John Salley, during his appearance on ‘Byron Scott’s Fast Break’ podcast, shared an unforgettable moment that cemented in his mind the greatness of Michael Jordan, confirming his status as the Greatest of All Time (GOAT). Salley, who played alongside Jordan on the Chicago Bulls after competing against him with the Detroit Pistons, recounted a particular practice session that left an indelible impression.
(Cleaned up for better understanding)
“We had a practice, and Phil told MJ to go home. He didn’t know why, and he waited. Then Phil said, ‘Alright, we’re scrimmaging for minutes,’ and MJ came back in. ‘No, no, no, you’re not putting me out,’ he said.”
“He had on regular tennis shoes that looked like Vans but were Nike, and his sweats were cut and rolled at the bottom. He thought he was fly, but you know, you don’t say anything to the Messiah. He said, ‘Yeah, put all the Pistons on that team. Put Harp and Randy Brown over there.’ Harp was pissed.”
“We’re playing, and all of a sudden I’m running back, and MJ gets a steal. I see him going up for a right-hand dunk, and I think, ‘I know exactly what dunk you’re going to try, and I’m getting this. I don’t care.’ I drop step, turn around, and just as I’m about to jump, his midsection is moving past my face.”
“You try to bring yourself down at that point, but he’s like, ‘Block this, b**h!’ Boom. He dunked it. I take the ball out, boom boom, and I’m staying at the hotel behind the facility, so I jump the fence and go home.”
“I call my mother, and she says, ‘How is it?’ I say, ‘Ma, I just saw the greatest player of all time.’ She says, ‘It took you this long to admit it?’ And I go, ‘Yeah, it took me this long, but I just saw him play in tennis shoes, no tape, no knee brace, no wristband, wearing sweatpants, a t-shirt, and a practice jersey—and he played like it was the Finals.'”
“It was like he was reliving the ’80s. I thought, ‘This dude is on another level.’ We’d go out to play against other teams, and everyone was excited to see MJ. But in the back, before the game, he was always so intense. He was the last one to come out. We’d all run out, and then MJ would be the last. That scared people.”
“You’d look down the tunnel and think, ‘Oh my God, here comes MJ—here comes the devil now.’ At the United Center, my locker was here, and he was right next to mine. I’d watch him tie his shoes, pull up his socks, and make sure both socks were the exact same height. Everything had to be perfect, like he was a gladiator.”
“I don’t think people realize how psycho he was about this stuff. If you messed up his outfit even a little bit, it would piss him off. His shirt had to be tucked perfectly. That’s the only way to distract him—make him think about something other than destroying you. His mentality was to destroy you, demean you, and make you feel like you shouldn’t even be on the court with him. It’s the best mindset in the world.” (44:31)
Salley recalled how Phil Jackson, the Chicago Bulls‘ head coach, initially told Jordan to sit out during practice, only for MJ to reassert himself and refuse to leave. Jordan, dressed in casual tennis shoes that looked more like Vans than typical basketball footwear, and wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, showed up ready to play despite not being in full gear. Salley marveled at Jordan’s casual attire, but more than that, he was astounded by what happened next.
In the scrimmage, Salley found himself in a sequence where Jordan got a steal and was headed for what looked like a routine right-hand dunk. Salley, a seasoned defender, believed he had seen this play before and was ready to block it. But just as Salley was about to jump, Jordan’s athleticism took over.
Michael Jordan rose higher than Salley anticipated, and his midsection flew past Salley’s face as Jordan dunked the ball with authority. For Salley, this wasn’t just another athletic play by a superstar. The fact that Jordan did all of this while in casual attire—without the usual basketball-specific shoes, knee braces, or wristbands—shocked him.
John Salley immediately recognized Jordan’s unmatched skill and dedication. He left the facility and called his mother to share the moment, finally admitting, after years of playing against Jordan, that he had witnessed the greatest player ever.
Salley noted that Jordan’s competitive spirit was evident in even the smallest details, such as how intensely he prepared for games. MJ had a ritual before every game where he’d meticulously dress, making sure every detail was perfect. Salley observed how Jordan would tie his shoes, pull up his socks to the exact same height, and ensure that everything was flawless. If his outfit was even slightly off, it would distract him—one of the only ways to take his mind off his mission to dominate his opponent.
This intense attention to detail and perfectionism translated into how Jordan approached every game. Salley recalled that Jordan would always be the last player to emerge from the tunnel, creating an aura of fear and anticipation in his opponents. Players would look down the tunnel and, upon seeing Jordan, feel the pressure of facing someone who was mentally and physically prepared to obliterate them.
Salley was struck not just by Jordan’s athletic ability but by his psychological edge. Jordan’s drive to destroy his opponents and make them feel like they didn’t belong on the same court was what set him apart. This relentless mentality, combined with his natural gifts, convinced Salley that Jordan was not just great—he was the greatest.
For John Salley, this moment in practice encapsulated everything about Jordan’s GOAT status. It wasn’t just his skills or his physical ability; it was the totality of his mindset, his competitiveness, and his ability to perform at the highest level, even in the most casual of circumstances. Jordan wasn’t just playing basketball—he was always in a state of preparation to destroy anyone who dared to challenge him, and that’s what made him the GOAT.
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