The heroics of Michael Jordan continue to make headlines even decades after his retirement. Vernon Maxwell looked back on his rivalry with the Black Jesus while on the Club 520 Podcast. In the process, the 58-year-old revealed his mother’s advice to counter MJ, garnering the fans’ interest everywhere.
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Abiding by his mother’s words, Maxwell recalled sleeping with his feet above his heart the night before the game. She suggested this to restore his energy before playing against one of the standout performers from his era. This pointed to the challenges in guarding the 6x champion, as Maxwell mentioned,
“I used to go lay down and elevate my motherf***ing feet above my heart. Like my mom used to say, ‘Put your feet above your heart, baby, before you play him. It gonna bring some energy back to you’. This motherf***er Black Jesus, man. That’s why I called him the best player I have ever played against, man”.
This showed the respect MJ commanded from Maxwell as a rival. As a result, the latter was willing to go the extra mile to prepare himself to face Jordan. This drive undoubtedly helped the Florida-born push his limits while making him admire an all-time great even more over time.
Despite this, Jordan’s disregard for others’ boundaries annoyed Maxwell. This happened when The Black Jesus’ Chicago Bulls paid a visit to the guest’s Houston Rockets, as the 2-time champion recalled,
“One day, we was in Houston. That man spinned on me and then he took off…That motherf***er was right in my face and then I laughed at it ’cause I took off and ran down the court…He came up behind me and then he hit me on my a**. I said, ‘Oh nah, bitch a**. Don’t put your goddamn hands on me…You’re the best I have ever played against but don’t put your goddamn hands on me though'”.
This unprecedented event revealed the other side of their rivalry. Despite their mutual respect, they were on opposite sides of the court. Consequently, Maxwell didn’t appreciate MJ’s friendly gesture. Moreover, Jordan’s unannounced antics seemingly went against the then-Rockets guard’s values.
As a result, Maxwell couldn’t help but react on this occasion. However, looking back, he seemed to have found this scenario amusing. So, his admiration for MJ has remained intact even after this unusual exchange, extending his bond with the long-time rival.
