“The Chief” is furious that MJ’s teammates had the courage to confront him, pointing out that even Larry couldn’t handle his squad in such a manner.
In the NBA, Michael Jordan is well-known for his demanding presence and leadership style. While some respect his unrivaled competitive spirit, others don’t quite get that MJ went beyond the bounds of good taste when he had to correct his teammates. NBA icon Robert Parish thought that was unacceptable because, in his lengthy career, he had never seen such from anybody else, even from playing alongside the greatest player of all time, Larry Bird.
The only man to confront MJ
In the NBA community, Robert Parish’s tale of defying Michael Jordan during his final season is well-known, as it was likely the only occasion on which MJ ever retaliated against an opponent. Jordan could put the other players to the test, but it was a bad idea for Michael to mess with a 9-time All-Star and 4-time champion who was in his 40s.
We all seen how Jordan didn’t hesitate to verbally abuse and target anyone in the documentary The Last Dance, including Scott Burrell, Ron Harper, Toni Kukoč, Horace Grant, and other role players. Pippen and Rodman were the only men that MJ respected, but Parish joined that exclusive group that day despite playing a very quiet season in Chicago.
