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“Michael Jordan was always the talker and always backed it up”: Kenny Smith pays his respects to the Bulls GOAT for having the skills to back up his immense trash-talking

Advait Jajodia
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“Michael Jordan was always the talker and always backed it up”: Kenny Smith pays his respects to the Bulls GOAT for having the skills to back up his immense trash-talking

Michael Jordan was a pretty brutal trash-talker, and among the very few stars who had the skill to back up all the talk.

Even years after his retirement, Michael Jordan remains one of the biggest names in the sporting world. Jordan is easily one of the greatest players the league has ever witnessed. Apart from being among the most impactful players, the Chicago Bulls guard was considered a basketball god. Till today, fans rave about his insane gameplay and achievements.

Looking at the illustrious resume he built over 1,072 games, it is understandable why he is widely regarded as the GOAT. Michael has 14 All-Star appearances, 10 Scoring titles, 11 All-NBA selections, 6 NBA championships, 6 Finals MVPs, and 5 league MVPs under his belt.

Also Read: When Kevin Garnett went on a zealous rant to explain why His Airness was the GOAT

“His Airness” would constantly talk his talk back during his era. We have heard several anecdotes from his opponents that rank Mike as one of the most savage trash-talkers of all time.

Recently, Kenny “The Jet” Smith had a pretty interesting comment on MJ’s trash-talking.

“Michael Jordan was the first dude that I met that could back up his trash, like every day”: Kenny Smith

The Houston Rockets star made an appearance on the “All The Smoke” podcast. Talking with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Smith narrated a fascinating story from the time Kenny and MJ were teammates at UNC. The TNT analyst said:

“Every time we win and we go get water, I watch Mike, and he’s standing in the middle of center court. I walk up to him and, ‘What you doin?’ He’s like, ‘I want the mother*****rs to know that I’m never leaving the court. Imma be the first to stand here and the last.’”

The 2-time NBA champ then went on to claim that the Chicago Bulls legend was the first player he had seen, who could back up all the trash he talked.

“He was the first dude that I met that could back up his trash, like every day. Every day! Always the talker and always backed it up, though.”

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Also Read: When Leonardo DiCaprio couldn’t get enough of the Bulls legend for his stellar performance in ‘98 NBA Finals

Tales like these keep reminding us just how crazily talented Michael Jordan was. Truly, we are yet to witness an athlete quite like him.

 

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia

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Advait Jajodia, a seasoned NBA journalist, has had a passion for the game for over a decade. His journey from admiring Kobe Bryant's precision to being in awe of Stephen Curry's long-range mastery instilled a profound understanding of basketball. With a background as a two-time National-level player, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood to offer insightful analysis. Over three years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 21-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 3,350+ articles.

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