A Retired Michael Jordan Abuses Bulls Player in 1999
You don’t poke a sleeping bear.
In 1999, between Michael Jordan’s second and third retirements, Chicago Bulls guard Corey Benjamin learned that the hard way.
Skip Bayless, writing for the Chicago Tribune at the time, reported that Benjamin had issued an "ill-advised challenge" to His Airness.
Jordan relentlessly abused the youngster, scoring on him with ease and talking all kinds of trash along the way. At one point, MJ told Benjamin exactly what he was going to do. “I’m going right back over there. C’mon, follow me. ... You reach, I teach.”
Turnaround jumper—cash.
MJ also told Benjamin to look around him, referencing all the banners he raised as a Bull.
The one-on-one game wasn’t close, and obviously Jordan won. As he sunk the game-winner, he told Benjamin to “sit down” and not to call him out again.
Vintage MJ.
Chicago players watched in awe as the greatest player of all time gave them all a reality check. Retirement couldn’t hold Jordan back—and neither could some young, cocky guard named Corey Benjamin.
