Why was there a feud between Michael Jordan and Isaiah Thomas?

Question

I read that in the 1992 Olympics, MJ didn't let Isaiah Thomas join the Dream team. Why?

Answer 1

Here's the whole story on the legendary feud between Mike and Isiah.  enjoy

Answer 2

It's probably because Isiah is from Chicago, and was the biggest basketball star there until Jordan came along. There's probably a hint of jealousy there because Jordan stole the spotlight.

It all culminated in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals, when the Bulls swept the Pistons. Isiah led the rest of the Pistons off the court with a minute left in the game. Jordan felt that it was poor sportsmanship to do that.

Jordan was not the decision maker as far as who played and who didn't. It is rumured that he said he wasn't going to play if Isiah did, but that decision was up to the USA officials.

Answer 3

In the Allstar game Isiah Thomas purposely kept the ball away from MJ and told the Eastern Conference team not to include him in the offense as well.

Answer 4

The Pistons and the Bulls hate each other.

Isiah Thomas told the All-Star Team to not pass to Jordan, which may not be true, but it is/was accepted as fact.

Besides, MJ didn't not let Isiah join, the USA basketball organization said no.

Why would you even need Isiah when there's Magic and John Stockton?

Answer 5

the freeze out thing was only a small part of it. Jordan and Thomas are both hugely competitive guys. They played in the same conference and for years took turns eliminating each other's team from the playoffs. the rivalry was physical and chippy both ways between the bulls and the pistons. They just didn't like each other. Jordan was key in keeping Isiah off the Dream Team. Magic had gotten too big and slow to defend the point guards and Stockton, was not as good as Isiah, regardless of what the numbers show. Isiah could create for himself and any other postion on the floor. He was the fastest I ever saw with the ball. Not only should he have been on the dream team. He should have started.