Did Michael Jordan ever have a physical altercation with Steve Kerr? Here are all the details
Michael Jordan and Steve Kerr have a long history together. They teamed up for more than 200 games and were both part of the second three-peat by the Chicago Bulls. However, things haven't always gone well between the two.
In 1995, Kerr and Jordan were involved in a physical altercation. The greatest player of all time punched Steve Kerr in the face and was kicked out of practice.
To make things worse, this was Kerr's first season with Jordan. While Michael was the best player in the entire league, Kerr was a role player who was nowhere near MJ.
Michael Jordan hit Steve Kerr in 1995
Steve Kerr joined the Chicago Bulls in 1993. In his first two seasons with the team, the 6-foot-3 guard averaged 8.4 points per game and was one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in the league.
Kerr appeared in all 184 regular-season games for the Bulls, shooting 48% from the 3-point range, which was impressive. Unfortunately, this all happened during Michael Jordan's retirement and the Bulls could not win it all.
In their first full season together, Kerr and Jordan got into a physical altercation. This took place in 1995 during a heated practice. According to recounts by the players who were in practice, Jordan punched Kerr in the eye.
At that point, Jordan won three championships and three MVP awards. He was one of the best players in the league and was extremely competitive.
Despite his greatness, MJ knew that he was wrong for punching Steve Kerr. Michael called Steve shortly after to apologize and their relationship was fixed.
“It made me look at myself and say, ‘You know what? You’re really being an idiot about this whole process,’" Michael Jordan recalled in 'Eleven Rings,' Phil Jackson's book.
“I knew I had to be more respectful of my teammates,” he added.
Steve Kerr is now head coach of the Golden State Warriors and will have to deal with a similar incident. Draymond Green punched Jordan Pool in practice, which has caused a lot of problems for the team.
It will be interesting to see if Green can fix his relationship with Poole and win another championship just like Michael Jordan and Steve Kerr did.
Jordan and Kerr's relationship as teammates with the Bulls
Michael Jordan and Steve Kerr did not get off to a good start, but they eventually got very close. They ended up winning three straight championships together.
During Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals, the Chicago Bulls were tied with the Utah Jazz in the final moments of the game. The Bulls had a 3-2 series lead and wanted to close out the series, which is why Michael Jordan received the ball.
However, the Jazz played amazing defense against the guard. Instead of playing hero ball, Michael Jordan passed the ball to Kerr, who knocked down a free-throw line jumper and put the Bulls up by two points with only five seconds left in the game.
The Bulls ended up winning the game, which clinched their second straight championship.