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Steve Kerr Reveals What Phil Jackson Said After Michael Jordan Punched Him
May 30, 2020
Steve Kerr provided more details about his fight with Michael Jordan during practice with the Chicago Bulls.
Appearing on Chris Long's Green Light podcast (h/t Kriel Ibarrola of Clutch Points), Kerr said he had "a different memory" of the fight than what Jordan revealed on The Last Dance:
"My memory was that Phil [Jackson] had gone upstairs to his office while we were scrimmaging because he had to take a phone call from the league or something, and that's when we got into it. So, Phil came down to see what was going on. And I remember him coming over to me, he goes, 'You're gonna have to clean that up.' And I go, 'My eye or my relationship with Michael?'"
Jordan's version of the story involved him getting mad at Jackson for calling "ticky-tack fouls" during a practice prior to the 1995-96 season and taking his frustration out on Kerr.
"I'm getting mad because if you're protecting this guy, that's not going to help us when we play New York," Jordan said. "That's not going to help us when we play these teams. They're very physical."
Things ultimately worked out for Kerr, Jordan and the Bulls. They won a then-NBA record 72 games during the regular season in 1995-96 and defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in the NBA Finals to begin their second three-peat.
