When Ahmad Rashad spoke about mutual respect between Michael Jordan and other NBA stars of 90s: "Michael gives respect to a guy like Patrick Ewing"
Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time, for good reason. Not only did MJ go 6-0 in NBA Finals, but he also beat some of the game's biggest superstars to win those rings.
Many fantastic players, such as Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing, have never won a ring because of Jordan. However, Ahmad Rashad, a sportscaster and journalist, recalled in a conversation with Yahoo in 2021 that these players don't get tired of talking about getting beaten by the Chicago Bulls legend as they have immense respect for him.
"It’s about mutual respect," Rashad said. "Michael gives respect to a guy like Patrick Ewing and Ewing respects Michael. When you look back on who Michael was playing, it makes what he and the Bulls did seem even larger."
Rashad is a close friend of Jordan and has closely followed his basketball career. Beating some players and teams was extremely difficult, yet the shooting guard always came out on top when it mattered the most.
Many former NBA players respect Michael Jordan
During his impressive professional basketball career, MJ was nearly unstoppable. He needed a few years to get past the first round of the playoffs, but once he did, he was on a mission.
Not only did the Chicago Bulls and Jordan win six championships, but they completed two three-peats, making their feats even more impressive. Before the Bulls, only the Minneapolis Lakers and the Boston Celtics won three rings in a row.
Ahmad Rashad has his own show called "Ahmad Inside" where he's interviewed many prominent basketball figures, including Charles Barkley, Pat Riley, Patrick Ewing, and more.
"Most of the guys I interview talk about it that way. 'Man, the Bulls had a great team and we thought we could beat them, but we just didn’t,'" Rashad said. "There’s mutual respect between all of the parties."
You may be interested in reading: Top 10 most undeserving NBA All-Star Selections of All Time featuring Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan & more
Michael Jordan was very competitive, and he always took his game to a new level when it mattered the most. In fact, during the 1993 NBA Finals, Jordan averaged 41.0 points per game, which is still a record.
Jordan was the king of his era
During his first-ever NBA Finals, Jordan beat Magic Johnson's Los Angeles Lakers. A year later, the Bulls beat the Portland Trail Blazers in six games, followed by Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns in 1993.
After returning from his first retirement, the Bulls guard beat Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp in 1996, as well as the amazing duo of Karl Malone and John Stockton in 1997 and 1998.
"The king of that era was Michael Jordan," Rashad said. "But these other guys weren’t lackeys. Jordan’s Bulls were, at one time or another, the only thing standing in the way of other great players winning a championship."
You may be interested in reading: When frustrated Michael Jordan hollered at teammates during 1990 playoffs: “We’re playing like a bunch of p**sies!”
Malone and Stockton had two shots at winning the championship, yet they remained ringless because of Jordan. The Bulls legend has also beaten many of his rivals in the East, including Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller, and Tim Hardaway.