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Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons refused to shake hands with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls after getting eliminated in the 1991 postseason. Thomas admitted in 2013 that they should have taken the higher road and shook hands with the Bulls.
In an episode of Open Court almost a decade ago, the NBA TV crew discussed the handshake incident from the 1991 Eastern Conference finals. Ernie Johnson asked Thomas if he'd shake hands with Jordan and the Bulls knowing all the backlash that came from refusing to do it.
"Absolutely," Thomas said. "Now, the reason why I would is because looking back in terms of what has happened, had I had chance to do it again? We all should have. We should have took the high road."
Isiah Thomas explained that at the time, they felt disrespected as the defending NBA champions. Thomas revealed that Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson bad-mouthed the Detroit Pistons after going up 3-0. The decision not to shake the Chicago Bulls' hands was made before the game was over.
"They were up 3-0," Thomas recalled. "Then they had this press conference just totally disrespecting us as champions. They went on to sweep us, then the decision was made to just to walk off."
The controversy surrounding the handshake might have cost Thomas a spot in the 1992 Dream Team. Thomas was shockingly left out of the team despite being among the best point guards in NBA history. It was also surprising back then, as his Pistons coach Chuck Daly was in charge of Team USA.
Also Read: Hall of Fame coach compares Nikola Jokic with Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal
Isiah Thomas wants Michael Jordan to apologize for his comments on 'The Last Dance'
The feud between Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas has been ongoing for almost three decades. Thomas is willing to continue their beef till Jordan apologizes to him for his comments on The Last Dance.
In an interview with COSMOTE TV in the offseason, Thomas said that he was caught off guard by MJ's remarks about him in the documentary. "Zeke" would only end their feud if Jordan is sorry for calling him an expletive.
"I was watching 'The Last Dance,'" Thomas said. "I'm seating there, and I'm watching it with my family, and I'm thinking everything is good. And then this guy comes on television, and he says that he hates me, and then, he calls me an a**hole.
And then, I proceed to watch a whole documentary about him being an a**hole. I'm like, 'Wait a minute, time out.' Until I get a public apology, this beef is gonna go on for a long long time.'"
Also Read: Draymond Green says rules made NBA softer, would love to 'clothesline somebody' if he could
Guess the Lakers players!
