“Straight hypocrite” – Klay Thompson once SLAMMED Michael Jordan for taking money out of players’ pockets as owner

Recounting Michael Jordan as an owner during the 2011-12 lockout season.

“Straight hypocrite” – Klay Thompson once SLAMMED Michael Jordan for taking money out of players’ pockets as owner

L- Klay Thompson and R- Michael Jordan (Via Getty Images)

The NBA world said goodbye to Michael Jordan as an owner when he sold the Charlotte Hornets a few weeks ago. His tenure as the boss of the franchise was far from successful, and some might even call him the worst owner in NBA history. But before he became the owner, he was a player who clashed with the Players Union during the 2011 lockout.

That year, the NBA faced a major dispute over the division of basketball-related income (BRI) between the owners and the players. Jordan, who was a minority owner of the Hornets at the time, took a hard-line stance against the players and demanded a 50-50 split. This angered many players who looked up to him as a legend, including Klay Thompson, who said he lost respect for him.

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The then-rookie Thompson and Danny Granger voiced their opinions on Twitter, “U think 1996 MJ would pull this? Straight hypocrite bro…” The Indiana Pacers guard at that time, Granger, replied to Thompson’s Tweet, “Man straight hypocrite bro…He should have been the first one behind us smh.”

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This incident tarnished the reputation of Jordan, who had been a vocal leader for the players when he was on the court. Many wondered why he stayed silent during the owner’s meetings and sided with the hard-liners.

Related: LeBron James was accused of stating ANTISEMITIC slurs during a ball game at Jewish Community Center during the NBA lockout in 2011

How Michael Jordan’s hardline stance affected the 2011-12 NBA season

David Stern
Former NBA commissioner David Stern. (Jeff Golden/Getty Images)

The 2011-12 season was one of the most memorable and dramatic seasons in NBA history. The season saw the Chris Paul trade get blocked, the Nets move from New Jersey to Brooklyn, the Derrick Rose injury, and the devastating NBA lockout.

A dispute between the Player’s Union and the owners interrupted the season for several months. The owners wanted to reduce the players’ share of BRI, which was over 57%, claiming that most teams lost money yearly, totaling $300 million in losses.

The players wanted a system similar to MLB, where they would have higher and guaranteed salaries. The owners wanted a system like NFL, where they would have more control over the players’ contracts and pay them based on performance. This led to a five-month standoff between the two sides, with players refusing to play until a new deal was reached.

Both parties finally concluded with players bagging 50% of the shares, down from the previous 57%. The incident further shaped the player’s empowerment act and made the league as we know of today.

Michael Jordan finally exited the NBA scene when he sold his majority stake in the Hornets. His departure marked a disappointing end to his stint as an owner, which was plagued by bad luck and poor decisions.

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