The “greatest of all time” took notice of the Warriors’ failure to capture the NBA title after a 73-win season. AP photo
Apart from his uncanny talent on the basketball court, the NBA’s GOAT (greatest of all-time) Michael Jordan is known to also be a savage trash talker.
In a recent appearance in the Bay Area sports radio show, Golden State Warriors’ owner Joe Lacob shared how he recently fell victim to his Airness’ legendary brand of verbal ridicule.
Last year, the Warriors eclipsed the Jordan-led Chicago Bulls’ NBA best of 72 regular seasons wins.
But unlike the Bulls who won it all in 1996, Lacob’s team failed to capture the Larry O’Brien trophy after their record setting season—capped off by a monumental collapse against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who at one point were behind three-games-to-one in the finals.
Barely a year after the humiliating setback, Lacob recalled how Jordan rubbed it in his face, made sure he won’t forget it anytime soon.
“You know, the moment that kind of hurt me the most… in New York having a bunch of dinners with Michael Jordan and other owners,” he was quoted as saying in the podcast.
“Anyway, Michael Jordan—people are drinking and having a good time, and all that—but there was a moment where he said, ‘You know, 73 don’t mean sh*t,’” Lacob, who admitted to have been stunned by the brash remarks, said.
Despite the unexpected drubbing, the Warriors exec said he took the criticism in stride and admitted to his team’s shortcomings.
“He did it, Michael Jordan did that. And I looked at him, and I just decided not to make a big deal of it. I said, ‘You know, you’re right, we didn’t win it, we had to get better,’” Lacob said.
“[Jordan] was fantastic, and I’m not going to cross him, but that kind of hurt,” Lacob added.
After falling short last year, Lacob’s Warriors are back on its quest for another NBA title and currently holds the best win-loss record in the league at 44-8.
Still, the optimistic owner believes in his team’s ability for redemption, adding that last year’s defeat was “painful more to the players” than to him.
“I know people all say, ‘Oh, well you didn’t win the championship,’ all the talking heads,” said Lacob. “You know what, we didn’t. But it was still an incredible year, and I will never forget it, and we should be very proud of it.” Khristian Ibarrola