Michael Jordan Named Only Player He Hated During NBA Career

Throughout the illustrious career of Michael Jordan, there were many twists, turns, and success stories. Off-court drama, the branding that made the Jordan name one of the most famous in the world, and his generational basketball talent that made everyone stop and stare.

What MJ also had was a deep, unrivalled desire to win games of basketball, and he wasn’t a fan of anybody who would get in his way. Jordan certainly made some enemies on the court during his star-studded 15 years in the NBA, and when asked who it may be that he hated playing against the most during his career, he certainly had options for his answer.

Michael Jordan’s Famous Rivalries

MJ had a few bust-ups in his time, but one man takes the crown for his most-hated

The American legend had a famous rivalry with Isiah Thomas which fed from his open feud with the Detroit Pistons, with many play-off battles between the two shaping the championship runs for Jordan and the incredible Bulls. Famously, Thomas once refused to even shake the hand of Jordan after one of their clashes, and the two never really seemed to make up. But it wasn’t Thomas who made the cut.

Michael Jordan also had rivals from his very early days before he even got to the NBA. One of his longest-standing opponents was college rival, Patrick Ewing, who represented Georgetown before having a successful 17-year NBA career, the vast majority at the now-flying New York Knicks, where he would average 21 points a game. Jordan’s North Carolina Tar Heels proved unbeatable rivals, but Georgetown certainly didn’t go down without a fight, and the two were known to have a bit of an edge to their relationship.

Despite all of these big flash points with other players, however, Jordan had a telling answer to who he grew to hate most throughout his career. It was Reggie Miller, the stalwart of the Indiana Pacers, who was the lucky man to be chosen.

“I don’t really dislike anyone in the league, but playing Reggie Miller drives me nuts. His game is all this flopping-type thing. He only weighs 185 pounds, so you have to be careful; don’t touch him, or it’s a foul. On offence, I use all of my 215 pounds and move him out, but he has his hands on you all the time. I just want to beat his hands off because it’s illegal. It irritates me.”

Miller is also known as one of the finest trash talkers in the league. All the way up at 6’7, but at just 185 pounds, it limited his effectiveness in some duels and, in his own words, he would never be able to outmuscle Jordan. But it wasn’t just Jordan – Reggie Miller was known for this throughout the league. It earned him a lot of respect and a few too many haters, but that was his game. He was just a player that used every option available to him to be the best on the court, including those mind games, and it’s hard to hate that. Unless you’re Michael Jordan, who found it pretty easy to hate.