Robert Parish is remembered as a Boston Celtics legend, but he closed out his storied NBA career with the Chicago Bulls — where he had a brief but tense run-in with Michael Jordan. That confrontation, though little known at the time, has resurfaced thanks to Parish’s recent appearance on the Locked On Celtics podcast.
Parish, who won three titles with the Celtics before finishing his career as a role player with the Bulls, recounted a heated exchange during a practice session. According to him, the moment came as tensions boiled over — and he refused to back down.
“I think he was a bit ticked off, too, because the second team was kicking their butt at the time and I was talking trash. I didn’t back down,” Parish said. “He said he would kick my butt, and I told him if he felt that strongly about it, come and get some. That was the end of it. We didn’t have another confrontation.”
The Bulls were known for intense practices under head coach Phil Jackson, with Jordan often testing teammates in ruthless fashion. Coming off a 72–10 season and fresh off another championship, Jordan was in full control of Chicago’s locker room. But Parish, a seasoned champion in his own right, wasn’t fazed by Jordan’s intimidating tactics.
Jordan vs Parish: A rivalry that spanned two eras
Michael Jordan and Robert Parish squared off multiple times throughout their Hall of Fame careers, particularly during the 1980s and early ’90s when Jordan led the Bulls and Parish anchored the Celtics’ legendary “Big Three” alongside Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. Their matchups, while often lopsided in terms of team strength, showcased two defining eras of NBA basketball.
In one of their most memorable postseason encounters — the 1986 NBA Playoffs — the Celtics swept the Bulls in the first round. That series featured Jordan’s iconic 63-point performance, still the most points ever scored in a playoff game. Despite Jordan’s brilliance, the Celtics’ depth and experience prevailed, with Parish playing a key role in controlling the interior and limiting Chicago’s supporting cast.
As the decade wore on, momentum shifted. The Celtics began to fade, and the Bulls ascended behind Jordan’s growing dominance. By the early 1990s, Parish remained a steady interior presence, but age had begun to catch up with Boston’s core, while Chicago surged into dynasty mode.
Their final on-court chapter came in the 1996–97 season, when Parish — then 43 years old — joined the Bulls for his last NBA campaign. Though he played only sparingly, his presence on that championship roster closed the book on a storied rivalry that, in its final twist, turned into an unlikely partnership. Their battles remain symbolic of a generational shift — from Boston’s reign in the ’80s to Chicago’s dominance in the ’90s.