been to a game.
After almost three years of dating, Jake knew exactly how he wanted to pop the question – at a Bulls game, where Michael could finally see his hero Michael Jordan’s statue.
There was just one issue: the statue had been temporarily removed for construction.
The Facebook Plea
With his original proposal plan falling apart, Jake took to Facebook, asking friends if anyone knew someone he could contact at the Chicago Bulls.
Lucky for him, Michael didn’t have Facebook at the time, so the secret stayed safe.
Initially, Jake just wanted to buy a fan experience package – maybe get some photos on the court before the game, propose quietly, then enjoy watching the Bulls play the San Antonio Spurs. But the Bulls had much bigger plans.
When the Bulls Went All-In
According to Bulls spokesman Ross Lipschultz, when the team heard Jake and Michael’s story, they were “so touched” that they asked Jake if he was open to proposing during the game – in front of 21,000 fans.
Jake was nervous. Michael was more introverted, and Jake’s biggest fear was that he was going to freeze up and refuse to go out on the court, according to Outsports.
But he said yes to their over-the-top offer.
The Perfect Setup
On December 8, 2016, Jake told Michael they were going to a fancy holiday dinner with family. Michael had no idea they were actually heading to a Bulls game until Jake’s best friend Brittany showed up wearing Bulls gear.
This was the man whose email passwords incorporated Michael Jordan’s jersey numbers, who won the Wisconsin State Art Show in high school for a pointillism picture of Jordan.
And now he was sitting courtside, completely oblivious to what was coming.
The Historic Moment
During a timeout in the second quarter, Benny the Bull approached their courtside seats and grabbed Michael from the crowd.
The Luvabulls danced while Benny played with Michael, combing his hair before spinning him around to face the path the cheerleaders had created.
At the end of that path was Jake, walking toward the man he loved with a Ring Pop in hand.
The crowd erupted, and Meghan Trainor’s “Dear Future Husband” played throughout the arena while Bulls legend Scottie Pippen congratulated them.
Watch that heartwarming moment here:
Breaking Barriers
Jake and Michael became the first gay couple to get engaged during an NBA game. The video went viral, racking hundreds of thousands of views in just four days.
And about that Ring Pop? Michael loved it, saying after seeing how much the courtside seats cost, “I was so glad that he gave me a ring pop because I would love to pick out something together, and second I loved it because it was only a dollar and I could eat it.”
For the record, he never took a lick.
A Lasting Legacy
The Chicago Bulls later invited Jake and Michael back for their 2019 Pride Night and to be part of their float in the Chicago Pride Parade.
Almost a decade later, Jake and Michael’s story still gives us chills. As Jake said at the time: “The Chicago Bulls offered Michael and me a lifetime memory, but what they offered the LGBTQ community is an opportunity to experience love fully, equally, without shame, and without compromise.”
Sometimes the most beautiful moments happen when love gets the spotlight it deserves.