Michael Jordan Told Magic Johnson Night Before Game 1 Of 1992 NBA Finals He Would Destroy Clyde Drexler: ‘I’m Gonna Give It To This Dude’

Michael Jordan told Los Angeles Lakers icon Magic Johnson the night before Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals between the Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers that he would destroy Clyde Drexler. 

Jordan was upset NBA pundits compared Drexler to him and the UNC product used that as motivation to torch Drexler and the Blazers. 

“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.

However, Jordan was offended 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.”

The Bulls defeated 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 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 fantastic 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.