The Portland Trailblazers lost to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in the 1992 NBA final, and the Trailblazers’ Hall of Famer, Clyde Drexler, developed an affliction towards the Bulls’ legend.
Moreover, the 90’s Bulls were built entirely differently in basketball history, as far as it goes. The bulls achieved two three-peats in that decade, and a large portion of the credit goes to the three musketeers, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman.
However, sometimes the pride of achievement brings intense hatred, and in this context, Clyde Drexler became the antagonist. His loathing toward Jordan pushed him out of the court on the national team camp in the 1992 Olympic games.
In his autobiography, “Unguarded,” Scottie Pippen recalls Drexler’s bitterness toward Jordan, leading the Trailblazers’ Hall of Famer out of the 1992 Olympic camp.
How did Scottie Pippen describe the relationship between Clyde Drexler and Michael Jordan?
The Bulls’ legendary three musketeers, member Pippen, was also a member of the 1992 Olympic team along with the Drexler-Jordan duo. In his autobiography, the 57-year-old reminisced about the environment on and off the court in the ’92 Olympic campaign.
“Clyde, still hurting from losing to the Bulls in the Finals, was out to prove he belonged on the same level as Michael,” Pippen wrote. “As if the six games the teams had just played hadn’t proven the exact opposite.”
Drexler’s stance regarding MJ affected their team performance as well. “His energy was terrible. He always had his head down and acted as if Michael and I were his adversaries, not his teammates. Clyde didn’t fit in with the whole team, and it was a shame,” he continued.
However, Scottie delivered a message for the 60-year-old HOF, writing, “Here is what someone should have told him: Clyde, you should feel fortunate. You are one of the best basketball players in the world. You’re just not Michael Jordan and that’s no crime. No one is.”
On the other hand, MJ himself didn’t experience this side of Clyde as they frequently played golf together and revisited their rivalry. Like all other professionals, Jordan likes to uphold sportsmanship from his end.
What’s your opinion regarding their rivalry? Could Clyde Drexler accept the supremacy of Michael Jordan? let us know your thoughts in the comments.
