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The beef between Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas has been on-going since the 1980s. There are many stories on how the dispute between the two legends started. Former Chicago Bulls enforcer Charles Oakley believes he knows why Thomas does not like Jordan.
In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Oakley promoted his new memoir titled "The Last Enforcer: Outrageous Stories From the Life and Times of One of the NBA’s Fiercest Competitors." One of the things Oakley was asked about was the beef between "Zeke" and "His Airness."
"He's mad he wasn't on the Dream Team. When he didn't get on the Dream Team, it hurt his feelings. He's sensitive. He's mad Mike came and took his hometown, Chicago. He's a mad guy," Oakley said.
For those who don't know, Isiah Thomas was born and raised in Chicago before playing college basketball in Indiana and the Detroit Pistons in the NBA. Michael Jordan became a legend in Chicago as a member of the Bulls, bringing six NBA championships.
Meanwhile, Thomas getting snubbed in 1992 and not being a part of the Dream Team is a different story. Jordan was allegedly the main reason why Thomas was never picked for the team despite Pistons head coach Chuck Daly being in control of the team.
Jordan has denied this claim in "The Last Dance", saying he was not the reason why Thomas was not selected. Many members of the Dream Team like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen and Karl Malone reportedly did not want Thomas on the team.
John Salley on how the feud between Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas started
John Salley was a member of the "Bad Boys" Pistons in the 1980s, but also played with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in 1996. In an interview with Vlad TV (h/t USA Today), Salley revealed that Isiah Thomas' hatred for Jordan started when he came home to Chicago and a family member was wearing his rival's jersey.
"Isiah goes home, and his nephew is wearing a Bulls jersey, a Michael Jordan Bulls jersey. He said, 'Hey, what you doing?' 'We in Chicago. That's my team.' It’s his nephew. He was not really understanding that the great Isiah Thomas plays for Detroit, we don't wear that. We wear this," Salley said.
In addition to the reasons revealed by John Salley and Charles Oakley, there are plenty more stories on how the beef between Jordan and Thomas started. There's the alleged attempt to freezeout MJ at the 1985 NBA All-Star Game by Isiah.
Thomas and the Pistons not shaking hands after getting swept in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals also comes to mind since Jordan looked ticked off when it was shown to him in "The Last Dance." Despite not liking Thomas, Jordan called him the second-best point guard ever behind Magic Johnson.
Guess the Lakers players!
