Usap-usapan ngayong linggo ito sa episode ng “The Last Dance” documentary ng ESPN/NetFlix ang nananatiling rivalry nina NBA legends Michael Jordan at Isiah Lord Thomas III na sumiklab noong 1987-90.
Isa sa mga na-feature sa docu-series episodes 3-4 ang paliwanag ni Thomas sa hindi pagkamay kay Jordan nang mapataob ng Chicago Bulls ang Detroit Pistons noong 1991 NBA Eastern Conference Finals.
“You can show me anything you want. There’s no way you’re not going to convince me he wasn’t an asshole,” sabi ni Jordan sa episode.
Nabigla naman si Thomas sa naging reaksyon ni Jordan na nagbitaw ng hindi magandang salita sa kanya.
“I was definitely surprised,” ani Thomas kay Bill Reiter ng CBS Sports. “Because we’ve been in each other’s presence before, and I’ve never gotten that type of reaction from him. We were even at dinner a couple times and he was always pleasant. Always good to my kids. Always good to my son. He even gave my son a pair of gym shoes.”
“The competition that we all had on the floor, I truly just thought it was on the floor,” sambit pa ni Thomas.
Nang matanong naman nito kung gusto nito si Jordan, tumugon ito ng “I do. I do. I don’t have anything against him and I definitely admire him as a basketball player.”
Pinanapos niya, “Like I said … I haven’t had an interaction with him that’s been unkind.” (Janiel Abby Toralba)