Michael Jordan Told Teammates Privately Clyde Drexler Was Just as Good As Him but...

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  1. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    Michael Jordan Told Teammates Privately Clyde Drexler Was Just as Good As Him but Didn't 'Know How to Play the Game'


    Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls faced off against Clyde Drexler and the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1992 NBA Finals. The six-game series was sold to NBA fans as the battle between Jordan and Drexler, the two best shooting guards in basketball.

    During the 1991-92 regular season, Jordan averaged 30.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 6.1 assists and won the MVP Award. Meanwhile, Drexler put up 25.0 points, 6.6 boards, and 6.7 assists per game. Even though Jordan won MVP, Drexler was just as dominant as a scorer and averaged more rebounds and assists.

    During The Last Dance docuseries, Michael Jordan admitted he was offended when pundits compared Clyde Drexler to him. However, it’s worth mentioning that MJ used to tell his Bulls teammates that Clyde the Glide was just as good as him but didn’t know how to play the game.



    Michael Jordan attacked Clyde Drexler in the 1992 Finals




    Michael Jordan was so angry Clyde Drexler was being compared to him that he attacked the Blazers guard the entire series. His Airness opened the ’92 Finals by hitting six 3-pointers in the first half and scoring 39 points in Game 1.

    The Bulls defeated the Blazers in six games to capture their second straight title. Jordan averaged 35.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 6.5 assists and won Finals MVP for the second consecutive season.

    Drexler put up 24.8 points, 7.8 boards, and 5.3 assists per game against the Bulls in the ’92 Finals. However, he only shot 40.7% from the field. Meanwhile, Jordan shot 52.6%.

    Jordan and Drexler wound up as teammates on the 1992 United States Men’s Olympic basketball team. Even though they got along, it must have been awkward for Drexler to play with the guy who had torched him a few months prior.

    Michael Jordan openly talked about how Clyde Drexler wasn’t on his level in Episode 5 of The Last Dance, but he actually gave Drexler some props behind the scenes when he spoke to his Bulls teammates. However, in typical MJ fashion, the six-time champion also pointed out one of Clyde’s biggest flaws.



    Former Bulls guard Craig Hodges told DJ Vlad of Vlad TV shortly after The Last Dance came out that Michael Jordan thought Clyde Drexler was just as good as him. However, the Bulls legend didn’t think Clyde the Glide knew how to play the game.

    “Not every great athlete is marketable,” Hodges said. “I remember having a conversation one time. It was like four of us, MJ included. And the conversations came up about Clyde Drexler. And MJ said this: ‘Clyde Drexler is just as good as me. He just don’t know how to play the game.’ And we ain’t talking about basketball.”

    Craig Hodges brought up Michael Jordan’s comments about Clyde Drexler while discussing MJ’s marketability with DJ Vlad. Jordan and Drexler may have had equal talent on the court, but Clyde didn’t know how to use it to his advantage and become a global icon.



    Both guards are in the Hall of Fame




    Michael Jordan was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009 and gave one of the best speeches ever. He finished his NBA career with averages of 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 1,072 games with the Bulls and Washington Wizards.

    Clyde Drexler didn’t win six titles, six Finals MVPs, and five regular-season MVPs like Jordan did. However, he had a tremendous career and made the Hall of Fame in 2004.

    A New Orleans, Louisiana, native, Drexler won his lone title in 1995 as a member of the Houston Rockets. He finished his career with averages of 20.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in 1,086 games with the Blazers and Rockets.
     
    SlyPokerDog, Apr 15, 2021
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  2. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    Huh?

    Maybe born in NO but he's pure Houston.
     
    SlyPokerDog, Apr 15, 2021
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  3. Hoopguru

    Hoopguru Well-Known Member

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    And Clyde went in HOF as a Rocket!
    Cheapest tipper in franchise has ever had probably too!
    What did Clyde ever give back to this community?
     
    Hoopguru, Apr 15, 2021
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  4. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    A hell of a lot of great wins and great memories.
     
    SlyPokerDog, Apr 15, 2021
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  5. blazerkor

    blazerkor Well-Known Member

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    Clyde is my childhood idol but this was just another classic MJ narrative that he told himself to keep a chip on his shoulder. Clyde was nowhere close to as good as Jordan was but he was the second best shooting guard in the game while Jordan played, so Jordan told himself plenty of lies about Clyde that made him want to tear Clyde down. That was the psychology of the greatest player of all time but that's just what worked for him.

    LeBron, Magic, Bird, Russell and the other greatest players off all time had far different ways of approaching greatness. Even Kobe who many like to say was most like Mike in his approach played a different mental game. Kobe just heartlessly looked at everyone as beneath him, he didn't take time to make up slights or story lines that would get him going like MJ did, he just told himself he was the best by far and that he had to teach everyone else that lesson. Different mindsets get different people going but the way Air Jordan made up all of these personal myths to become the best is fascinating and I always find it really entertaining.
     
    blazerkor, Apr 15, 2021
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  6. Hoopguru

    Hoopguru Well-Known Member

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    Yes he did... can't argue that. He should have entered the HOF as a Blazer, IMO, but it was his prerogative.
     
    Hoopguru, Apr 15, 2021
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  7. julius

    julius Global Moderator Staff Member Global Moderator

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    I thought this was kind of a well known "secret". I'm not saying Clyde was equal to Michael, but the biggest difference was that Clyde didn't have Michaels killer instinct and "I will kill you to get what I want" mentality.
     
    julius, Apr 15, 2021
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  8. UncleCliffy'sDaddy

    UncleCliffy'sDaddy We're all Bozos on this bus.

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    Fuck Clyde Drexler. That is all.
     
    UncleCliffy'sDaddy, Apr 15, 2021
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  9. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    Kinky!
     
    SlyPokerDog, Apr 15, 2021
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  10. TBpup

    TBpup Writing Team

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    Might be confusing him with Scottie Pippen during his time here. There is a reason he was called 'No tippin' Pippen'.

    Have a number of friends who worked in the restaurant industry back during that time and they always spoke very fondly of Clyde coming into their restaurants.
     
    TBpup, Apr 15, 2021
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  11. UncleCliffy'sDaddy

    UncleCliffy'sDaddy We're all Bozos on this bus.

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    Clyde’s family was in the restaurant business. That likely made him more aware of the trials and tribulations of the restaurant food service industry.....
     
    UncleCliffy'sDaddy, Apr 15, 2021
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  12. Kano John

    Kano John Start 'em young!

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    ^^^^This^^^^
     
    Kano John, Apr 15, 2021
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  13. Hoopguru

    Hoopguru Well-Known Member

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    My wife worked at Oswego Point when it was on River, the Blazers would frequent the place often and he was always razzed by teammates for hitting the John or just leaving when the bill came. He had reputation amongst all the waitress's and waiters of being a very very cheap tipper and sometimes wouldn't gip at all. I know he was a finance major so maybe he had some accountant tendencies in him. lol
     
    Hoopguru, Apr 15, 2021
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  14. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    Clyde was open about his funky game. He admitted his jumpshot was flat (unlike his brother, who had perfect form) and that he ran with his head down. There's a reason he was drafted 14th. In today's game Clyde would've been a SF - he had the rebounding for it. Jordan bad mouthed all his rivals, and is bad mouthing the player who has surpassed him (LeBron) to this day.
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2021
    Rastapopoulos, Apr 15, 2021
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  15. BigGameDamian

    BigGameDamian Well-Known Member

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    In today's game both Drexler and Jordan would put up 45+ a night on the soft ass NBA defense.
     
    BigGameDamian, Apr 15, 2021
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  16. BLAZINGGIANTS

    BLAZINGGIANTS Well-Known Member

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    he was drafted #14, FAMS!
     
    BLAZINGGIANTS, Apr 15, 2021
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  17. Phatguysrule

    Phatguysrule Well-Known Member

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    I heard Pip was the cheapest tipper.
     
    Phatguysrule, Apr 15, 2021
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  18. Phatguysrule

    Phatguysrule Well-Known Member

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    Give me Jordan over LeBron every time.
     
    Phatguysrule, Apr 15, 2021
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  19. donkiez

    donkiez Well-Known Member

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    I think Drexler might have been more physically gifted than Jordan, but he didnt have that Jordan fire and competetivmenss. Drexler rode his talents more where Jordan pushed his limits.
     
    donkiez, Apr 15, 2021
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  20. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    Funny, that's not what Scottie Pippen says
     
    Rastapopoulos, Apr 15, 2021
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