“Big problem with booger sugar…” Michael Jordan ‘ran cocaine out of’ 80s NBA basketball players, claims Gilbert Arenas

Michael Jordan revolutionalized NBA in various ways during his illustrious career.

“Big problem with booger sugar…” Michael Jordan ‘ran cocaine out of’ 80s NBA basketball players, claims Gilbert Arenas

Michael Jordan (via Open Source/X)

After being selected as the third pick in the 1984 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan burst onto the NBA scene. Transitioning into the league, he earned Rookie of the Year honors, secured a spot on the All-Star team in his debut season, and played a pivotal role in elevating the league to unparalleled heights.

During the 1980s, a period marked by alarming levels of drug use, the NBA faced its most daunting challenges. Drugs ensnared countless players and coaches, tarnishing the league’s reputation and jeopardizing people’s well-being. Despite the NBA’s attempts to tackle the issue through drug testing and player suspensions, the problem persisted throughout the decade. As a result of the widespread drug use during that era, the league has since implemented numerous drug testing protocols. While Gilbert Arenas, the Washington Wizards legend humorously reminisces about those times, drug use was an inescapable aspect of everyday life in the league.

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Former NBA player, Gilbert Arenas asserts that MJ is the GOAT for rescuing the NBA. Here’s what Arenas expressed on his podcast:

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Bron [James], I’m sorry, my guy. Jordan is back, the GOAT, and this is why. You got to be the GOAT if you ran cocaine out of the ‘80s. You literally ran the cocaine out of these players. You was running circles around them that in the ‘90s, they had to clean they sh*t up.

He continued:

The NBA had a really huge problem with the booger sugar. They were literally throwing games for drug habits. So, I have to give it to Michael Jordan. He’s back, the GOAT for what he did in the ‘80s.

When Michael Jordan joined the league, the Chicago Bulls were infamous as the “Traveling cocaine circus” in the NBA. However, Chicago wasn’t the sole team grappling with drug-related issues among its players.

Gilbert Arenas on Michael’s “His Airness” defensive legacy

Following Rasheed Wallace’s controversial statement suggesting that Michael Jordan wasn’t particularly skilled as a defender, former Washington Wizards All-Star, Gilbert Arenas stepped in to clarify Wallace’s intentions behind his criticism of MJ’s defensive abilities.

Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan (via Open Source/X)

In the latest episode of Gil’s Arena podcast, Arenas highlighted two perspectives on evaluating a defensive player: assessing them individually and considering their role as the “net guy.”

Sometimes we're judging people on the individual matchups where it's not the entire picture. When we're thinking about Michael Jordan, when there's a key stop to be made, he's making it. Snapping back on Karl Malone to get the steal to go win the game, making the block. He was the actual net guy. As an individual guard, Pippen was a better defender on the ball. But Michael Jordan's awareness on defense was great.

Arenas asserts that in one-on-one situations, Jordan was vulnerable, as evident in instances like when Iverson maneuvered past him. However, Arenas primarily emphasizes that Jordan typically avoided guarding the opposing team’s top scorer.

For instance, he wouldn’t match up against players like LeBron James when defensive-minded individuals like Jarred Vanderbilt, who take minimal shots per game, were on the court. By avoiding the primary offensive threats, Jordan could freely patrol the court. Leveraging his exceptional defensive instincts, he excelled as a help defender, making crucial defensive plays.

Regardless of Gilbert Arenas’ perspective, it’s undeniable that MJ stood out as one of the premier defensive players of his time, irrespective of his role as a “net guy.”

Statistical evidence supports this claim. Jordan topped the NBA in steals on three occasions and maintained an impressive career average of 2.3 steals per game. Additionally, his average of 0.9 blocks per game remains unmatched by any guard in NBA history.

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