Lee remembered an epic eight-hour card game with NBA legends
The world saw the Dream Team's greatness in 1992, and Spike Lee had front-row seats to the show, both on and off the court. That said, the award-winning film director told a story that is more baffling than anything that happened in the games at the Barcelona Olympics.
"I don't play poker. I don't play cards. Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, and me all in one room for eight hours," Lee said on Sports Illustrated Now. "I wish I could have had a camera in there. That was the funniest s***—you know what the rest is—I've ever heard in my life. For eight hours, these guys was just going at it. Talking about 'Oh, your mother this,' and they were throwing down the cards on the table. Think about this: Jordan, Barkley, and Magic, just the four of us for eight hours, and they had a game the next morning, and I left, I left after six hours."
Magic and MJ playing cards
While these guys generally liked being around each other, it was also a way for them to mark their territories. Michael Jordan has always been known for his maniacal obsession with winning, and Magic Johnson was the same way. Put these alphas on the same team, and you'll have a show.
The five-time NBA champion discussed his interactions with Jordan in "The Last Dance Documentary." Needless to say, cards and competition were the main themes.
"Man, I had some of my fondest memories just hanging out with Michael," the Los Angeles Lakers legend said. "We played cards every night against each other. And if I had the upper hand, he wanted to play another hour. And another hour. And then he never wants to just beat you. He wants to put his foot on your neck and just."
It was all about competition
The history between Jordan, Magic, and playing cards ran deep. Even the iconic "Shrug Game" in the 1992 NBA Finals was a byproduct of the card game, as told by Johnson.
"The night before he hit all them threes against Portland, we're playing bid whist at his house. His dad and I, we tore him up. I'm running six nos and five specials on Michael. So, we played, and I said, 'Michael, I got to go home. You got a game.' Because remember, I was working for NBC at that time," Magic said.
Mike couldn't settle the score with Johnson, which instantly irritated the Chicago Bulls superstar. Unfortunately, the Portland Trail Blazers took the brunt of his wrath.
"So, remember, he shot and made like four, five in a row. And remember, when he made that last one and turned to the scorer's table, he was turning to me," claimed Johnson. "He was so hot that night, so he owes me a lot because I'm the one he was mad at. That's why he took it out on Clyde Drexler the next day in the game."
It's funny how a simple game of cards could stack the deck in MJ's favor on the court. Maybe Mike really had a competition problem. Maybe it was never about gambling, per se.
