"He smacked me" - 76ers forward doubles down on his claims of 1v1 vs Michael Jordan while recalling memorable incident on Hornets
Kelly Oubre Jr. talked about Michael Jordan on Paul George's podcast. Oubre first recalled the time when he played for the Charlotte Hornets when Jordan was still the team owner and would occasionally check in on his players. Oubre shared that the NBA legend hit him on the head after trying to play the hero in one of their games.
"[Michael Jordan] came to one game," Oubre said. "I shot the three. It was a terrible time in ball situation. We were up. I was trying to dagger these fools. Trying to just win and be the hero. I did come to the sideline after a timeout. He smacked me in the back of the head. ... He only showed tough love to the people he really love."
Paul George's co-host, Dallas Rutherford, then brought up the time Kelly Oubre Jr. said he could take on Michael Jordan one-on-one. Oubre, with full confidence, doubled down on his previous statement.
"I said I could beat him now," Oubre said. "You know in his prime I still believe I'd give him a good fight. ... I'm sure he don't know like what I really got in my tool bag either so you never know."
NBA legend recalls playing Michael Jordan one-on-one
When you think of the NBA, it's impossible not to think about Michael Jordan. "His Airness" dazzled the basketball world with his insane athleticism and his talent. Because of his skillset, many of his adversaries during his career found Jordan as a tough matchup.
NBA legends like James Worthy had the opportunity to play with and against Jordan. They each shared their stories of what it was like taking on Jordan in his younger years.
On his “Thirty Minute Mentors” podcast, James Worthy recalled when Jordan entered his freshman season with North Carolina. It was Worthy's last year with the University before declaring for the 1982 NBA Draft. At a young age, "MJ" was already seeking the best player and went on multiple practice runs with Worthy.
Worthy was impressed by Jordan's physicality and tenacity on the court. During their five-game series of one-on-ones, Mike kept pushing James around to make him play more seriously.
Ultimately, Worthy won three out of five games and decided to never play against Jordan one-on-one ever again. He knew how talented young "MJ" was and accepted his defeat if they ever went at it again.
It's no secret Michael Jordan is one of the fiercest competitors in NBA history. His never-say-die attitude helped him win six rings and accomplish a legendary basketball career.