Latest news with #JohnSalley
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"I was with them" - Damon Stoudamire refutes John Salley's claim the 72-10 Bulls lost to the Raptors because of a hangover
"I was with them" - Damon Stoudamire refutes John Salley's claim the 72-10 Bulls lost to the Raptors because of a hangover originally appeared on Basketball Network. Damon Stoudamire and the Toronto Raptors upset the Chicago Bulls, 109-108, during a late regular-season game in their historic 1995-96 season run. That year, the Bulls finished with the best record in the league, 72-10. However, former Bulls backup big man John Salley claimed it would've been 73-9 had they not partied too much the night before the game against the Raptors. Advertisement Salley's explanation for the Bulls' loss to the Raptors may sound logical and realistic, but Stoudamire firmly refuted it. Damon was quick to counter John's claims because he was also present that night. Stoudamire also argued that Salley's narrative was not only partially accurate. Moreover, he suggested that whatever happened the night before doesn't prove anything about the events that unfolded during that unforgettable game. "I don't want to cosign John's story, but truth be told, that happened, they did go out, but John didn't tell the whole story," a chuckling Stoudamire remembered during an interview with Vice in 2016. "Because I was with them. There were other people out, too. It wasn't just the Bulls." The Bulls really had a lot of fun in Toronto It's easy to understand why Stoudamire disagreed with Salley's claim. Apart from also staying up late with the Bulls prior to the game, Mighty Mouse also put on a sensational performance that day. He finished the game with 30 points, 11 assists and four rebounds. Advertisement Besides Stoudamire, Raptors' veteran forward Tracy Murray also had a terrific game. He registered 23 points, 12 rebounds and two steals in 47 minutes of action. Murray also partied the night before alongside Stoudamire and the Bulls. In a shocking admission, Tracy noted that most away teams were really fond of having a blast in Toronto, especially those who are big-name stars, as the locals don't really recognize them. "We were with them and we saw they were in good hands and everybody trickled out of there early. We made sure we were ready," Murray recounted. "They were out there until five in the morning, but that's the type of city Toronto is. It's a city where you want to get out and get into it and really see what's going on. We used that to our advantage." Longtime Raptors color commentator Leo Rautins also echoed Murray's remarks. However, Rautins neither sided with nor opposed Salley's claim that the Bulls players were hungover during the game. Advertisement "The Bulls had a great team, they played great ball, but those guys had fun," said Rautins. "I'll tell you that I've run into the Bulls when I was leaving places at two or three in the morning and they were just coming in, and I thought I was a wild man back then." "Teams had a lot of fun up here," added Rautins. "That day when the Raptors beat the Bulls, I just know Chicago looked, to me, like they had one hell of a Toronto night. That's all I know." Salley still say the same thing 20 years later As John reflected on that fateful day in Toronto 20 years later, he stuck to his belief that the Bulls weren't at their best during that game. Salley openly acknowledged once again that they did not take the Raptors seriously and prioritized entertainment over competition. Advertisement Instead of putting their minds on the upcoming game, Salley said they opted to indulge in the fun things the city of Toronto could offer. "We relaxed, to tell you the truth, because we were playing the worst team in the league," Salley said during a discussion on the 20th anniversary of the Raptors' upset win over the Bulls in '96. "It was springtime, and most guys are phoning it in. We took them for granted." Related: "Show some love and some respect for the people you played with and against" - Clyde Drexler says 'The Last Dance' was a true reflection of Michael Jordan's negative character Beating the '90s Bulls means a lot to the Raptors' history It was a non-bearing game for both the Raptors and the Bulls, as both teams already knew where they would land once the season finally concluded. However, the NBA media and fans believe that any upset story is worth remembering, especially if it involves the mighty Chicago squad. Advertisement The Raptors finished the 1995-96 season as the third-worst team in the league, winning only 21 games. However, the fact that they stole a win over the best team in the league that season will always hold a special place in their hearts. "We had it all clicking that day," Stoudamire fondly recalled. "You're always going to get up a little more playing against the Bulls. We knew what they were chasing at that time." "We had no fear factor," Murray proudly reflected. "Maybe it was the desperation of a lot of the guys careers but we had a mentality that we weren't afraid of teams. We knew at the end of the game it would be close, and if it were close enough, maybe we could steal one." Advertisement To this day, the Raptors faithful and media still consider Toronto's win over the Bulls on March 24, 1996, as one of the greatest moments in the franchise's history. Related: Michael Jordan was embarrassed after losing to the Raptors during the Bulls historic 1995/96 season: "We kind of fell asleep defensively" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
"A heavy crown to carry"-John Salley opens up about the scrutiny Michael Jordan's son faces
Michael Jordan faces constant scrutiny (Image via Getty Images) Former NBA player John Salley recently gave his candid opinion regarding the pressure that Michael Jordan 's son, Marcus Jordan, faces from the public. In a recent interview, he stated that it is not easy to be the son of a sports icon such as Michael Jordan. He described it as 'a heavy crown to carry. ' The four-time NBA champion believes that the junior Jordan was likely to face challenges at some point because of the high expectations placed on him. He further said that the NBA legend's famous career has always put a spotlight on his son. John Salley sympathizes with Marcus Jordan as he is under constant public scrutiny During an interview with DJ Vlad on Wednesday, John Salley opened up about Marcus Jordan. He also showed kindness and understanding toward his former teammate's son and said: 'Michael Jordan's son, it's a heavy crown to carry, man. You don't get to be human. You get to be human, but you're human with a magnifying glass on you.' Michael Jordan is in a relationship with Larsa Pippen (Image via Getty) The NBA legend further added: 'So, you know, if you put the magnifying glass and the sun is on you, you're gonna get burnt. So, that's what happened with Michael's son. There's just so much happening that eventually he was going to get burnt.' He continued: 'Having to operate under the assumption that people are always wanting something from you, whether it's a Jordan shoe or a connection of some sort. You have to operate under the assumption that people are coming around with their hands out.' John Salley on Kobe, Knicks, Diddy, Daphne Joy, Cassie, White Players vs. Europeans (Full Interview) John Salley pointed out that being the child of someone as big as Michael Jordan comes with a lot of pressure. Every move Marcus Jordan makes is watched and judged. Recently, he has been in the news over his relationship with Larsa Pippen, the former wife of Scottie Pippen, who is Michael Jordan's former teammate. This made his life even more difficult to manage in public. The NBA legend then said that people forget that junior Jordan is just a human being, trying to live his life. The ex-NBA player further added that Marcus must be allowed to make his own decisions without judgment for the things he has no authority over. In spite of the pressure, Marcus Jordan is still pursuing his goal. He has a sneaker brand and has an active social media presence. Although living in the spotlight is not simple, he is still trying to make the best of it. Also read: Kevin Durant drops 5-word reaction to viral Michael Jordan clip picking him over Kobe Bryant and LeBron James For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"I didn't agree with it in '91, I don't agree with it now" - John Salley admitted he didn't want to walk off the court without shaking the Bulls' players' hands
"I didn't agree with it in '91, I don't agree with it now" - John Salley admitted he didn't want to walk off the court without shaking the Bulls' players' hands originally appeared on Basketball Network. The 1991 Eastern Conference finals marked the end of the Detroit Pistons' reign and the symbolic rise of Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. Advertisement What's often remembered is the defiant gesture by a bruised, proud team. There was no handshake. No final show of grace. Just a cold, calculated walk-off that became one of the most talked-about images in NBA playoff history. The Bulls had just swept the Pistons. Four games to none. A clean execution. And as the final seconds ticked off in Game 4 at the Palace of Auburn Hills, most of the Pistons roster, including names like Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer, strode past Chicago's bench. Salley's defense That walk-off was a move many saw as petty and, for some, unforgivable. But according to former Pistons star John Salley, not everyone on the roster — including himself — was on board. "I didn't agree with it in '91; I don't agree with it now," Salley said in an interview with DJ Vlad. "I understand we took a stand as a team. But personally, even though we were a team, we were 12 individual companies." Advertisement "I literally said, 'Chuck [Daly] put me back in the game.' He was like, 'Come on, Salley, you can't get any more points.' I go, 'You gotta put me back because I don't want to be a part of what's about to happen.' And they walked off," Salley recalled. There was always a complexity to the Pistons. On the court, they were brutal and methodical, the Bad Boys of the NBA, building a dynasty not with grace but with grit. But behind that uniformity was a collection of personalities, each navigating the fine line between loyalty and individuality. Salley was one of the few who tried to bridge that divide. Salley understood what that moment meant, not just for the optics, but for the culture of the league. The Pistons were more than two-time champions, they were a wall that Jordan had to break through, a team that had bounced him from the playoffs three years straight. But 1991 was the season everything changed. Jordan's Bulls swept them with clinical efficiency, outscoring Detroit by a total of 45 points across the series. It was a statement victory. Advertisement Related: "I can't get so close to it, too, because of my competitive nature" - Michael Jordan on why he can't get himself to be a fan of any one player in the NBA A quiet act of sportsmanship Though the national narrative focused on the walk-off, it wasn't as absolute as it looked. Not every Piston avoided the Bulls. Salley, standing by his convictions, sought out the players he respected, regardless of the emotional weight hanging over the arena. "When the game was over, first person I went up to that's my frat brother," Salley recalled. "And then I went to Horace [Grant] and Scottie [Pippen] who were standing together." Advertisement That was a subtle acknowledgment in a moment that demanded more humanity than pride. For Salley, it wasn't about public perception. It was about maintaining a personal code of sportsmanship, one that he wasn't willing to compromise, even when the team moved as a unit. The decision to leave without shaking hands has been revisited many times, perhaps most infamously in ESPN's 2020 docuseries "The Last Dance." Thomas, then the Pistons' leader, would later refer to it as an emotional, knee-jerk reaction to the sting of losing. But that explanation never fully muted the backlash. Thomas was left off the 1992 Dream Team, a snub many attributed to lingering tension with Jordan. The moment became an often-replayed skipped handshake, a symbol of the rift between generations, between two dynasties that viewed the game through fundamentally different lenses. Salley would go on to win two more championships, one with the Bulls in 1996 and another with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000, becoming the first player in NBA history to win titles with three different franchises. His post-Detroit journey marked him as both a competitor and a connector, someone able to move between rival dynasties without friction. Advertisement Related: "I don't even know where my birth certificate is, but I know where those sneakers are right now" - John Salley made sure to get MJ's sneakers after a historic night This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
