Getty Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls
Legend has it that Metta World Peace broke Michael Jordan’s ribs in a pickup game in 2001.
Appearing on today’s episode of the Scoop B Radio Podcast, World Peace told the entire story.
We also discussed working at Circuit City while being a member of the Chicago Bulls, his time as a member of the Indiana Pacers and his thoughts on the state of the current Bulls and their franchise player Zach LaVine.
Notes below:
Metta World Peace on the “infamous” game where he cracked Michael Jordan’s ribs on defense in Chicago in a pickup game:
“It was a mistake. Actually I’m not going to tell you it was a mistake, it was really aggressive basketball. You got to think how strong Mike is and how competitive Mike is and when we were tangling over each other in the post in the summertime, I tried to move his arm out the way and accidently hit him with my elbow…I definitely didn’t mean to hit him in the ribs, but I was really aggressive; whatever I had to do to deny Mike. I remember the play clear as day – I actually got the offensive foul called against Mike. I also hit the ball and got an offensive foul on him. He had refs in the summertime; which is really good play for me because, it was a great defensive play, but I hurt is ribs and I was like, really sad for a couple of days. You know, I really didn’t like that.
“It was in Chicago. I think it was at Hoops Gym, where R. Kelly used to play at. It was at Hoops.”
Metta World Peace on missing his playing days in Chicago:
“I mean, I miss Chicago. Chicago was supposed to be for my whole entire career, and that’s what Jerry Krause wanted. But when I was in Chicago, I was missing my hood so I would often go to Robert Taylor Homes or Cabrini Green or 78th and Halsted; you know, to try to get that love. Really, I just wanted to be around people that I know. Around people that are like myself. So, I wanted that environment. I don’t think I was ready to move from Chicago. It’s just disappointing that I only played 3 years in Chicago.”
Metta World Peace on the Last Dance documentary:
“That documentary was amazing. I kinda already knew a lot, I didn’t know that Scottie was making that little money all that time and I didn’t realize Jordan was making that little money for the first couple years. He wasn’t making NO money! Jordan was making fuckin’, pardon my language but, damn! I mean, what type of contracts were everybody signing? But Jordan had that big sneaker contract so but, Pippen’s was like…damn! Pippen’s contract was like, whoever’s negotiating the contract, stop it! And it was like, fuck it. That’s the contract you signed you know, and so that was one thing that was surprising, but everything else was pretty solid. I liked it. I really enjoyed it. I binged watched for the first couple of shows. After the first episode, that was when you watch it live.”
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Metta World Peace on the rumor of having a side job while playing for the Chicago Bulls:
“Oh definitely. I wasn’t thinking nothing of it at my side job at Circuit City. I was bored, I needed something to do, and I was like whatever. Let’s work at a job at Circuit City. There’s nothing else to do but play basketball and now I can go buy food, I got a little bit of money, what else is there to do? So I went to go get a job.
Metta World Peace on what made him stop working at Circuit City:
“I mean, what made me stop was I did it because I wanted the job and I actually WANTED to work at Circuit City. But I really wasn’t doing it for people to start commenting and I wasn’t thinking like that. I did it because I was like, ‘Fuck it I want a job, people come in, they probably don’t know who I am. I’m only a rookie. I’m not famous and I get the little discount on electronics.’ I love looking at games and electronics all day, you know so, I was buying them. I was buying a bunch of shit. I was buying car shit, TV’s, stereos. I was getting 50% off so, I was taking the job. I actually had one customer that I showed a few things to, and you know other than that, I was just filling out paperwork. So, it was great. I had a good time, it was awesome.”
On the ‘Malice at the Palace’ and how he knew the person who threw the cup:
“Yeah. The person that I hit wasn’t the person that threw the cup. It was the person that made the bet. The person that made the bet that John [Green] could hit me with a cup from up there for $50.00 and so you know, BOTH of those guys were in the wrong you know. You can’t do that. On TV they went from the cup and then they go right into the stands. They never talk about the other guy who actually threw the cup.”
Metta World Peace on Zach LaVine and what the young Bulls need to improve on:
“I don’t watch a lot of Zach but, I’ve seen him before and from what I’ve seen, he’s a helluva player. From what I’ve seen, he is on the cusp of being great. He’s at the curve. Right now – and this is where he makes his decision of is he just going to great or is he just going to be really good. He’s going to be really good, right?… That’s a fact. So he has some things in his game that needs to improve; passing, I think he’s a good defender I don’t know, rebounding maybe he’s good I don’t know… I saw some things that he can improve on; you know, cutting, passing with the ball making you teammates better – see, I don’t watch him a lot so, I’m just judging him but, I think he’s going to really good and wants to be great as he keeps putting in more work.”