Ex-Bull Scott Burrell: Michael Jordan's 'Bullying' Was Never Physical with Me

Michael Jordan wasn't shy about voicing his opinion toward his Chicago Bulls teammates, but former Bulls forward Scott Burrell said the Hall of Famer never took things to a physical level with him.

"It was always verbal," Burrell said about Jordan's "bullying" tactics to HoopsHype's Alex Kennedy. "It was never physical. That's why when people say 'Are you worried what they're gonna think? Are you gonna worry about how people are gonna take it?' I'm like, 'No, it was never physical. It was all to make me better.'"

Burrell was a member of the Bulls for the 1997-98 season, which is the subject of the 10-part documentary, The Last Dance.

A camera crew followed the team throughout the year, providing a peek at how Jordan operated behind the scenes.

Granted, Jordan's demeanor was already well known. Sam Smith's book, The Jordan Rules, lifted the lid on how hard the five-time MVP could be on his teammates.

Still, The Last Dance director Jason Hehir told The Athletic's Richard Deitsch that Jordan was worried the docuseries would paint him as a "horrible guy," specifically referencing his treatment toward Burrell.

According to Hehir, Jordan emphasized he was tough on Burrell because "he needed to be tough and I needed to know that I could count on him."