“My handles right? You was talking about my handles” - Kenny "The Jet" Smith recalls a story of Michael Jordan’s competitiveness after being trolled for his handles
Kenny "The Jet" Smith and Michael Jordan are two NBA Hall of Famers who are alumni of the North Carolina Tar Heels. Their connection brought the two players together and allowed Smith to experience Jordan's competitiveness first-hand.
During an appearance on the "All the Smoke" podcast, Smith spoke about his experience with Jordan's competitiveness. While both players were at North Carolina, Smith made it a point that he could guard Jordan, stating:
"This is how competitive we talk about competitive it is with Mike. He was like, 'Oh, you think you can guard me?' I'm like, 'yeah, cause your hand is wack.' I used to say your handle is wack. I can guard you."
Michael Jordan was an elite player in college, but still had room to improve into the Hall of Famer that he became. After leaving North Carolina, Jordan would work on improving his game.
After being drafted by the Chicago Bulls, Jordan would eventually return to North Carolina. According to Kenny "The Jet" Smith, it is a tradition for the former Tar Heels to return to North Carolina. Smith said:
"So now we are doing that. We play. [Jordan] goes to the Olympics, comes back, he goes to the league, and comes back for the summer because all the players, every North Carolina player, came back.
"We all come back and play, so the gym is doodles. Like any NBA team, we would have beat in that gym without question."
In his return to North Carolina, Michael Jordan would show Kenny Smith his improvement.
Michael Jordan showcases his handles and competitiveness to Kenny "The Jet" Smith
After traveling the world as a Chicago Bulls and USA Basketball member, Jordan was ready to show Smith his improved handles. Smith said:
"He's dribbling. I'm like damn, he's like, 'My handle, been working on it,' but I forgot I said that right. I really forgot, right? I said it, and he's like, 'My handles right? You were talking about my handle,' but the stories are true about his competitiveness."
While both were in college, Smith's comments to Michael Jordan drove Jordan to improve his ball-handling. Jordan's competitiveness did not stop with "The Jet," as his reputation would persist in the NBA.
Finished The Last Dance on Netflix last night.
It’s a fantastic documentary. Michael Jordan was obviously an out-of-this-world talented basketball player, but his overwhelming competitiveness was what put him over the top & why he was able to persevere in clutch situations.
Jordan's competitiveness made him one of the greatest players of all time, forcing him to be at his best. A comment from a college teammate led to the Hall of Famer improving his ball-handling to prove the former teammate wrong.
While there are several stories of Jordan's competitiveness, Kenny "The Jet" Smith's story is unique.