For The Win
Payton says he dropped 19 points while Jordan was on the bench for most of the Bulls-Sonics preseason game, and while he was doing it, he ran by the bench to talk trash to MJ and stare his opponents down. The 22-year-old Sonics guard thought he was on top of the world.
But then, Jordan turned it on for their first regular season matchup. Payton recalls before the game, MJ refused to shake his hand and said out loud, “Leave the (expletive) rookie to me.”
Here’s the rest, in Payton’s own words via
The Players’ Tribune:
In a matter of minutes, I’m in foul trouble. K.C. benches me. I didn’t really go back in the game much more after that. I remember I finished with no points — played about seven or eight minutes. MJ ended up going for 33.
But that wasn’t the end of it. Near the end of the game, I’m sitting on the bench, and MJ comes over to our bench — comes right up to me while the game is still going on. Coach is standing right there. Everyone on the bench is staring at him.
Looks right at me. “That (expletive) you talking in preseason?”
The wild thing is, MJ isn’t even mad or nothing. He’s chewing his (expletive) gum.
“This is the real (expletive) right here. Welcome to the NBA, little fella.”
The Bulls won the title that season, and then five more before he was done.