Michael Jordan wasn’t just the best player on the court, he was the most feared. His trash talk was relentless, his competitiveness unmatched, and his ability to humiliate opponents almost mythical. Many former players have stories about being verbally dismantled, physically outplayed, or mentally broken by the six-time champion.
Advertisement
But Jason Kidd’s story doesn’t fit that mold. Kidd made his league debut as a rookie in the 1994 season, when MJ was returning from his baseball stint. While the era boasted several icons and Hall of Famers, MJ was in a class of his own.
So, when the moment finally arrived, Kidd braced for the worst, only to be caught up in something completely unexpected. During a conversation on the Dan Patrick Show, the Mavs head coach was asked what it was like to play against MJ for the first time.
Kidd said, “It was actually nice. He was nice to me.” After being matched up with MJ in a game, all he could think of was the embarrassment that was about to follow. Kidd prayed for MJ to hit a fadeaway or another one of his classic shots, so he could save face.
“But he went baseline and took off. Unfortunately, my swipe…I missed it, and I was like, ‘Oh, this is going to be on ESPN. He’s going to dunk it and look and do what he does,” Kidd said. To his surprise, MJ finished his sequence with a reverse layup and winked at him. It was a moment of relief for him as he didn’t mind getting scored on by who he thought was the best player in the world.
It’s common to see players from that era admit that he was better than they. When Patrick asked when he came to that realization, Kidd said, “Before tipoff.” Even the greats like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird have acknowledged that MJ was in a league of his own. For athletes, who are usually fueled by their egos, it shows how well respect MJ is among his peers.
Shaquille O’Neal was terrified of Michael Jordan
Shaq terrorized the league with his mighty presence in the late 90s and early 00s. He was a lot to deal with, and most teams couldn’t figure out a way to contain him. However, when Shaq started in the league, he was not the most dominant player. The big fella was scared of facing Jordan, and now he can admit it since the statute of limitations has expired.
On an episode of Inside the NBA, Shaq said, “I was terrified out there…the whole game. One, he was the greatest player. Two, I was worried about him dunking on me and have to go back and face the fellas.” Shaq said that everything he saw MJ do on TV, he did those exact things on the floor against him.
The big fella included Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, and David Robinson on that list, too. The reason? They were not just great players, they were also extremely mean.
