Michael Jordan earned $7 million 32 years ago but had to put on 15 pounds of muscle to bear Isiah Thomas and Pistons’ physicality

Michael Jordan forced himself to put on 15 pounds of muscle with help from trainer, Tim Grover, to withstand the Detroit Pistons. 

Michael Jordan made the Playoffs every single season he was a Chicago Bulls but being drafted in 1984 and winning his first championship in 1991 showcases a 7-year gap of postseason disappointment. 

His rookie season saw a first round loss to Sidney Moncrief and his Bucks and ‘86 and ‘87 led to the Bulls getting swept in the first round by Larry Bird and his Boston Celtics. Jordan’s final Playoff opponent that would stand between him and a title would be the Detroit Pistons. 

The Pistons, led by Isiah Thomas, would best MJ and his Chicago Bulls three years in a row from 1988-90. This included a grueling 7-game Eastern Conference Finals in 1990 that of course, led to Detroit winning and eventually besting Clyde Drexler and the Blazers in the NBA Finals to win back-to-back championships. 

That 1990 series saw the most brutal version of ‘The Jordan Rules’ take place and it resulted in Michael Jordan saying enough is enough.

Also read: “If you saw Michael Jordan sticking his tongue out, your team was in for a rough night”: There have been many scary versions of players throughout the ages, none scarier than a tongue out Chicago Bull

Michael Jordan employed the help of Tim Grover to put on 15 pounds of muscle. 

Michael Jordan was considered to be fairly lanky upon reaching the NBA from UNC. Comparing a rookie Jordan’s physique to what he bolstered in 1998 was astounding as it showed just how much work he had put in. The foundation of this work was set in the 1990 offseason. 

He employed the help of his trainer, Tim Grover, to put on 15 pounds of muscle in 5 pound increments to better withstand the brutality of the way the Pistons played. With a team’s gameplan being to knock you to the ground every time you tried to drive in, it’s understandable as to why putting on muscle mass was crucial. 

This clearly worked as the Chicago Bulls not only beat the Pistons in the 1991 ECF but would go on to sweep them. While some may point out that Detroit was aging and was battling injuries, it doesn’t take away from the fact that Jordan averaged 29.8 points on 53.5% shooting from the field for the series.

Also read: “If you wanted to win one game, Bill Russell over Michael Jordan or Kareem”: Kevin McHale said he’d take ‘will over skill’ by putting his fellow Celtics legend above the rest