SUMMARY
- Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas have been at odds for years.
- Thomas reportedly froze Jordan out at the 1985 NBA All-Star game.
The dynamics and relationship between Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas is a subject of interest among members of the basketball community. To the newer and less informed NBA fans, Isiah Thomas was the starting point guard for the Detroit Pistons and is considered one of the elite players in the league. On the other hand, Michael Jordan needs no introduction as the 6x NBA champion is regarded as one of the greatest players ever.
While the modern NBA has stars from different teams developing friendships and relationships, the same cannot be said about the previous generation of NBA stars. Jordan and Isiah were no exception and could even be considered enemies as opposed to rivals. Since younger fans might not know much about the feud between these former stars, a closer look at their relationship is certainly required.
Isiah Thomas reportedly refused to include Michael Jordan at the 1985 NBA All-Star game
It might interest fans to hear that the animosity between Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas began right at the start of MJ’s career with the Chicago Bulls. Due to the elite talent and ability that Jordan displayed during his rookie season, he was selected as a starter for the 1985 NBA All-Star game. MJ scored just 7 points in that game, which was quite a silent performance given his greatness.
Former Bulls and Pistons star discussed the frustrations Thomas felt towards Jordan
Since Jordan and the Chicago Bulls matched up against Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons multiple times in the Eastern Conference playoffs, one can certainly understand why the players didn’t like each other. A former NBA star called Brad Sellers had the opportunity to play alongside MJ and Thomas at different points in his career. He revealed yet another reason why the two NBA stars didn’t like each other.
One can only imagine how Isiah felt upon finding out that a player was more loved and respected in his hometown. While fans might assume that their relationship improved after their respective careers had come to an end, that was not the case here.
Isiah did not let MJ’s shots in The Last Dance slide
Since Michael Jordan is considered a legendary or mythical figure in the NBA world, he was the central focus of a docuseries called “The Last Dance.” In it, Jordan went into detail about his time with the Chicago Bulls and his experiences. MJ ended up taking a shot at Isiah Thomas and calling him an as*hole for his antics during their various matchups.