Following the airing of ESPN's "The Last Dance" documentary, there were reports going around that Scottie Pippen was upset with his famous teammate Michael Jordan. Pippen wasn't exactly portrayed in the best light during the documentary so it's easy to see why he would potentially be upset. After all, without Scottie, MJ doesn't win those six rings.
Well, it doesn't seem like things are too bad between the two as today, Pippen took to Twitter where he posted a throwback Thursday photo which depicts him holding up Michael Jordan after the infamous Flu Game. This took place during Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals and despite having really bad food poisoning Jordan scored 38 points and gave his Bulls a lead in the series.
If Pippen really had bad blood with MJ, he probably would have avoided posting this. With this in mind, we're glad the two are on good terms as they truly are the greatest duo in NBA history. As we mentioned, Jordan struggled to have playoff success before Pippen came along and without him, there is an argument to be made that MJ wouldn't have half as many titles.
As for the Flu Game, we're sure MJ never looked at pizza the same after that.
Michael Jordan Explains His Decision To Donate $100 Million To Social Justice
Michael Jordan explains his decision to donate $100 million for social justice.
Michael Jordan spoke about police brutality and his recent $100 million donation through the Jordan Brand to the Black community in a new interview with the Charlotte Observer, earlier this week.
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“We have been beaten down (as African-Americans) for so many years. It sucks your soul. You can’t accept it anymore. This is a tipping point. We need to make a stand. We’ve got to be better as a society regarding race,” Jordan said.
“Face up to your demons. Extend a hand. Understand the inequalities,” he urged. “Sure, it’s about bargaining for better policing, but it’s more. We have encountered racism to be somewhat acceptable in certain circles.”
Jordan also spoke about his recently announced $100 million donation. He isn’t yet specifying where exactly the donation will go, but says it’s about making an effort: “We haven’t yet figured which vehicles to utilize. But it’s first about making an effort. It’s not just (donating) money. It’s the act of calling on all of us to take a look at ourselves. That’s an important start.”
Jordan also uses the interview to speak about education, police bias, and philanthropy. Check out his full interview with Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer here.
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Jordan Brand Commits $100 Million To The Black Community
Michael Jordan is making a massive commitment for the future.
In the past, Michael Jordan has been criticized for not using his platform to speak up against political injustice. Well, you can't say that anymore as recently, he came out with a statement condemning what happened to George Floyd. Jordan noted that he was upset with what he saw and that he hopes we can achieve racial equality in this country.
Today, Jordan came through with an unprecedented pledge as he released a statement saying Jordan Brand would commit $100 million over the next 10 years to organizations in the black community. In his statement, Jordan makes sure to note that Black Lives Matter and that he wants to help provide real change for his people.
"Jordan Brand is us, the Black Community," the statement read. "Black lives matter. This isn't a controversial statement. Until the ingrained racism that allows our country’s institutions to fail is completely eradicated, we will remain committed to protecting and improving the lives of Black people."
Nike made a similar pledge alongside its brands as they committed $40 million over the next four years. Clearly, these brands are taking social justice seriously right now and are fighting to make sure inequality and inequity are eradicated in short order.
Michael Jordan Releases Statement Regarding Death Of George Floyd
Michael Jordan has released a statement regarding the death of George Floyd and the ensuing protests.
NBA legend Michael Jordan has released a statement regarding the death of George Floyd, police brutality, and the protests sweeping cities across the United States.
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"I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry. I see and feel everyone's pain, outrage and frustration. I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country. We have had enough," he begins his letter, posted to the Jordan brand's Twitter account.
"I don't have the answers, but our collective voices show strength and the inability to be divided by others," he continues. "We must listen to each other, show compassion and empathy and never turn our backs on senseless brutality. We need to continue peaceful expressions against injustice and demand accountability. Our unified voice needs to put pressure on our leaders to change our laws, or else we need to use our vote to create systemic change. Every one of us needs to be part of the solution, and we must work together to ensure justice for all."
Jordan faced criticism for his lack of political involvement during the recent documentary, The Last Dance. When asked to support Harvey Gantt for senator in North Carolina, in 1990, Jordan reportedly told teammates, “Republicans buy sneakers, too.”
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Michael Jordan’s Love Letter To Famous Actress Sells At Auction
Michael Jordan is a real hot commodity these days.
Michael Jordan has always been a recognizable athlete but following "The Last Dance," there seems to be a real hunger for any and all memorabilia related to the NBA legend. Recently, a bizarre piece of memorabilia sold for $25,000 after having been bought for just over $2K back in 2014.
According to Darren Rovell, the memorabilia in question is a love letter written to actress Amy Hunter back in 1989. The letter is handwritten and it looks like Jordan is trying to explain why they can't be together. He speaks about being selfish and that he can't be in a relationship with another public figure as it would put too much pressure on him.
“Amy, sometimes I am the most selfish person on this earth because for one whole year all I thought about was Michael,” Jordan wrote. “… I admit I made a mistake, but found it difficult to change it. Let’s say I do change the mistake. You would not believe the problems we would encounter. It is unthinkable. We wouldn‘t have a pleasant relationship or a private one. Our business up for opinions by the whole world. This is a pressure I can’t live with.”
Basketball fans will pay for some of the wildest items and as it turns out, private love letters aren't exempt.
MJs Custom Game-Worn Air Jordan 1’s Set To Auction For Massive Price
Michael Jordan’s sneakers are beloved by many so these prices shouldn’t be a surprise.
Michael Jordan is one of the most beloved athletes in the history of basketball and over the years, he has been responsible for some of the greatest sneakers ever made. His true magnum opus is none other than the Air Jordan 1 which debuted in 1985 and last him about a season and a half before the Air Jordan 2 came into play. His most popular colorway is the “Chicago” offering and to this day, Jumpman still drops retros of it.
According to TMZ, a game-worn version of the OG “Chicago” AJ1 is about to hit the auction block although this one has a twist. Jordan broke his foot at the start of the 85-86 season and when he came back, he wore a modified version of the shoe with a strap on it. The pair that is going up for auction has this strap as well as a signature from Jordan himself.
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“Gotta Have Rock And Roll” is the auction house that is selling these and according to their website, the pair was worn back on March 26th of 1986. The shoes were acquired by a fan after MJ gave them to him following the game. Now, the fan is looking to make some money from the shoes and he is expected to get upwards of $500,000.
Let us know in the comments below how much you would pay for something like this.
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Michael Jordan’s $14.4M Chicago Estate Is Insane
Michael Jordan puts his legendary home up for sale following the release of “The Last Dance.”
For the past few months, Michael Jordan has been back in the news cycle consistently thanks to The Last Dance. The ESPN docuseries that follows Jordan’s run with the Bulls that led to two three-peats. While that’s been happening, there appears to be a spike in interest regarding the NBA legend’s estate in Illinois. According to Forbes, the house is going up for $14.4M right now which is roughly half of the initial price he was asking for.
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Initially being sold for $29M, the home is equipped will all sorts of amenities from a full basketball court, a circular infinity pool, tennis court, golfing area, as well as a smokers and billiards room. Even more than they, everything has Jordan’s touch on it from the front gates that have 23 across it to the decor inside of the home.
The seven-acre, 56,000 square foot Highland Park, Illinois home has been on the market since 2012, though the recent documentary have people interested in it once again. His home also includes a fish pond, a long driveway as well as a 14-car garage.
It’s a unique home that’s set up like [accessible] pods, thoughtfully laid out as a main house (with kitchen, dining room and bedrooms), a home office, recreational area, guest house and a sports pavilion,” Compass’ broker associate Katherine Malkin said about the home. “This would be great for a very large family, especially during this pandemic. It’s like a resort on its own. It has everything anyone would ever need.”
Peep a glimpse of it below.
Michael Jordan Refused To Play With Isiah Thomas On Dream Team In Leaked Audio
Michael Jordan was caught in a fib after denying that he had anything to do with Isiah Thomas' absence from the Dream Team.
ESPN's The Last Dance has put a spotlight back onto Michael Jordan's legendary run with the Chicago Bulls. Fans have received a deeper insight into the Bull but more specifically, a behind the scenes look at the life of the greatest basketball player to ever do it during his reign. But more than anything, it attempted to clarify rumors and provide answers surround the urban legends surrounding Jordan.
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Jordan and Isiah Thomas' tense relationship, especially in regards to the 1992 Dream Team, was highlighted in the doc. Jordan denied the rumor that he had anything to do with Thomas' absence from the team.
"Before the '92 Olympics, Rod Thorn calls me and says, 'We would love for you to be on the Dream Team,'" Jordan said in the documentary. "I say, 'Who's all playing?' He says, 'What does that mean?' I say, 'Who's all playing?' He says, 'Well, the guy you're talking about or you're thinking about, he's not going to be playing.'"
Leaked audio, however, suggests otherwise. Old audio surfaced this week on Jack McCallum's The Dream Team Tapes Podcast where Jordan directly mentions Isiah's name in a conversation with Rod Thorn. "[Selection committee member] Rod Thorn called me. I said, ‘Rod, I won’t play if Isiah Thomas is on the team,’” Jordan's heard saying. “He assured me. He said, ‘You know what? Chuck (Daly) doesn’t want Isiah. So, Isiah is not going to be part of the team.’”
Isiah Thomas Makes Peculiar Claim About Michael Jordan
Isiah Thomas wasn't giving too much thought to Michael Jordan during the 80s.
Thanks to "The Last Dance," Michael Jordan's rivalry with Isiah Thomas has been well-documented. Thomas played for the Bad Boy Pistons who always seemed to get in Jordan's way whenever he went for a championship. Thomas was able to win two titles before Jordan went on his infamous first three-peat although to this day, there still seems to be quite a bit of tension between the two.
During an appearance on FS1's Speak For Yourself, Thomas spoke about his rivalries and made the bizarre claim that he never felt like MJ was his real competition. As he explains, he was more concerned about the Celtics and Lakers than he ever was about the Bulls.
“When we were all young and healthy – from 84 to 90 – the numbers speak for themselves. He wasn’t really my competition. My competition was Bird and Magic, trying to catch the Celtics, trying to catch the Lakers. Chicago at that time, and Jordan at that time, from 84 to 90, before my wrist surgery, he just – that wasn’t my competition,” Thomas said.
These comments seem pretty bizarre when you consider just how much his team used to bully Jordan on the court. It's clear the Pistons saw MJ as a threat but all these years later, he refuses to admit it.
If there is one thing for certain from "The Last Dance," it's that MJ and Thomas will never reconcile.
Kendrick Perkins Blasts Michael Jordan For Breaking Player Codes
Michael Jordan has been heavily criticized for his behavior in “The Last Dance.”
Basketball fans were captivated over the last five weeks due to the ESPN documentary about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls called “The Last Dance.” Throughout the documentary, it became very clear that Jordan wanted to prop himself up while making some of his high-profile teammates look week. The likes of Horace Grant and Scottie Pippen caught quite a bit of flack from MJ and were the undisputed losers of the entire series.
During a recent episode of The Jump, Kendrick Perkins went off on Michael Jordan, saying that the Bulls legend broke numerous player codes throughout the documentary. He also said that it was unnecessary for Jordan to slander his teammates so hard because everyone is already aware of how good MJ is.
“Michael Jordan broke every player code imaginable… Some of the things he was saying with Scott Burrell, saying that he was in the club every night. Talking about what Horace Grant said about guys doing drugs, everyone except for him (Jordan). And then, ‘The Last Dance’ hurt Scottie Pippen. People today are looking at Scottie Pippen like a selfish individual,” Perkins said. “At the end of the day, ‘The Last Dance’ was to praise Mike — which it should have been — but you didn’t have to tear down other people to praise your greatness, because your greatness alone speaks volumes for itself.”
Perkins has had some pretty hot takes during his days as an analyst although this is one that we can probably all agree on. Jordan is a legend but “The Last Dance” was a puff piece that only served to make him look better.
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