“Luc Longley, that is the last time, I give you an in-game compliment!”: Michael Jordan begrudgingly remembers an in-game moment involving the former Bulls center from the 1998 season

Arun Sharma | 20/11/2021
"Luc Longley, that is the last time, I give you an in-game compliment!": Michael Jordan begrudgingly remembers an in-game moment involving the former Bulls center from the 1998 season

Michael Jordan and Luc Longley played together for 3+ seasons – they shared some heated moments

In a game against the Utah Jazz in 1998, Chicago Bulls center Lucien “Luc” Longley had a terrific first quarter. He had 12-points, 4-blocks, and 4-rebounds. MJ, a player who is rarely heard giving out compliments, hypes up his teammate to continue playing the same way.

The Bulls were up by 16 at a point in the game, thanks to the efforts of the Aussie center. And then he went ice cold. He finished the game with the same stat line he recorded in the first 12 minutes. Jordan, like always, took it personally! He walks up to Luc, tells him that would be the last time he ever praises him in-game.

Longley wasn’t a part of the dressing room during the first 3-peat, coming in 1993-94. He had a good rapport with Scottie Pippen, but when Jordan returned, he found it difficult around him. Incidents like this did no good for their relationship, something that is strained to this day.

Also Read: “My dad used to stick his tongue out, so I do it too”: Michael Jordan explained why the Bulls legend did his iconic tongue wag during his best highlights and dunks

Luc Longley is a forgotten man from the Chicago Bulls 3-peat – But he had his moments with the Bulls

The first-ever Australian National to win a championship, and the only to win 3, Luc Longley was a mainstay in the Bulls team for 5 seasons. He won 3 championships with the likes of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, but his name rarely comes up. He was the starting center for the Bulls from the 1995 season.

Everywhere he played, Longley was a solid player. He had a quiet but eventful career for someone who won three championships. Granted he isn’t a household name like the Jordans, Pippens, Rodmans of that Bulls dynasty, but he played his role very well. Averaging 7 points and 5 rebounds during his career, his peak output was in the 3-peat run, hitting an average of 10 points and almost 5.5 rebounds.

Also Read: “The media are cheerleaders for Michael Jordan”: Scottie Pippen continues his tirade on the Bulls legend while promoting his new memoir, ‘Unguarded’

Luc Longley walked so that the other Australians in the future could run.  The first-ever Australian to play in the league, he remains the most successful to this date.

 

Post Edited By: Arjun Julka
Chicago Bulls Luc Longley Michael Jordan

About the author

Arun Sharma

Arun Sharma is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. A double degree holder and a digital marketer by trade, Arun has always been a sports buff. He fell in love with the sport of basketball at a young age and has been a Lakers fan since 2006. What started as a Kobe Bryant obsession slowly turned into a lifelong connection with the purple and gold. Arun has been an ardent subscriber to the Mamba mentality and has shed tears for a celebrity death only once in his life. He believes January 26, 2020, was the turning point in the passage of time because Kobe was the glue holding things together. From just a Lakers bandwagoner to a basketball fanatic, Arun has spent 16 long years growing up along with the league. He thinks Stephen Curry has ruined basketball forever, and the mid-range game is a sight to behold. Sharma also has many opinions about football (not the American kind), F1, MotoGP, tennis, and cricket.

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