In a recent interview, Hall of Fame writer Sam Smith shared a fascinating insight into NBA legend Michael Jordan’s mindset during his prime.
According to Smith, Jordan “would have been fine” if the Chicago Bulls had traded Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant for Buck Williams and Walter Davis.
Smith explained that before the Bulls’ first championship in 1991, Jordan was frustrated with the team’s lack of veteran presence and success. He wanted teammates who were more accomplished and could match the experience of players like James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the Lakers, or Robert Parish and Kevin McHale on the Celtics. Jordan believed that having more seasoned players would help the Bulls reach their full potential.
Interestingly, Smith revealed that Jordan’s competitive nature and desire to dominate his opponents played a significant role in his preference for veteran teammates. Jordan wanted to “embarrass” his opponents and run up the score, much like a southern college football coach aiming for a 92-0 victory.
“He actually wanted different teammates; he wanted more veterans,” Smith told Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype. “He would have been fine with [Scottie] Pippen and [Horace] Grant getting traded for Buck Williams and Walter Davis – two ACC guys he liked since they were veterans who were more accomplished. That’s who we wanted to play with. He wanted guys to match [James] Worthy and Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] with the Lakers and [Robert] Parish and [Kevin] McHale with the Celtics. He didn’t want to play with babies and so that was a source of frustration. As we’ve seen witnessed in this documentary and which we knew, he has this incredible manic competitiveness to the level that he wants to embarrass his opponent. A lot of players feel sorry for their opponent when they’re dominating; Jordan never did. He wanted to run it up. He was like one of those southern college football coaches who want to win 92-0. That’s his mentality.”
Despite Jordan’s initial frustrations, the Bulls decided to keep Pippen and Grant, a decision that paid off handsomely as the duo, along with Jordan, led the team to six NBA championships in the 1990s. Pippen and Jordan formed one of the greatest duos in NBA history.
Smith’s revelation offers a unique perspective on Jordan’s mindset and the dynamics within the Bulls’ organization during their rise to greatness. It also highlights the importance of having the right teammates and the impact they can have on a player’s career.
