Ron Harper, ex-NBA player and five-time NBA champion, has shed light on why players were intimidated by Michael Jordan and rarely engaged him in trash talk. Despite his own illustrious career, he admitted feeling the influence of Jordan, particularly during his stint with the Chicago Bulls. According to Harper, players were genuinely fearful of Jordan because of his unmatched skill and competitiveness. Many players attempted to provoke him with trash talk, but this was usually a grave mistake, as he took it personally and saw it as a challenge.
Harper himself avoided unnecessary conversation with Jordan both on and off the court to avoid ending up on his target list. However, some like Reggie Miller, Nick Anderson and Gary Payton relentlessly provoked Jordan, only to face his fierce competitive spirit on the court. Harper accentuates that it was entertaining to watch Jordan’s reactions to provocation– as long as one was on his side.
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