Sunday’s third and fourth installments of The Last Dance generally focused on the Bulls’ road to dethrone the Detroit Pistons in the East. The Pistons were coming off three straight trips to the NBA Finals (and two straight titles) before the 1990-91 Bulls effectively ended that dynasty.
The subplot within that rivalry was the beef between Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas. The Pistons caused a huge stir back then when they walked off the court without shaking hands after getting swept by Chicago. In the documentary, Thomas tried to explain and rationalize the move.
But we could see — by the meme-worthy reaction — that Jordan still hasn’t entirely gotten over his issues with Thomas.
And to think, Thomas’ feud with Jordan didn’t even start on the court.
According to former Pistons player John Salley, Thomas’ entire beef with Jordan stemmed from Thomas’ nephew — a Chicago native — wearing a Michael Jordan Bulls jersey.
Salley said:
“Isiah goes home, and his nephew is wearing a Bulls jersey, a Michael Jordan Bulls jersey. He said, ‘Hey, what you doing?’ ‘We in Chicago. That’s my team.’ It’s his nephew. He was not really understanding that the great Isiah Thomas plays for Detroit, we don’t wear that. We wear this. ‘But I’m from Chicago. I’m down with the Bull movement.’ Isiah was mad at that. Not to Michael, personally. In his brain, ‘Every time I play against this dude, I’m gonna try to go off so my nephew sees this is the jersey you should wear.’ Never at Michael.”
That’s it! I must say, I appreciate that pettiness.
Yeah, Thomas had every right to be offended by his nephew sporting a rival’s jersey, but he went as far as to try to take that out on Jordan. Amazing, really.
