And the legend of Michael Jordan’s competitive streak continues to grow. Why His Airness is afforded leeway concerning stories like this that others aren’t, we’re not exactly sure. But the collective’s inevitably fawning reception to this latest tale of domineering, intimidation, and downright cruelty – at expense of a teammate, no less – certainly is. On a radio appearance with New York’s Hot 97 yesterday, Horace Grant told a story of Jordan sucker-punching Will Perdue during a Chicago Bulls practice in the 1990s.
Here’s video of Grant telling the tale followed by a helpful transcription from Pro Basketball Talk:
“Our practices were so intense because Phil [Jackson], the mastermind behind everything, would put MJ on the second team, me and Scottie [Pippen] would be on the first team, and being competitive like he was, man. Unreal, unreal. Of course punches got thrown, many fights. I’m just so happy that social media wasn’t (around) back then.”
“I hate to tell the story but Will and I are still good friends … Typical Phil we run this play and Will set an illegal pick on MJ, and MJ said,’Will, don’t do that again.’ ‘Whatcha talking about’ that’s Will. MJ says alright; Phil says run it again. So naturally we run it two more times, illegal pick. MJ walks up to Will — boom. Lit him up. It was over; we grabbed Will — you’re not going to hurt MJ. MJ can take care of himself. The next day on the plane, Will gets on with this huge shiner.”
Cue the masses bemoaning the league’s current lack of intensity and lamenting that today’s players don’t possess Jordan’s fire: “Only a real man would ‘defend his honor’ by clocking a teammate, right? Shame. The NBA is soft nowadays.”
If you’re among the minority’s reaction to Grant’s story, accept our apologies. But the double-standard accompanying everything Jordan has grown tired. Are we really supposed to treat this behavior as anything other than reprehensible? Grant and the radio hosts are chuckling with glee throughout the segment. Why?
It’s not epic that Jordan threw punches at teammates on different occasions. Instead of furthering his nearly mythical legacy, this should be another stain on it – like so many other anecdotes from the six-time champion’s career that are either mystifyingly glorified or swept under the rug entirely.
Can you imagine if Russell Westbrook, for instance, socked a teammate? How would the basketball public react? Surely much differently from its response to this latest story of MJ’s oft-boorish behavior.
Jordan is likely the best basketball player of all-time and without a doubt the most iconic. But it’s time we accept the flaws that perhaps pushed him to such unparalleled heights at their ugly surface. Jordan isn’t the face of the league anymore; there’s no need to protect him any further.
Just like Grant and the rest of the wide-eyed Bulls opted against defending Perdue so many years ago.
(H/T UpRoxx)
What do you think?
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