Latest news with #ClydeDrexler
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"That drove Michael crazy' - Charles Barkley on why Michael Jordan made it personal with Clyde Drexler in Dream Team practices
The 1992 Dream Team had some unfinished rivalries buried beneath gold medals and photo ops. The real battles were layered with resentment, competition, and unspoken scores. And it happened behind closed doors. Advertisement One of those simmering storylines was Michael Jordan and Clyde Drexler. Both guards entered the Olympic circuit as All-Stars, Hall of Fame-bound, and former NBA Finals foes, but the air between them was never light. Jordan going to Drexler According to Charles Barkley, who had a front-row seat to the intensity, Drexler's belief in his own stature struck a nerve with Jordan, who felt he was the ultimate alpha of alphas. 'Clyde wanted two things,' Barkley said. 'Clyde was a hell of a player, but he wanted to think he was as good as Michael, and that drove Michael crazy. It really drove him crazy.' Few things pushed Jordan harder than the idea of someone believing they stood shoulder to shoulder with him — especially if he didn't see it that way. Barkley's recollection of the inner dynamics during the Dream Team practices reveals that Jordan never let go of what happened just a few weeks earlier in the 1992 NBA Finals. Advertisement Drexler's Portland Trail Blazers had gone toe-to-toe with Jordan's Chicago Bulls in a six-game series that saw Chicago secure its second straight championship. Before the Finals, media narratives swirled around Drexler's skills, with some suggesting he and Jordan belonged in the same sentence. Jordan, always hunting for a reason to dominate, locked in. In Game 1 of that series, the Bulls superstar torched the Blazers with 35 points in the first half, punctuated by six 3-pointers — and the now-iconic shrug toward the commentary table. The message was that the comparisons were pointless. But even after the series was over and the championship secured, Jordan wasn't done. That fire trailed into the summer. By the time the Dream Team assembled for Olympic training camp in La Jolla and later Monte Carlo, Jordan had turned practice into a proving ground. Legendary practice The practices, often more competitive than the Olympic matches themselves, became a theater of tension. Jordan and Drexler regularly squared off, and Barkley noted that it wasn't casual. It was sharp, physical, and charged with the residue of that Finals clash. Advertisement 'Him and Clyde went at it. It was so intense,' Barkley recalled. They weren't the only ones going at each other. Barkley and Karl Malone were battling to see who was the best power forward. David Robinson and Patrick Ewing were slugging it out for the best center. Jordan used those sessions to reestablish a hierarchy he felt had been momentarily questioned. Drexler, for his part, didn't back down. He was an elite scorer, a nine-time NBA All-Star, and one of only three players in NBA history at the time to record 20,000 points, 6,000 assists, and 6,000 rebounds. But Jordan was defending legacy. The Dream Team dominated international opponents in Spain — winning by an average of 44 points per game. The team cruised to gold, and Jordan had already done his real work. Advertisement That summer, Drexler averaged 10.5 points per game during the Olympics — solid by any measure — but Jordan's presence on the court always loomed larger. The scoring titles, MVP awards, rings — they all cast long shadows. Related: "Hopefully, by the end of the series, people understood the difference" - MJ made sure Drexler was never compared to him again
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Patrick Ewing said Michael Jordan targeted Larry Bird and Clyde Drexler during Dream Team practices: "All of us had to step back"
There was no mistaking the electricity inside that Monte Carlo gym. The so-called Dream Team — basketball royalty compressed into a single roster — had been assembled not just to dominate the 1992 Olympics but to redefine the very essence of the sport on a global stage. Advertisement Yet, for all the gold-medal expectations and diplomatic photo ops, the fiercest games didn't happen in front of packed stadiums or under the Olympic torch. They unfolded behind closed doors, where pride and pedigree clashed in the form of intrasquad scrimmages that remain the stuff of legends. Intense Scrimmage According to Patrick Ewing, those battles were intense and deeply personal, especially for Michael Jordan. "Everybody out there was just trying to show that they great enough and good enough to be there and deserved [to be there]," Ewing said. "We're all alphas; everyone on that team was an alpha. All of us had to step back and let Michael and the rest of those guys shine." By the summer of 1992, Jordan was fresh off leading the Chicago Bulls to their second straight championship. They had just dismantled Clyde Drexler and the Portland Trail Blazers in a six-game NBA Finals, during which Jordan hit six 3-pointers in the first half of Game 1. Advertisement But for Jordan, torching Drexler under the Finals spotlight wasn't enough. Monte Carlo gave him a new theater. It was no coincidence that Drexler, one of the newer additions to the roster and a fellow shooting guard, became a recurring target during those practice sessions. Jordan was making sure no one forgot who wore the crown. He would go after Drexler with unabated energy, talking trash, playing with fury and reinforcing a truth he believed was undeniable: he was better. And he wanted Drexler to know it. Related: "I was probably emotional and upset and directed a lot of that anger toward the team" - Hill admits he regrets how his career in Detroit ended Jordan's assertion Dream Team head coach Chuck Daly, the architect of the Detroit Pistons' Bad Boys, orchestrated these scrimmages to push egos to the edge. And the players responded. The matchups crackled with tension — Karl Malone and Charles Barkley throwing elbows under the rim, John Stockton navigating among giants and Jordan drawing a red circle around whoever he wanted to dominate next. Advertisement Amid the collisions and crossovers, status was on the line. Jordan had walked up to Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and said there was "a new sheriff in town." Ewing, who had gone to war against all three — Bird, Johnson and Jordan — understood what that gesture meant. "Michael wanted Larry and Magic to know it's his turn now," Ewing said. "Michael was playing all these mind games, talking trash to Clyde, going at Clyde… He just wanted Clyde to know that 'I'm better than you." By 1992, Bird's back was deteriorating and Johsnon had only recently returned to basketball after revealing his HIV diagnosis the year before. They were legends, but they weren't at their peaks. Jordan, on the other hand, was at the absolute height of his powers, averaging 30.1 points per game during the '91–'92 season and leading the Bulls to a 67-15 record. What made those scrimmages so compelling was the transition of eras, playing out in real-time. The Chicago icon didn't wait for the world to pass the torch. He grabbed it. Related: "As a Knicks fan, I'm sad" - Patrick Ewing on why the New York Knicks have failed to attract big stars over the years
New York Times
18-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
The NBA playoffs tip off this weekend. How could each first-round series go?
The Bounce Newsletter | This is The Athletic's daily NBA newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Bounce directly in your inbox. My apologies for missing this, but yesterday was a big NBA anniversary. Not only was it the 18th anniversary of Clyde Drexler being eliminated from 'Dancing with the Stars,' but it was also the 18th anniversary of referee Joey Crawford being suspended for his infamous ejection of Tim Duncan due to laughing on the bench. How is this not a national holiday? It's going down! (Playoffs!) I'm yelling, 'Timber!' The 2025 playoffs begin Saturday, and we've got all of the previews, coverage and breakdowns you could ever want on The Athletic, including this detailed one from John Hollinger. I'll be bumping Pitbull and Ke$ha's 'Timber' remix from the 2014 NBA playoffs all weekend long as I take in the action. Here's my quick and dirty preview for each first-round series — we'll start with the West in this section. Advertisement (1) Thunder versus (8) Grizzlies/Mavericks Welcome to the Thunderdome. This might get ugly. (2) Rockets versus (7) Warriors The Rockets players changed, but the fan bases still hate each other all the same. It's the 20teens all over again! (3) Lakers versus (6) Wolves LeBron James has been the guy for pretty much as long as Anthony Edwards has been alive. Luka Dončić is here to take the torch. Edwards would like to burn it all down. (4) Nuggets versus (5) Clippers Denver has thrown itself into chaos at the last minute, and maybe for the first time in a long time … we should believe in the Clippers and this healthy Kawhi Leonard? The No Dunks crew has you covered with previewing big-picture playoff questions! Could Bucks star play in Game 2 vs. Indiana? 🦌 He's cleared. Damian Lillard appears to be nearing a return, but I have to ask: Is this a good idea? 💰 Big bets. Guess which team the sportsbooks will likely be rooting against in the playoffs. It's the Lakers. 🏀 Twin towers. The Thunder have bet big on playing big. Holmgren and Hartenstein are their answer. 👑 New leadership. The Kings have already replaced general manager Monte McNair. Scott Perry is back in the front office. 🎧 Tuning in. In today's NBA Daily, Fred Katz joins to discuss the effect Jokić has on his teammates. 🌞 Culture change. Suns owner vows to change team culture after embarrassing season. Who's gonna tell him? Are there any potential first-round upsets? (1) Cavaliers versus (8) Hawks/Heat This should be like a sparring match with a great fighter, but maybe one of the partners might accidentally tag them a little too hard one time and pay for it. That's not the Hawks if they make it. More below on the Play-In. (2) Celtics versus (7) Magic This isn't quite like the days when Kevin Garnett punched Dwight Howard's forearm, but this will still be a fun, physical battle. The story of the greatest players in NBA history. In 100 riveting profiles, top basketball writers justify their selections and uncover the history of the NBA in the process. The story of the greatest players in NBA history. (3) Knicks versus (6) Pistons The Pistons are playing free and easy at this point, which makes this a very dangerous series for the Knicks. (4) Pacers versus (5) Bucks All of a sudden, this Damian Lillard news (see above) throws a massive wrench into what we thought this series would be. Victor Wembanyama in rarified air once again Law Murray took over the Player Tiers project this year, and the Tier 1 players were unveiled today. It's hard to not raise an eyebrow and be impressed by the idea that Victor Wembanyama is already considered to be in this grouping. He made Law's grouping of 1D players, which is the low end of the Tier 1 guys, but still puts him in the top 10. Advertisement Obviously, Wemby's season was unfortunately cut short, but it's interesting to try to figure out how to quantify his place in the current NBA. His size and skill set are still anomalies. He's still bending the minds of those going against him when he is on the court. I have difficulty figuring out his place in the NBA right now because he is so unique and can impact the game. This feels too soon for him and simultaneously right on time. At the same time, he still doesn't really know what he's doing relative to even what his expertise level will be five years from now, when he'll be only 26. When he's back next season, we'll likely see Wembanyama in a position to really win and be a playoff competitor. Once he gains that knowledge, where does he ascend to? It's an exhilarating thought. Heat, Hawks, Grizzlies, Mavs face elimination This is what we play for! To avoid the shame of getting to the end of the Play-In Tournament, only to be eliminated at the last moment and not even get a chance at some of that sweet, sweet playoff revenue. Let's preview the battles for the final two playoff spots that'll take us into the first round this weekend. Heat at Hawks, 7 p.m. ET on TNT You could tell me both of these teams have never missed a Play-In Tournament, and I would buy it. Mavericks at Grizzlies, 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN (or Fubo — try it for free) Both of these teams willingly threw themselves into unnecessary chaos at bizarre times this season.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
By the numbers, the NBA dunk contest is indeed getting worse
If you're under the impression that NBA dunk contest fields are getting worse over time, you're probably right – at least in terms of the on-court impact of the participants. (We'll leave the debate about their dunking prowess for another day.) A contest that has historically seen its fair share of All-Star power is now largely reduced to young rank-and-file players (at best). For example, the 2025 dunk contest this year features up-and-coming Spurs guard Stephon Castle along with defending champion Mac McClung (on a two-way contract with Orlando) and seldom-used rookies Matas Buzelis and Andre Jackson. Their average scoring output this season is 7.53 ppg, the fourth-worst mark for any dunk contest field in NBA history. The worst part is that this isn't really an aberration compared to other recent dunk contests. Many of the lowest-scoring fields have come in the last 15 years, with the 2021 contest ranking dead last in a year when the league seemingly could only convince three players (none of them big names) to participate. For the all-time ranking, take a look below. Dunk contest participants: Clyde Drexler, Darrell Griffith, Dominique Wilkins, Julius Erving, Larry Nance, Michael Jordan, Orlando Woolridge, Terence Stansbury Dunk contest participants: Clyde Drexler, Dominique Wilkins, Greg Anderson, Jerome Kersey, Michael Jordan, Otis Smith, Spud Webb Dunk contest participants: Clyde Drexler, Gerald Wilkins, Jerome Kersey, Johnny Dawkins, Michael Jordan, Ron Harper, Terence Stansbury, Tom Chambers Dunk contest participants: Jerry Stackhouse, Larry Hughes, Ricky Davis, Steve Francis, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter Dunk contest participants: Dennis Smith, Donovan Mitchell, Larry Nance Jr, Victor Oladipo Dunk contest participants: Clyde Drexler, Darrell Griffith, Dominique Wilkins, Edgar Jones, Julius Erving, Larry Nance, Michael Cooper, Orlando Woolridge, Ralph Sampson Dunk contest participants: Dwight Howard, JR Smith, Nate Robinson, Rudy Fernandez, Rudy Gay Dunk contest participants: Jacob Toppin, Jaime Jaquez, Jaylen Brown, Mac McClung Dunk contest participants: Dwight Howard, Gerald Green, Jamario Moon, Rudy Gay Dunk contest participants: Ben McLemore, Damian Lillard, Harrison Barnes, John Wall, Paul George, Terrence Ross Dunk contest participants: Blake Griffin, DeMar DeRozan, JaVale McGee, Serge Ibaka Dunk contest participants: Amare Stoudemire, Desmond Mason, Jason Richardson, Richard Jefferson Dunk contest participants: Cedric Ceballos, Doug West, John Starks, Larry Johnson (1969), Nick Anderson, Shawn Kemp, Stacey Augmon Dunk contest participants: Amare Stoudemire, Chris Andersen, Josh Smith, JR Smith Dunk contest participants: Dominique Wilkins, Gerald Wilkins, Jerome Kersey, Paul Pressey, Roy Hinson, Spud Webb, Terence Stansbury, Terry Tyler Dunk contest participants: Aaron Gordon, Andre Drummond, Will Barton, Zach LaVine Dunk contest participants: Desmond Mason, Gerald Wallace, Jason Richardson, Steve Francis Dunk contest participants: Billy Thompson, Dominique Wilkins, Kenny Battle, Kenny Smith, Kenny Walker, Rex Chapman, Scottie Pippen, Shawn Kemp Dunk contest participants: Cedric Ceballos, Clarence Weatherspoon, David Benoit, Harold Miner, Kenny Smith, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Tim Perry Dunk contest participants: Chris Morris, Clyde Drexler, Jerome Kersey, Kenny Walker, Ron Harper, Shelton Jones, Spud Webb, Tim Perry Dunk contest participants: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mason Plumlee, Victor Oladipo, Zach LaVine Dunk contest participants: Brent Barry, Darrell Armstrong, Doug Christie, Greg Minor, Jerry Stackhouse, Michael Finley Dunk contest participants: Blue Edwards, Dee Brown (1968), Kendall Gill, Kenny Smith, Kenny Williams, Otis Smith, Rex Chapman, Shawn Kemp Dunk contest participants: Cole Anthony, Jalen Green, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Obi Toppin Dunk contest participants: DeMar DeRozan, Gerald Wallace, Nate Robinson, Shannon Brown Dunk contest participants: Allan Houston, Antonio Davis, Isaiah Rider, James Robinson, Robert Pack, Shawn Kemp Dunk contest participants: Jericho Sims, KJ Martin, Mac McClung, Trey Murphy Dunk contest participants: Dwight Howard, Gerald Green, Nate Robinson, Tyrus Thomas Dunk contest participants: Dennis Smith, Hamidou Diallo, John Collins, Miles Bridges Dunk contest participants: Chris Andersen, Fred Jones, Jason Richardson, Ricky Davis Dunk contest participants: Aaron Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Derrick Jones, Glenn Robinson III Dunk contest participants: Bob Sura, Chris Carr, Darvin Ham, Kobe Bryant, Michael Finley, Ray Allen Dunk contest participants: Andre Iguodala, Hakim Warrick, Josh Smith, Nate Robinson Dunk contest participants: Chase Budinger, Derrick Williams, Jeremy Evans, Paul George Dunk contest participants: Aaron Gordon, Derrick Jones, Dwight Howard, Pat Connaughton Dunk contest participants: Antonio Harvey, Harold Miner, Isaiah Rider, Jamie Watson, Tim Perry, Tony Dumas Dunk contest participants: Matas Buzelis, Mac McClung, Stephon Castle, Andre Jackson Dunk contest participants: Baron Davis, Corey Maggette, DeShawn Stevenson, Desmond Mason, Jonathan Bender, Stromile Swift Dunk contest participants: Eric Bledsoe, Gerald Green, Jeremy Evans, Terrence Ross Dunk contest participants: Anfernee Simons, Cassius Stanley, Obi Toppin This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: By the numbers, the NBA dunk contest is indeed getting worse
