Michael Jordan brushes off allegation he pushed off Bryon Russell before famed final shot: 'Bulls--t'
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Michael Jordan dismissed allegations he pushed off Utah Jazz forward Bryon Russell to hit the go-ahead shot in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, which eventually led to the Chicago Bulls’ sixth title.
Jordan hit one of his most memorable jump shots over Russell with a few seconds remaining on the clock. It was the last memory of Jordan’s time with the Bulls and the last time he and the organization won a championship.
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But any allegation there was an offensive foul on the play peeved the legend.
“Everybody says I pushed off – bulls—t,” Jordan said during the final episode of ESPN's documentary series “The Last Dance” aired Sunday. “His energy was going that way I didn’t have to push him that way.”
Bob Costas, the legendary sportscaster who was calling Game 6, said he didn’t think Jordan pushed off Russell either.
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“Russell was already stumbling away,” Costas said. “That hand on his backside was the equivalent of maître d' showing someone to their table.”
Jordan’s crucial shot over Russell came years after the two had one of those interactions that the Bulls legend could use as motivation to get over on his opponents.
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Jordan explained: “When I was playing baseball, Utah was in town to play the Bulls. They were practicing at the facility, I go over to say hi to John and Karl, and this kid Bryon Russell comes up to me and says, ‘Man why you quittin’? Why you quittin’? You know I could guard your ass, I couldn’t wait, you had to quit.’ I said, ‘Karl, you need to talk to this dude, man.’ ‘Nah, he’s just a young rookie.'
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“But from that point on he’s been on my list.”
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As the documentary has shown, you never want to be on Jordan’s “list.”