The NBA’s In-Season Tournament had its inaugural run this season, where the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Indiana Pacers 123-109 in the final in Las Vegas to become the first winners of the competition. The concept of a new tournament sparked scepticism at first. However, the incredible level of play during the tournament made it a grand success. Fans, former players, and analysts speculated how six-time NBA Finals MVP Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls teams would have approached the tournament had it been around in the 1990s.
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Fox Sports analyst and big Jordan fan Skip Bayless shared his opinion on the six-time NBA champion’s mindset regarding the In-Season Tournament. On the Skip Bayless Show, the analyst said:
“You know what [Michael Jordan] would have called [the NBA In-Season Tournament? He would use cute as derisive cute. He would’ve said, ‘Oh. They are going to make us play an in-season tournament? That’s cute.”
But there was a catch in Bayless comments as he believes even if Jordan would have dismissed the tournament’s value he with his Bulls teams would dominated it.
“However many [the Bulls] would have play played through his career if they had this year after year, he would have won it every single year. That’s just what he did. That’s what he was made of.”
Backing his comments, Bayless claimed he had seen Jordan bet “enormous amounts of money” on the golf course and against his teammates in shootarounds after practice referring to his winning mentality.
Fans slammed the analyst in the comments section for speaking on the Bulls icon’s behalf as if he knew him personally and had spoken to him about the subject.
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There’s no evidence suggesting Bayless and Jordan have ever met. The analyst had the opportunity to build a close rapport with the Bulls star when he joined the Chicago Tribune as their lead sports columnist in 1998. Bayless wrote a story about Jordan’s final shot for the Bulls in the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. He finished it by saying that the superstar and his Bulls teammates will return for another run. However, Jordan retired for a second time, and the Bulls dismantled their roster, suggesting Bayless did not know the superstar that well.
Skip Bayless takes a bizarre shot at LeBron James
Skip Bayless never shies away from taking a shot at Lakers superstar LeBron James. In a segment about Jordan and what his mindset would be about the NBA’s In-Season Tournament, the analyst took a jibe at James, saying:
“[Michael Jordan] was the coldest-blooded basketball killer ever. It’s why LeBron James is not in his league, not in his galaxy, not in his universe. Mental toughness, killer instinct.”
Bayless’ comment about James is ironic, as the Lakers superstar not only led his team to victory in the in-season tournament, but he was also the MVP. The four-time NBA Finals MVP’s teammates also revealed that he promised them before the final tipped-off that he would win the tournament to ensure they all left Las Vegas $250,000 richer. While players on the winning team received $500,000, players on two-way contracts received $250,000, a significant amount considering they are paid around $560,000 annually.
No doubt Michael Jodan had the mentality of winning everything and for that reason, he would have gone for the In-season trophy, if it was there. However, only he can clear whether or not he would have devalued it.
