"You guys never froze me out" - Michael Jordan sent a message to Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas and George Gervin about the infamous freeze-out game

Yahoo

a day ago

"You guys never froze me out" - Michael Jordan sent a message to Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas and George Gervin about the infamous freeze-out game originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Many fans and analysts believe that the infamous Freeze-out game during the 1985 NBA All-Star showdown was meant to break Michael Jordan's confidence. It was a highly-anticipated moment as it marked Jordan's NBA All-Star debut.
However, rather than showcasing his extraordinary talent, the Chicago Bulls star only managed to make two shots throughout the entire game. The unexpected underwhelming performance unsurprisingly sparked widespread speculation, suggesting that certain veteran players, notably Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas, had a deliberate agenda to make Jordan appear unworthy of his All-Star selection.
Years later, during his epic Hall of Fame induction speech, MJ shockingly confronted the decades-old rumor. He delivered a compelling message directed at the NBA legends who were accused of freezing him out that night.
"I'm going to thank a couple people that you guys probably wouldn't even think that I would thank: Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, George Gervin," Jordan candidly spoke. "Now they say it was a so-called freeze-out in my rookie season. I wouldn't have never guessed, but you guys gave me the motivation to say, 'You know what, evidently I haven't proved enough to these guys. I gotta prove to them that I deserve what I've gotten on this level.'"
"And no matter what people may have said – if it was a rumor, I never took it as truth – but you guys never froze me out because I was just happy to be there, no matter how you look at it," he pointed out. "And from that point forward, I wanted to prove to you, Magic, Larry, George, everybody – that I deserved to be on this level just as much as everybody else. And hopefully, over the period of my career, I've done that, without a doubt – you know, even in the Detroit years, we've done that."
Taking a quick trip down memory lane, there's no denying that MJ truly deserved to be an All-Star despite being a rookie. That season, Jordan never missed a game and put up MVP-like numbers, having averaged 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.4 steals per outing.
That being said, the notion that the so-called Freeze-out game was rooted in jealousy grew stronger. The media quickly turned their attention to the intriguing issue. They began to quiz explanations and insights from the people who could possibly be involved. The inquiries poured in but not a single NBA legend confirmed the swirling speculations.
In an interesting twist, George Andrews, the agent representing both Magic and Thomas, was asked to share his thoughts on the matter. He firmly denied it, stating that there was no way any of his superstar clients would have entertained, or even thought about coming up with such a bizarre idea.
"You're telling me Larry Bird was in a conspiracy with Isiah Thomas? If Isiah said one thing, Bird would do the opposite… There's no chance you are getting Dr. J, who was the moral compass of the league back then, starting the basketball chapel, and Larry Bird ganging up on Michael Jordan," Andrews once said.
"So, they say, 'Let's see what Michael can do with Gervin,' who still was pretty good," added Andrews.
"Michael didn't do much, something like two for nine. But nine shots; so he wasn't frozen out. He got nine shots in an All-Star game as a rookie. Isiah had seven when he was a rookie and shot an air ball," he pointed out.The way Jordan performed on the court following the 1985 All-Star weekend only goes to show that the Freeze-out game had little to no impact on him. Although he also did not dismiss it during his speech, MJ insisted that the infamous event didn't affect his focus and passion for the game.
Rather than dwelling on the possible reasons behind the Freeze-out game, Mike moved on and remained committed to developing his skills as a player. If there was one thing he did, it was to transform the negativity of the Freeze-out game into a source of motivation. It ultimately gave him the drive to prove his critics wrong.
Looking at how Jordan morphed into a dominant player, it was very evident that the Freeze-out game held little significance in his illustrious NBA career. His strong work ethic and willpower allowed him to rise above all the challenges he encountered in his journey. Apart from that, MJ's competitive spirit also solidified his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time.
All told, the conscious decision to address the past in his special night highlighted Jordan's courage and resilience. The greatness he achieved and the winning mentality he displayed only suggested that the Freeze-out game didn't make any sense, if there was any.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.