- Michael Jordan and his agent wanted John Salley to hate Isiah Thomas
- Jordan and Thomas had a long-running beef during their NBA careers
- Detroit Pistons players once got mad at John Salley for shaking hands with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Horace Grant
Michael Jordan faced off against many players during his illustrious 15-year career in the NBA. But no one gave the Chicago Bulls legend more trouble than Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons.
The Bad Boys Pistons invented the ‘Jordan Rules’ to physically wear down the then-Bulls superstar during their matchups. Evidently, Jordan and Thomas weren’t very fond of each other. According to former NBA player John Salley, Michael Jordan and his agent wanted him to hate Isiah Thomas.
“It was a false narrative,” Salley said on Scoop B Selects radio about Thomas being disrespected. “Isiah took the fall when they said he didn’t want to give the ball to Michael, which when you watch that game, he gave the ball to Michael the whole time.”
He added: “Michael and I had the same agent and at times, he wanted me not to like Isiah. It was his personal thing, but there’s no reason for that to be like that. I just don’t understand because he is a really good guy. One of my favorite people.”
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Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas had a huge rivalry in the NBA. But that doesn’t take away the fact that Zeke was one of the best players of his era. Keeping that in mind, his snub from the 1992 Dream Team was shocking.
To this date, Thomas believes it was Jordan who sabotaged his selection on the Dream Team. While Jordan wasn’t a fan of Thomas and the Pistons, it’s shocking to learn that he wanted Salley to hate the star point guard as well.
John Salley Once Revealed Why Michael Jordan Had To Hate Isiah Thomas
Michael Jordan was a proven winner. He led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA Championships during the 1990s. Most importantly, Jordan defeated his rival Thomas in 1991.
The Chicago Bulls swept the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. It essentially put an end to the rivalry between Jordan and Thomas, but the hatred between the players was still there.
John Salley once shared his views on why Michael Jordan needed to hate Isiah Thomas. Salley also shared with the Bulls head coach Phil Jackson used to call the Bad Boys Pistons ‘thugs.’
“The crazy thing is, Isiah and Michael were hella cool,” Salley said. “I got video when they were doing events, they were hella cool. And then, us beating them two times and coming back, Michael had to realize, I have to dislike this guy in order to beat him. I can’t be cool with him.”
Jordan’s strategy worked as the Pistons were no match for the Bulls in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls would go on to win the 1991 NBA Championship and it was the start of Jordan’s true dominance in the league.
John Salley Says His Detroit Pistons Teammates Were Mad At Him For Shaking Hands With Chicago Bulls Players In 1991
Isiah Thomas and most of the Bad Boys Pistons famously exited Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Bulls without shaking hands. Zeke and his teammates were berated by many for this.
John Salley was the only player who shook hands with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Horace Grant, but it made his Pistons teammates mad. But he couldn’t care less about their opinion.
To justify his actions, Isiah Thomas once used Larry Bird’s example. Thomas explained Bird never shook hands after losing to the Lakers and that’s what he did after losing against the Bulls.
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