Michael Jordan’s Son Marcus Digs Up Iconic Footage of Dikembe Mutombo Smack Talking His Father

The NBA world mourned the passing of Dikembe Mutombo yesterday. The Hall of Famer tragically died at just 58 after battling brain cancer for the past two years. Following this heartbreaking news, Marcus Jordan took to Instagram to celebrate Mutombo’s rivalry with none other than his father, Michael Jordan.

The matchup between MJ and Mutombo gave rise to one of the fiercest rivalries of the 1990s. Their competition didn’t just end on the basketball court. The two began trash-talking each other off the court as well.

Marcus’ retail boutique store, Trophy Room, uploaded an Instagram clip of Mutombo smack-talking MJ. The intensity of their rivalry and the rarity of the footage prompted him to share the post on his story.

The original incident occurred during the 1997 All-Star Game. Jordan and Mutombo were teammates on the Eastern Conference All-Star roster. However, this didn’t stop them from going at each other.

Just as Mutombo prepared to receive treatment for his left knee, MJ initiated the trash-talking in the locker room. Jordan likely teased the former Atlanta Hawks center about a time he dunked on him. This did not sit well with Mutombo. He immediately countered,

“Mike, come on man. Be for real. You haven’t got me yet… You haven’t got me in six years. Why don’t you just go ahead and say it.”

Patrick Ewing was reveling in their trash talk from a nearby table. He soon decided to join in and add fuel to the fire. He further pitted Mutombo against Jordan by asking,

“He never dunked on you? He never put you on a highlight?” In response, Mutombo doubled down on his stance. He boldly declared,

“He said, ‘I would love to give you my poster’. But it’s not happening. It’s not gonna happen.”

What followed set the stage for yet another iconic moment for MJ. Months later, their NBA franchises faced off in the Eastern Conference semifinals. This gave Jordan the perfect opportunity to make his statement against Mutombo, and he seized it with both hands.

The Bulls legend dunked on the Hawks center during Game 5 of the series. He then locked eyes with Mutombo and started shaking his finger (as if to say he couldn’t be stopped that night). ‘The Black Jesus’ soon backed this up with 24 points in this game. His performance led the Bulls to a 107-92 victory and secured a 4-1 series win.

At the same time, Mutombo took it in good spirits. This display of sportsmanship pointed to the unparalleled legacy he left behind.

The NBA world looked back at Mutombo’s legacy

This news of Mutombo’s passing spread quickly and marked a sad day for the NBA community. They came together to pay tribute to ‘Mount Mutombo’.

Isiah Thomas shared a photo of Mutombo on his Instagram to pay his respects, captioning it, “Rest in Peace, Legend.” Dwyane Wade soon shared this post on his story to bid farewell to the Hall of Famer. Joel Embiid paid tribute to his basketball icon during the Philadelphia 76ers’ media day.

“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans… Aside from what [Dikembe Mutombo] accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court.”

This showcased Mutombo’s influential impact on the basketball world. His contributions will forever remain etched in the minds of fans who continue to cherish his remarkable career.