Former NBA player Kendall Gill recounts the nightmare Bulls legend Michael Jordan was, especially during the former’s rookie season.
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Michael Jordan was a once-in-a-lifetime athlete. The Bulls guard was a freak of nature who dominated the NBA from the late 80s to the entirety of the 90s. MJ could play both ends of the court efficiently. His Airness was every basketball aspirant’s idol. In the past, superstars such as Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant have confessed about MJ inspiring them.
Jordan’s competitive zeal to excel at all costs and his assassin mentality are what differentiated him from others. The 10x scoring champion was a nightmare to guard and would often get the better of his opponent.
One such player at the receiving end of Jordan’s dominance was Kendall Gill. The former Charlotte Hornets player was in his rookie year when he witnessed the sheer basketball brilliance of MJ, who was on his way to winning his second MVP.
Kendall Gill talks about his experience of facing the NBA GOAT, Michael Jordan.
Gill was a Chicago native who watched MJ during his high school days. When he made his NBA debut in 1990, just like any other rookie, Gill too was mesmerized by Jordan’s freakish athleticism and strength.
Just his speed and his strength. I did not know he was as fast and as strong as he was. Most guys in my position, athletically, I can handle them, but I felt like Michael was on another level, athletically and strength-wise. No wasted movement, rarely fell down. All the times I’ve played against, I can’t remember whether he fell down. It means he always had perfect balance. Just a freak of an athlete, man. He and Vince Carter are the only two guys that I played against who, when they jumped, I could see the bottom of their shoes.
Kendall Gill encountered the 6x NBA champion for the first time on 10th November 1990. Jordan and co defeated the Hornets 105-86. His Airness scored 23-points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and had 3 steals on a 53.3% shooting from the field.
Also Read: Also Read: “Michael Jordan had never watched even a single NBA before getting drafted!”: When the GOAT admitted he grew up watching Baseball, NASCAR, and college Basketball in North Carolina
The 1990-91 season saw MJ win his second MVP award. The Bulls superstar averaged 31.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.5 APG, 2.7 SPG, and 1.0 BPG. The 14x All-Star was an impressive 53.9% from the field. Michael Jordan would go on to win his first-ever NBA title during the 1990-91 season. His Airness averaged 31.2 PPG on a 55.8% shooting from the field to be crowned Finals MVP.
Kendall Gill recalls the iconic Michael Jordan poster dunk on him
During his time in the New Jersey Nets, Gill met Jordan in the first round of the 1998 playoffs. However, the Nets were swept by the Bulls. Jordan’s poster dunk on Gill was the talking point of the series.
As a matter of fact, we can go back to — and I hate this play — but you can go back to when he had that dunk on me in the playoffs when I tried to chase him down, and he dunked the basketball, and I fouled him, Gill said.
