The NBA has always been defined by its rivalries over the years. Some rivalries and beef were defined between teams and these generally have had greater longevity compared to individual tussles. But there appears to be a particular beef between two individuals that has transcended decades and continues to gather steam.
Advertisement
The two individuals in question? Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas.
The two defining guards of the late 1980s and early 1990s of the NBA seemingly detest each other. And if that wasn’t public information already, The Last Dance made it clear to generations of basketball fans.
With recent comments from Isiah adding further layers to the feud, it is clear that this is a conflict that hasn’t met its end. And the opinion of an old friend of Michael Jordan’s, Charles Oakley’s has been doing its rounds on the internet, adding fuel to the fire.
Oakley, one of MJ’s trusted lieutenants from his early Bulls days, claimed that Jordan’s popularity in Chicago, Isiah’s hometown, is a factor that drives Thomas ‘mad’. While the infamous ‘Dream Team’ omission and ‘Jordan Rules’ have been cited as the more public reasons for beef, Oakley certainly believes the Chicago factor is a major contributor to their troubles.
Oakley stated that MJ taking over Chicago is the root of all of Isiah’s feelings against him.
While Oakley’s perspective is probably extremely one-sided, the man does have a point. Isiah Thomas is someone who has always indicated pride in his Chi-town roots. However, the fact remains that the face of Chicago basketball remains Michael Jordan to this day.
As a proud self-declared representative of Chicago basketball, that definitely ought to hurt Thomas’ ego. After all, Thomas himself was a great basketball player who undeniably goes down as one of the finest to ever play the game.
Addressing the new leaf to the Isiah-MJ beef, Oakley made his point on All the Smoke. Almost speaking as a spokesperson for team Jordan, Oakley said “Michael does not want to be your friend, Isiah. For the fifth time, he does not want to be your friend! Stay on ESPN, keep talking on TNT. Now you’re trying to say everybody’s better than Mike. It’s okay! You are not better than Mike. He came to your city and took your city. That’s why you’re really mad. He took over Chicago!”
Oakley’s statement is bound to incite a response of some kind from Isiah Thomas. And Oakley’s public declaration of Michael Jordan not wanting to settle the feud points to the possibility of this beef going on for another few years at least.
Oakley certainly has a personal distaste for Isiah Thomas. But that isn’t to say this time, he certainly had a point as to why Thomas hated MJ so much.
Charles Oakley has gone on to call Isiah Thomas a “fly” he can’t trust in the past.
Oakley was part of the Bulls’ sides that constantly fell short to Thomas’ Pistons in the late 1980s. And while Oakley didn’t get to celebrate the Bulls’ subsequent success against Thomas and his Pistons, he sure did make sure the public knew how much he hated them.
As recently as 2018, the former All-Star referred to Thomas as a “fly” and said he couldn’t be trusted. Slandering Isiah clearly has been something that has amused Oakley for a long time.
There clearly is no questioning Oakley’s loyalties. No wonder Michael Jordan was deeply affected by his departure from the Bulls in 1988.
Oakley may not have enjoyed much on-court success against Isiah Thomas. But the emotional damage done by his Chicago dig may just have been consequential.
