Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade, who was invited to the prestigious NBA 75th Anniversary Team ceremony in 2022, recently shared an incredible behind-the-scenes story involving two of the league’s most iconic figures—Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas.
The long-standing rivalry between Jordan and Thomas is one of the most infamous in NBA history, dating back over three decades. Wade provided fresh insight into their tense dynamic during a candid conversation on his podcast.
Wade described the surreal atmosphere as players lined up to be introduced at the ceremony. Positioned near Jordan and Thomas, he immediately sensed the lingering animosity between the two basketball legends. “These older players are bitter. They don’t like each other,” Wade said. “When they say they didn’t f*** with each other, they do not mess with each other. Our generation? We mess with each other. That’s why they call us soft or whatever. But them? Nah.”
Wade went on to recall Thomas’ visibly agitated demeanor. “So I’m sitting there next to Steph [Curry], and we’re geeking out because it’s Mike and Magic. But then I look at Zeke [Isiah Thomas]—and he’s shaking, talking to himself,” Wade recounted. “So I walk over, a little messy, and ask, ‘Zeke, what’s wrong?’ He just says, ‘Back there.’”
“They did not speak. No conversation. And my guy Mike and Magic back there laughing, which probably made Isiah even hotter because he didn’t have his road dog with him to laugh at his jokes,” Wade said with a laugh.
A Rivalry that defined an era
The feud between Jordan and Thomas is one of the NBA’s most intense and enduring. It dates back to the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Thomas’ “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons often clashed with Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. Detroit eliminated Chicago in three straight playoffs (1988-1990) with their signature physical play before the Bulls finally broke through in 1991.
The rivalry’s most infamous moment came during the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals when the Bulls swept the Pistons. Thomas led his team off the court without shaking hands with Jordan and his teammates—a gesture Jordan never forgot. Many believe that incident played a role in Thomas’ exclusion from the 1992 Dream Team, despite his standing as one of the top point guards of his era.
A changing NBA landscape
Wade’s story underscores how the league’s culture has evolved. The intense, personal rivalries that once fueled the NBA have largely given way to a more collegial atmosphere among today’s players. While this shift has brought a new level of camaraderie, some fans miss the fiery competitive edge that defined previous generations. As Wade put it, the NBA may be softer now—but moments like this show that old grudges never truly die.