mobile app bar

“F**k them, don’t need to shake hands when you lose a championship”: Pistons’ Rick Mahorn admits that he wouldn‘t shake hands with Michael Jordan even today

Samir Mehdi
Published

"I told Michael Jordan about the triangle and how he'd never win another scoring title": How Phil Jackson got Michael Jordan to buy into Tex Winter's 'Triangle' and share the spotlight with his Bulls teammates

Rick Mahorn, a ‘Bad Boy’ Piston, admits that he wouldn’t shake hands with the Bulls or Michael Jordan even today, after losing in 1991. 

Michael Jordan had quite the storybook beginning to his postseason successes. His career up until 1991 was marred with Playoff shortcomings and from 1998-1990, three years straight, the Chicago Bulls would run into the Detroit Pistons in the postseason, and lose all three times. 

Isiah Thomas was the engine that fueled the ‘Bad Boy’ Pistons on the offensive end of the floor while guys like Bill Laimbeer and Dennis Rodman played the role of bruisers on the defensive end. They were known to beat up on guys in the league with an extremely high level of physical play, leading Michael Jordan to seek out Tim Grover in ‘89 to help him bulk up.

Also read: “I’d be Michael Jordan in this era”: Patrick Ewing confidently claimed that he’d be the ‘GOAT’ if he would’ve played today as he says there ‘aren’t many good centers’

Michael Jordan and the Bulls would finally get over the Pistons humped in 1991 as they swept the aging two-time champions in the Eastern Conference Finals. This loss would mark the end of the ‘Bad Boy’ Pistons’ potential dynasty, leading to one of the more infamous moments in NBA history. 

Rick Mahorn emphatically denies wanting to shake hands with the Bulls and Michael Jordan. 

Sportsmanship was something the Detroit Pistons at the time lacked on several occasions. The biggest instance of this was when they walked off the court in the waning minutes of a hopeless Game 4 in the 1991 ECF, without shaking any of the Bulls players’ hands. 

Guys like Michael Jordan and other Bulls have come out and said that they felt a certain type of way about this decision made by them. Rick Mahorn however, a crucial piece to those Pistons teams, has recently come out and explicitly stated that he doesn’t care and still wouldn’t shake hands with them to this day.

Also read: “Dennis Rodman shooting a 3 had a retired Michael Jordan smiling”: When Scottie Pippen squared off against his former Bulls teammate on the Lakers with the ‘GOAT’ in attendance

In all fairness, losing a chance to win a 3rd straight championship is a decent enough reason not be walk off the floor. NBA fans can’t expect the utmost level of sportsmanship from every single team that walks onto NBA hardwood. 

 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

instagram-icon

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

Share this article