Michael Jordan is arguably the most iconic player in NBA history. But his level of notoriety isn’t solely due to his talent on the court. MJ is infamously one of the best trash talkers in league history. Many former players, like Jim Jackson, who faced the Chicago Bulls legend, can share numerous tales of the same.
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Jackson was never a star in the NBA. That didn’t hold him back from having a successful 14-year career in the league. He is among the few players to average over 25 points in a single season. In the 1994-95 season, he averaged 25.7 points per game.
One thing Jackson could do is put the ball in the basket. As a result, he didn’t believe anyone could guard him, not even Jordan.
In the 1996-97 season, Jackson served as a member of the New Jersey Nets. They faced off against the Bulls earlier in the season, which New Jersey pulled through with a 99-88 win. Two weeks later, the teams would have a rematch. Jackson and the Nets’ confidence was at an all-time high.
“We go to Chicago and we’re talking cash,” Jackson said on Podcast P. “We were running back down the floor, and Mike is yelling at Steve Javie like, ‘Why you ain’t call a foul?’ Javie was like, ‘I thought you were going to blow by him.’ I said, ‘Blow by who? I can play.”
Jackson took exception to Jordan and the referee Steve Javie downplaying his abilities. That interaction led the two to engage in a heated duel. Jackson had his best game of the season, finishing with 33 points, which was the only time he scored more than 30 that year.
Unfortunately, Jordan and the Bulls had the last laugh. Chicago won the game by a score of 111-101. Following the game, players engaged in their routine end-of-game handshakes. Nets’ big man Joe Kleine used to play for the Bulls and went to confront Jordan on behalf of Jackson. MJ had the perfect response locked in the chamber.
“Joe went up to Mike and said, ‘Man, you leave my young fella alone.’ Mike said, ‘Man, JJ, my guy, but just tell him that’s why he’s wearing my shoes,” Jackson revealed.
Once Jackson heard the details of Kleine’s exchange with Jordan, he knew the Bulls star got the best of him. Jackson was a big fan of Air Jordan sneakers and wore them during all of his games. And the six-time NBA champion had just reminded him that there were levels to basketball, and Jackson was yet to reach his.
