Almost three and a half years after his Hall of Fame induction speech was widely criticized for being arrogant and petty, Bulls great Michael Jordan says he has no regrets.
“I was really explaining to people about my competitive nature,” Jordan tells Ahmad Rashad in an NBA TV “One on One” special airing at 7 p.m. Monday. “Most people say that was the worst speech? OK. That’s from your perspective. … I’ll go to the grave thinking, ‘I said what
I wanted to say. I’m not going to change it.’ “
Jordan touches on numerous subjects, including:
His partnership with Scottie Pippen: “It’s not just that I pushed Scottie Pippen. Scottie Pippen pushed me. It was big brother-little brother scenario. Next thing you know, it’s a tandem.”
The eliminated Pistons walking off the court in the 1991: “You get your ass whipped, you can walk out of the building any way you want.”
Whether he took it personally when former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy called him a con man: “Yes. It rubbed me the wrong way then, and if I hear it now, it still rubs me the wrong way. I was good friends with Patrick (Ewing), good friend with (Charles) Oakley. … I felt that was inappropriate for him to say something like that.”
A possible comeback at 50: I’ve gone through a transition period. It’s called time, age, weight. I haven’t picked up a ball. No, I’m not going to come back at the age of 50, although in my mind, I’m always going to believe I can play the game of basketball.”
His favorite of his six NBA titles: “If I had six kids, it’s like asking me which one was my favorite. … If I had to pick one, I’d say the fourth.”
That was in 1996, 15 months after Jordan ended his stab at a baseball career and returned to the Bulls.
