Michael Jordan Was Angry People Compared Clyde Drexler To Him Ahead Of 1992 NBA Finals: ‘I Took Offense To That’

Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls faced Clyde Drexler and the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1992 NBA Finals. 

The series was sold as Jordan vs. Drexler and Jordan was angry that people compared Drexler to him. 

“Clyde was a threat,” Jordan said in The Last Dance. “I’m not saying he wasn’t a threat. But me being compared to him, I took offense to that. Based on the way I was playing at that time, it wasn’t even close. So I attacked him every night.”

Jordan told Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson the night before Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals that he would destroy Drexler.

Jordan finished Game 1 with 39 points, three rebounds, 11 assists and two steals while shooting 16-of-27 from the field, 6-of-10 from beyond the arc and 1-of-1 from the free-throw line. 

“I’m working for NBC,” Johnson said in The Last Dance. “I’m covering the Finals. So the night before Game 1, we’re at Michael’s house playing cards. And he said, ‘You know what’s gonna happen tomorrow. I’m gonna give it to this dude.'”

During the 1991-92 season, Jordan averaged 30.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.9 blocks. He won his third MVP.

Meanwhile, Drexler put up 25.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocks per game.

Even though Jordan won MVP, Drexler was just as dominant as a scorer and averaged more rebounds and assists.

The Bulls beat the Blazers in six games to capture their second straight championship in 1992. 

Jordan averaged 35.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.3 blocks and won Finals MVP for the second consecutive season.

Drexler put up 24.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks per game against the Bulls in the 1992 Finals. However, he only shot 40.7% from the field.

Meanwhile, Jordan shot 52.6% overall. 

Jordan and Drexler were teammates on the 1992 United States Men’s Olympic basketball team. It must have been awkward for Drexler to play with the guy who had torched him a few months prior.

Jordan was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. He finished his NBA career with averages of 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.8 blocks in 1,072 games with the Bulls and Washington Wizards.

MJ won five MVPs, one DPOY, six championships, six Finals MVPs, three steals titles and 10 scoring titles. 

Drexler didn’t win six rings, six Finals MVPs, five regular-season MVPs and 10 scoring titles like Jordan. However, he had a wonderful career and made the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Drexler won his lone championship in 1995 as a member of the Houston Rockets. He finished his NBA career with averages of 20.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.7 blocks in 1,086 games with the Blazers and Rockets.