Throughout Michael Jordan’s legendary career, countless players have dared to challenge ‘His Airness’. While some lived to regret it, others earned respect through their audacity. From Larry Bird’s trash-talking duels to Reggie Miller’s infamous shove-and-shoot moments, the basketball court became a theater where brave souls tested their spirit against the game’s ultimate competitor. Yet, few stories capture the essence of raw confidence quite like this current assistant coach of the Detroit Pistons.
In the recent episode of the ‘All the Smoke‘ podcast, the cast asked their guest Tim Hardaway about one of his stories related to Jordan, and the former point guard was quick to pull out one. The 58-year-old stated that in his college year, a pickup game was arranged against the pro team which included players like Michael Jordan, Craig Hodges, and Terry Cummings.
Although the pros were able to put up a show, at one point in time, Hardaway had blocked Hodges’ scoring attempt which led to a timeout call by the pro team. At that time, the former point guard had confronted ‘His Airness’ in a way that no one dared to do and left the legend speechless. “He was like, ‘Damn, Craig, you can’t stick him?’ I said, ‘No, he can’t stick me. Why don’t you switch off on him? I said that to Mike, and the people went, ‘Ooh.’ Mike just turned his head and kept walking like, ‘Nah, y’all gotta deal with that motherf****r,” said Hardaway during the podcast.
But why did Hardaway have so much confidence in playing on that day? According to him, the first reason was his teammates, who were his fellow collegiate stars, Nick Anderson and Kendall Gill. Another, and most important reason, was that he had been following Craig Hodges’ play for a long time so he knew what the next move the shooting guard was going to make. “See, Craig Hodges would come down, put it in his right hand, cross between his legs, and then spin. He’d go to the basket and lay it up. So, a guy would be way over here, and he’d spin and go back right. So I knew when he was going to do the move, and I was sitting on it,” said the point guard during the podcast.
However, the most unusual thing during this matchup was Jordan’s calm behavior. There have been numerous instances in the past where players like Isiah Thomas and Toni Kukoc have gotten the results for beefing with the Chicago Bulls Legend. But in this case, why Jordan didn’t say anything to Hardaway remains a mystery. Moreover, at the end of the game, Jordan even lauded the point guard for his bravery. “Mike said after the game, he said good game and he looked me in my eyes and said you got a chance,” said Hardaway during the podcast.
Hardaway’s snub at Jordan is a reminder that even the greatest players in the world are not immune to challenges. It also serves as a cautionary tale for young players who may be tempted to overstep their bounds. However, did you know that Hardaway’s athletic prowess that day was due to a bet?
Tim Hardaway’s bet with Craig Hodges during that game
Tim Bug’s famous pickup game against the pro team was not just about proving himself as the GOAT in front of one of the NBA’s legendary players. It also included a side bet that was given by no one but Craig Hodges himself.
Hodges who was a renowned three-point shooter had asked the point guard that if he could score four to six points against Michael Jordan, then he would get $80,000. But Hardaway wanted something else. “‘But I need that’. (He recalled) It was an original Louis Vuitton jacket that he got made and I wanted that jacket,” said Hardaway during the podcast. The bet was finally settled for the jacket and a sum of $10,000.
While the story of the bet intrigued the cast members of the podcast, the final outcome was not revealed. Whether it was Hardaway or Hodges who won it, the bet added an extra layer of excitement to the already intense game. And certainly, getting Jordan to be speechless was sugar on top.
Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.
