Only a handful of players successfully managed to get under Michael Jordan’s skin during a game. Most avoided causing grief to the Bulls superstar to avoid facing his wrath. However, Sidney Moncrief was in the minority and relished pestering the six-time NBA champion and facing the challenge of guarding him.
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During an appearance on The Hod Pod with Bo Mattingly, the Hall of Famer shared a hilarious anecdote about facing Jordan and frustrating him with his off-handed tactics. In a game in 1991 between the Bulls and the Hawks, Moncrief took over the responsibility of guarding the five-time MVP in the second half.
The veteran remained glued to the superstar off the ball and irked him by pushing, elbowing, and tugging his jersey without the referees noticing. Moncrief had studied Jordan’s game and knew he liked to stay on his defender’s weak side before exploding off the dribble and driving to the rim.
To ensure he couldn’t use his go-to move, the Hawks guard hovered around the Bulls icon, which infuriated him. Jordan eventually voiced his displeasure to Moncrief before hitting him with a hilarious jibe. The Hawks icon recalled,
“[Jordan] said, ‘Hey, old man. If you have to grab and hold, maybe you shouldn’t have your a*s out here.’ My comeback to Michael was, ‘Okay. One day you’ll get old.’ He had the greatest comeback. He said, ‘Yeah, but I won’t have my a*s here playing basketball.'”
Moncrief laughed off the taunt, knowing the superstar guard only said it because he was irritated by his antics. As frustrated as he was, Jordan admired the two-time Defensive Player of the Year. He also knew he’d be in for a long night when facing the Hall of Famer.
In a post-game interview after a battle against Moncrief and the Bucks in 1986, he lauded the guard’s exceptional defensive ability, saying,
“When you play against Moncrief, you’re in for a night of all-around basketball. He’ll hound you everywhere you go, both ends of the court. You just expect it.”
Not many who played in the NBA in the 1990s have fond memories of facing off against Jordan. Moncrief is among the handful who not only willingly took on the challenge of guarding the Bulls icon but thrived at it.
