‘I might put hands on him.’ Michael Jordan’s trash talk wouldn’t work on Udonis Haslem
Udonis Haslem is as real as it gets.
Discussing “The Last Dance” with Richard Jefferson, the Miami Heat veteran said he would’ve put the paws on Michael Jordan if the G.O.A.T. ever called him a “[expletive.”
Their conversation stems from the docuseries’ seventh episode, which dived into Jordan’s use of trash talk. The six-time champion would go after teammates just as brutal as opponents, calling them nearly every pejorative in the book.
Jordan, however, saw this as a way of motivating his teammates. He explained his thinking like this:
“My mentality was to go out and win at any cost,” Jordan said in the docuseries. “If you don’t want to live that regimented mentality then you don’t need to be alongside of me because I’m going to ridicule you until you get on the same level as me. And if you don’t get on the same level then it’s going to be hell for you.”
An undrafted forward out of Florida, Haslem has lasted 17 seasons in the league thanks to his willingness to do whatever it takes to win. He’s a grinder, someone who’s comfortable being an underdog. And while the 39-year-old likely couldn’t contain prime Jordan, he certainly wouldn’t have shied away from the challenge.
