Before attaining the stardom he was destined for, Michael Jordan always had the spirit to prove himself worthy as a basketball player. To do so, he would often engage in trash-talking with his peers, which quickly labeled him a loudmouth during his freshman days at the University of North Carolina. In college, Jordan, oozing with confidence, created an impact for his team. This impact, however, would get a bit toxic sometimes, as many of his teammates had started finding Jordan a nuisance in the locker room.
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In his book Michael Jordan: The Life, Roland Lazenby detailed Jordan’s early years as a student at UNC. Lazenby notes an account from Art Chansky, who recalled how nobody in college ever thought of MJ becoming the star that we know today. In fact, as a freshman, Jordan was deemed loudmouth and obnoxious, a “pain in the a**” for the rest of his teammates.
Lazenby’s book notes the popular perception of Michael Jordan as a freshman in college, “At that time, nobody thought that Michael Jordan was going to be the greatest anything.… Nobody really thought that he was going to become king of the world. So he was like a pain in the a** to them as a freshman.…”
However, Jordan’s cockiness also had an upside. It made him stand out from others. “But they [UNC players] liked the confidence, the moxie that he [MJ] had as a freshman. They liked that, and they wanted to make sure it was channeled in the right way. So they didn’t discourage him,” Lazenby noted.
Indeed, Jordan’s confidence was one of the biggest X-factors that elevated him throughout his career. It motivated him to push himself continuously, becoming the beast of an offensive player that he was both in college and in the NBA. Even though his cockiness made him seem like an obnoxious brat initially, his performances on the court to back up his rudeness made it worthwhile for his peers.
Things eventually turned out well for Jordan. MJ became the greatest player in the history of UNC, winning the 1982 NCAA championship with some spectacular clutch showing. At the end of his junior year, Jordan declared for the NBA draft, entering the league as the third overall pick of the 1984 draft.
The NBA used to fear talking trash to Michael Jordan
Being a loudmouth worked out a little too well for Michael Jordan in the end. The 6x NBA champion developed a fierce personality because of his zealous nature and competitive spirit. Jordan’s prolific trash-talking ensured that he could physically and psychologically dominate his opponents. Over time, MJ garnered a notorious reputation that made the league fear talking trash to him.
Several eminent personalities in the league have stories describing the aftermath of trash-talking Jordan. Former New Jersey Nets coach John Calipari recalled in 1998 an incident wherein he and his team deemed being intimidated by Michael Jordan an ‘understatement.’
Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller himself was also a victim of the aftermath of trash-talking Jordan. When a young Miller had dared to talk smack to His Airness, the Bulls legend had dropped 44 on the Pacers star and said, “You never talk to Black Jesus like that.” Such stories have only added more lore to the myth and legacy of Michael Jordan.
MJ could use the trash-talking of opponents to motivate himself to a point of hatred that would see an outburst in games. This kind of intense competitive aura prompted Charles Barkley to call Jordan ‘crazy’ numerous times.
