Isiah Thomas, a two-time NBA champion, Hall of Famer, and former Detroit Bad Boy, says he’s prepared to put an end to whatever animosity he may have had with Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan.
In a statement made on November 6 at the ForbesBlk summit in Atlanta, Thomas stated that it wasn’t until he saw the 2020 documentary series The Last Dance that he learned about the rumoured animosity between him and Jordan.
“I didn’t know we had beef. I really didn’t,” Thomas said. “And if you see me in that interview, I’m dressed in a three-piece suit. We did the interview right across the street from NBA TV. Jordan and his producer called me themselves and said, ‘Hey, we want you to participate in the documentary. Michael admires you, so forth and so on, can’t tell the story without you.’”
The former captain of the Detroit Pistons claimed that the reason he was eager to play in the series was because his nephew had lived with Jordan for five years when the legendary Chicago Bulls player initially moved to the Windy City.
“My family looked out for him [Jordan]. We all hung out together,” he continued. “So, this beef that we supposedly had, or have–I didn’t know anything about it until The Last Dance.”
Thomas stated that if an olive branch were to be extended, he would be open to making peace with Jordan because of his memories of their friendship.
“I don’t hate anybody. If the brother came here and sat down today and wanted to have an honest conversation — keyword, honest — I’m down for it,” the basketball champion said.
Thomas’ anecdote may seem strange to sports viewers because the Bulls and Pistons rivalry was a major part of both players’ individual and team histories throughout the 1990s NBA era. Thomas’ “Bad Boys” even created “The Jordan Rules,” a particular tactic meant to halt the six-time NBA champion.
In The Last Dance, both athletes appeared to allude to the possibility that their rivalry may extend beyond the basketball court when Thomas was reportedly left off the illustrious 1992 U.S. Men’s Olympic basketball team because Jordan didn’t want to play alongside him—a claim Jordan maintains never happened. But Thomas and basketball fans alike have long questioned how a player with the calibre and dominance of the former Pistons point guard was not included on the “Dream Team.”
“I don’t know what went into that process. I met the criteria to be selected, but I wasn’t,” Thomas said in a clip from the documentary that has since gone viral on the web.