Robert Parish‘s short stint with the Chicago Bulls yielded title success, but it was far from being an easy ride. With pre-existing conflicts with Michael Jordan, having been with the Boston Celtics for most of his career, Parish recalled a confrontation he had with the Bulls star during a practice session on the “Locked On Celtics” podcast and said:
“I think he was a bit ticked off, too, because the second team was kicking their butt at the time and I was talking trash. I didn’t back down.”
“He said he would kick my butt, and I told him if he felt that strongly about it, come and get some. That was the end of it. We didn’t have another confrontation.”
The Bulls’ practice sessions used to get heated, particularly due to Jordan’s compulsive need to establish his dominance and test his teammates. Having returned to peak form after a 72-10 season and a title in hand, the Bulls star was at the peak of his powers. But, Parish, having been a champion before joining the Bulls, was unfazed by Jordan’s attempts at intimidation.
In a previous episode of the “Cedric Maxwell Podcast“, Parish mentioned how during another practice session, he was talking trash to Jordan after his team had won four games in a row. He recalled the star’s reaction to this and said:
“He took offense to it because clearly, no one ever manned up to him and challenged him. So he said that if I wasn’t careful, he would kick my ass.”
Parish was not under any illusions about his teammate. At the age of 43, the big man had done and achieved everything there was to achieve as a professional. With four NBA titles, nine All-Star selections, and two All-NBA selections, he had established his place alongside the greats of the game.
The confrontation between the two could be considered stressful, but it yielded positive results as the Bulls continued to dominate during the 90s. Parish’s two-year stint with the Bulls yielded two titles, although the center played a very minimal role as a reserve, averaging only 3.7 points and 2.1 rebounds per game during his time with the team.
While Parish brought experience and composure with him, Jordan brought the competitive edge and dominance. Partnered with Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, Jordan and the Bulls ran through the second half of the 90s.
Jordan’s averages of 29.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game from 1995-1998 only improved in the postseason, increasing to 31.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.1 assists.
But Jordan’s brilliance in the playoffs was far from being the only factor dictating the success of the team. Both Pippen and Rodman played crucial roles in helping the Bulls win those titles. Parish even admitted that Jordan wouldn’t have won without Rodman.
The eight-year stretch proved to be one of the most fruitful ones in any franchise’s history, creating a dynasty for the ages and forming an undeniable legacy for Jordan. Although the Bulls legend would come out of retirement to play with the Washington Wizards, even he admitted that this decision was a mistake.
