Michael Jordan can be a goat inside the 2,222-square-foot hardboard court, but his off-court demeanor has often offended many around him. While others might view that smash-mouth side of Jordan as an asymmetric flaw in character, his close ones consider it one of his key elements.
One such person is NBA legend Kenny Smith, who is no stranger to Jordan’s brash attitude. After spending their teenage days together, both embarked on their NBA journey without tainting the relationship. But one incident did occur in their heydays that could’ve done irreversible damage to their bond but ultimately had no sinister effect.
Michael Jordan once responded to Kenny Smith’s daughter’s thoughtful remark
In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, the former Houston Rockets star and writer of “Talk of Champions,” Kenny Smith shared a story about her daughter Kayla Smith that involved the basketball legend Michael Jordan. The 2-time NBA Champion said that once they went out for sneaker shopping when his youngest daughter asked him whether he knew Jordan. Kayla thought they should buy the Air Jordan sneakers to support the former Bulls star, as he was her father’s friend.
Impressed by her daughter’s thoughtfulness, he texted His Airness. Jordan’s former teammate in college, Kenny, had other plans. He assumed that MJ might send him a few sneakers after hearing about his daughter’s kind thoughts, but his optimism fizzled out soon. The 58-year-old said, “I’m thinking he’s gonna go, ‘Well, you know what, just don’t worry, I’m going to send you boxes’”, but instead Jordan replied, “Yeah, she’s smart, you should”. On hearing this, everyone burst into laughter, including the narrator, Kenny Smith himself.
Jordan left John Salley hanging with petty display
There are several stories about the 6-time NBA champion shared by his former teammates and friends. In the Club Shay Shay podcast hosted by 3-time Super Bowl winner Shannon Sharpe, MJ’s former teammate John Salley shared a story about the legend’s Ferrari. Salley I played for the Detroit Pistons and before the game with the Bulls, MJ told him about the new Ferrari he had bought. Salley showed his excitement to see the car but little did he know what would happen next.
Incidentally, Jordan’s side had lost the highly charged rivalry match. The 59-year-old eagerly waited for MJ to show the car but instead, he evaded Salley, ignoring him in his Italian speed machine. When the 4-time champion asked Jordan about his behavior, he said, “Man, I ain’t hanging out with you.” The loss had made him so upset that Jordan did not care to show the new car to his friend.
John Salley says the idea that NBA players hated each other in Michael Jordan’s era is overblown.
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) September 16, 2019
"He loved everything about us in Detroit. … Right now, LeBron and them, you see [the friendship]. We had the same things, people you were cool with."
(via @djvlad) pic.twitter.com/1Owurl3bXm
Despite all the stories about his frugality, his greatness on court remains unmatched, which he cemented with his competitiveness.
