When Michael Jordan PUNCHED teammate and gave him a black eye for incredibly petty reason

Michael Jordan's physical altercations with teammates and the intensity of NBA practices in the '90s, enduring friendships.

When Michael Jordan PUNCHED teammate and gave him a black eye for incredibly petty reason

Michael Jordan (image via NBA.com)

Michael Jordan remains a revered icon in the world of sports, despite enduring tales of his physical altercations with former Chicago Bulls teammates that continue to circulate. Surprisingly, not even a towering 7-foot, 240-pound individual like Will Perdue was immune to Jordan’s fist.

In 2015, Horace Grant recounted this incident during a discussion on HOT97 radio, shedding light on the high intensity and competitiveness of practices under Phil Jackson. He noted that fights during training were a routine part of that era and expressed relief that there was no social media to document such events back then. Grant went on to describe the memorable incident when Jordan exchanged blows with Perdue.

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Grant stated “I hate to tell the story, but Will and I are still good friends,” Typical Phil, we run this play, and Will set an illegal pick on MJ, and MJ said,’ Will, don’t do that again.’ ‘Whatcha talking about?’ That’s Will. MJ says, ‘Alright.’ Phil says, ‘Run it again.’ So, naturally, we run it two more times, illegal pick. MJ walks up to Will, boom, lit him up. It was over. We grabbed Will. You’re not going to hurt MJ. MJ can take care of himself. The next day on the plane, Will gets on with this huge shiner.”

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The incident was notably featured in “The Last Dance” documentary. Will Perdue also verified to CBS Sports that he indeed received a punch from Michael Jordan during a practice session. Perdue clarified that team altercations were relatively frequent in those days, and his clash with MJ was the sole one that became public knowledge.

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Teammate Altercations: The Stories of Michael Jordan’s Punches and How They Strengthened Bonds

Steve Kerr and Michael Jordan
Steve Kerr and Michael Jordan (Credits: ESPN)

Will Perdue wasn’t the sole teammate to experience a punch from Michael Jordan. The same fate befell Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr during a training camp leading up to the 1995-96 season. Jordan and Kerr engaged in some heated trash talk during a practice session, resulting in their physical altercation.

Nevertheless, Kerr attributed the incident to improving his bond with Jordan. This newfound trust in “His Airness” culminated in Kerr’s most memorable moment. During the critical moments of Game 6 in the 1997 NBA Finals, Jordan entrusted Kerr with the ball, leading to his game-winning jump shot.

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