Gary Payton named a few obvious picks – Michael Jordan, Reggie Miller, and Larry Bird – on his all-90s trash-talking team.
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The NBA has become stricter with its player’s behavior. Today, even the biggest superstars aren’t excused for using excess abusive language directed at their opponents. However, this wasn’t the case a few decades back.
Trash-talking has been an essential part of the league for a long time now. It helps players get under their opponents’ skin and in their heads, giving them a kind of competitive edge over the others.
Headlined by Gary Payton, among many others, the 1990s era had some of the most iconic and brutal trash-talkers in the history of the game.
Also Read: Gary Payton discloses how he would defend the GSW MVP
Recently, Payton even named the 4 most lethal trash talkers, alongside him, from the 1990s.
“We’d have been something else if we’d have been teaming up together”: Gary Payton on his all-90s trash-talking team
On an appearance on JJ Redick’s “The Old Man and the Three” podcast, Gary was asked to name his all-90s trash talk team. Without hesitation, Payton named Reggie Miller, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan alongside him.
“Yeah, I mean, me, Reggie Miller, Larry Bird, he was just good … I only played against him for two years, but he was really, really good. MJ [Michael Jordan] used to give his little things underneath his breath.”
The HOFer had a lesser-known fifth pick for his team – Chuck Person.
“People don’t really understand Chuck Person was a cold one, too,” he continued. “He used to talk a lot of trash. The Rifleman … So, you know, us five, we’d have been something else if we’d have been teaming up together, talking a lot of trash, man. We’d have had everybody discombobulated, man. I’m telling you, man, we’d have done a good job.”
Each of these players has several anecdotes of completely humiliating their opponents with their words. They even had the talent to back their own trash-talk with their incredible game.
Also Read: Gary Payton reiterates just how brutal the Celtics legend’s trash-talking used to be
