MJ did not pull any punches in his scathing criticism of the shot-blocking center.
In the NBA, it’s not enough to prepare your body for the rigors of the regular season and, later on, the playoffs. Players, especially the elite ones, also had to train their minds to withstand the pressures and distractions that come with being in the spotlight.
A player well-versed in the nuances of mental warfare was none other than Michael Jordan, the Chicago Bulls legend who is widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time. The 6’6″ shooting guard was known for his competitive drive and unrelenting desire to win, but he wasn’t just gifted with incredible athleticism and hoop skills. MJ also had remarkable mental toughness, which he used to overcome all the challenges that stood in his way to greatness.
However, one player who “His Airness” pointed out as having lackluster mental fortitude was two-time Defensive Player of the Year Alonzo Mourning. Zo was known for his superb shot-blocking abilities and intimidating presence in the paint. However, as much grief the former Georgetown star caused players who dared to attack the rim whenever he was in the game, Michael saw him as soft and mentally weak when matched up against his teammate, the pesky Dennis Rodman.
“The Worm” constantly got into Zo’s head
Jordan’s Bulls and Zo’s Miami Heat faced off against one another in two straight playoff series: the first round in 1996 and the Eastern Conference Finals in 1997. The two showdowns went Chicago’s way in dominant fashion, with the Bulls sweeping the Heat in 1996 before authoring a 4-1 victory in 1997.
A huge reason for that was Rodman, who Jordan said was able to irritate and annoy the Heat’s superstar center enough to get him off his game. This was evident in the 1997 playoffs when Mourning was held to only 15.6 points, a figure that was a lot lower than his regular-season average of 19.8 points per game.
“Dennis gets into Alonzo Mourning’s head now. Alonzo’s weak in the mind,” MJ said in 1998. “He has to know how to be tough and overlook those types of things. Alonzo’s an intimidator, but sometimes the intimidator can be intimidated. The bully can be bullied.”
Complimented Zo’s calves
One great example of this was how Rodman pissed Mourning off by looking at him flirtatiously. According to former Bull John Salley, Dennis was up to doing whatever it took to get the intense big man off his game. And so, as both “The Worm” and Alonzo lined up at the free throw line, the Bulls power forward began commenting about the latter’s calves.
“‘Look at his calves. Got great calves. Looks at his calves. Calves are great. How’d you get calves like that?’ Alonzo was like, ‘Y’all are sick,'” Salley shared.
Such tactics exemplified the lengths MJ and Dennis went to get a win when the stakes were at their highest. Legendary players like Jordan and Rodman weren’t only gifted with hoop skills that most players didn’t have, but they also held a mental edge over their opponents. They knew how to pester them and ultimately throw them off their game.