"He truly disliked Magic" - Michael Jordan couldn't stand Magic Johnson due to his connection with Isiah Thomas

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"He truly disliked Magic" - Michael Jordan couldn't stand Magic Johnson due to his connection with Isiah Thomas originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Michael Jordan's relationship with Isiah Thomas has been well-documented over the years, from the bruising playoff battles to the infamous All-Star "freeze-out" and the Dream Team snub.
But according to "The Jordan Rules," Jordan's issues didn't end with Thomas. His dislike stretched further — to Magic Johnson — and it had everything to do with who Magic chose to keep close.
"He'd had this rivalry with Isiah Thomas," Sam Smith wrote in The Jordan Rules. "First about who really was Chicago's favorite son (Isiah once was), then about the games against the Pistons and their tactics against him, and then the alleged freeze-out of Jordan in his rookie All-Star game. … But he truly disliked Magic because of the connection with Isiah."
That connection proved too much for Jordan to ignore. Even though Magic was a towering figure in the league and admired by most, his bond with Thomas made him suspect in Jordan's eyes.
The feud between Jordan and Thomas wasn't, of course, just about basketball. It was personal. And anyone who stood by Thomas risked getting caught in the crossfire.
The tension didn't last forever
For a stretch, the distance between Jordan and Magic was obvious. But over time, the wall began to crack. When Johnson announced in 1991 that he had tested positive for HIV, he was met with a wave of emotion and support from around the league. One of the first people he called was Jordan.
"Eventually, they'd get past it and when Magic learned of his HIV, Jordan was one of the first he informed," Smith wrote.
It wasn't an instant fix, but it helped. The gravity of Magic's announcement forced perspective. And while Jordan never publicly reversed his stance on Thomas, his tone toward Magic softened in the years that followed.
Their relationship would improve further in retirement. The two shared moments at All-Star Weekend events and charity games. They joked together, competed in interviews and eventually appeared to set aside the animosity. But even as the public glimpsed a friendlier version of the two legends, the past was never forgotten.
The Dream Team decision still looms
Much of the speculation about Jordan's involvement in Thomas being left off the 1992 Olympic Dream Team has faded into accepted history. For years, Jordan denied having anything to do with the decision. But between what has emerged in recent documentaries and reporting over time, that claim now rings hollow.
"And though everyone denied it for years," Smith wrote, "it's now become widely-accepted that Jordan kept Thomas off that 1992 Dream Team, based on the NBA-TV documentary and Jack McCallum's fine book on the subject."
Jordan has never flat-out admitted it, but the evidence speaks loudly. Multiple teammates from that team have suggested that Thomas wasn't welcome. Jack McCallum's reporting confirmed that Jordan made it clear he wouldn't play if Thomas was on the roster. And the NBA-TV special seemed to confirm what many suspected for years.
Jordan and Magic are now mostly seen as friendly peers. Their careers paralleled each other during a golden era for the league, and their eventual reconciliation made for good headlines.
But history shows it wasn't always that way. For Jordan, anything connected to Thomas — even one of the most beloved stars in NBA history — was a bridge too far.
The rivalry between Jordan and Thomas never truly ended. It just stopped being played out on the court.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.