The rivalry between Michael Jordan and Isaiah Thomas has long been attributed to a well-documented theory that the Detroit Pistons point guard allegedly froze out Jordan, preventing the ball from getting to his hands, during the 1985 NBA All-Star Game.
Thomas has consistently denied the conspiracy, but that hasn’t stopped basketball fans from discussing it anytime the beef between Jordan and Thomas is mentioned.
The Inquisitr recently published an article highlighting the origin of the MJ-Thomas feud, building their story around comments Jordan gave to Playboy magazine in a 1992 interview.
When asked about the alleged “freeze-out,” Jordan responded, “If you go back and look at the film, you can see that Thomas was actually doing that. Once it started getting around that he was freezing me out, that’s when the ill feelings started to grow between us.”
Jordan went on to share a story about the first interaction he had with Isiah.
“I got on an elevator with Isiah Thomas to go downstairs for a league meeting,” he explained. “That was the first time I met him. And I said, ‘Hello, how ya doin’?’ That’s all I said. I was really intimidated because I didn’t know him and I didn’t want to get on his nerves. I didn’t want to seem like a rookie. You know, to just be so stupid. So I was quiet. I stayed in the corner. When I went down in the room for the meeting, I still didn’t say anything. After the weekend was over, it got back to me that I was arrogant and cocky and I wouldn’t even speak to Isiah on the elevator, that I gave him the cold shoulder. And I’m saying Isiah Thomas initiated it all.”
Isiah Thomas took to Twitter on Thursday to respond to the Inquisitr article, rejecting Jordan’s comments about the origin of their beef.
“Stop lying this story is not factual or accurate, tell the truth man,” Isiah wrote. “Dr.J, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Sidney Moncrief and I did not freeze you out. If memory serves me correct I was injured most of the second half and Bird had a broken nose. Magic and Sampson dominated the game.”
For more on the feud between the two legends, check out The Last Dance if you haven’t already.
