Some things just make sense … and this is one of those things.
Retired NBA forward Stephen Jackson recently appeared on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast to talk about his 14-year-long NBA career. During that wide-ranging interview, Jackson shared us with one of the most on-brand Michael Jordan stories you’ve ever heard.
As Jackson recounts, while he was with Jordan-owned Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) in 2010, the GOAT stormed into the locker room after an ugly loss. After Jackson made some kind of comment that Jordan initially ignored, the GOAT showed up at practice the next day.
And, well, you can kind of guess what happened next:
“This sh*t was kind of directed toward me and Gerald Wallace since we were the leaders of the team. He’s going off. Just going off on us to the point where he gets on the second team in practice. And we lose!
…
Whatever he had on, he came out there, got on the floor, pushed whoever Gerald Wallace was guarding, the three guard, kicked him out and got in that spot and played with the second team. Our second team wasn’t scrubs now. He scored a couple of points to the point where he talked so much sh*t that he grabbed the ball and dunked one on the way out.”
Yes, that’s right. Jackson said that a retired 47-year-old Michael Jordan beat a group of starting NBA players. I mean, is that not the most GOAT thing you’ve ever heard?
I would have given everything to be in the gym that day. The number of curse words thrown around may have broken a Guinness World Record, and I have no doubt the embarrassment felt by the starters was palpable.
Anyway, we might as well keep our eyes out for a sequel to this story. The Hornets’ 7-20 record is the second-worst in the NBA, so I hope these guys are coming to practice ready!