Even as Michael Jordan Animosity Lives On, Isiah Thomas Overturns Intense Rivalry Into Friendship With Jazz Legend

“We probably hated each other when we played each other.” These were the words of Utah Jazz legend John Stockton when talking about his rival Isiah Thomas two years ago. The two had an intense on court rivalry that boiled over when Stockton was picked over Zeke for the iconic Dream Team in 1992. This has led many to believe that there might still be some bitterness between them. But that’s far from the case.

John Stockton was arguably the best pure point guard in the league at the time along with Thomas. Still, the Pistons legend was thought to be deserving of a place in the US Olympics team, but was left out, allegedly at Michael Jordan’s behest. But as it turns out, Thomas has nothing but respect for Stockton after all these years.

Clearing any confusion that fans may have had about his relationship and alleged animosity towards Stockton, Thomas shared on X, “Let it be known John Stockton is a friend. I was honored to escort him into the Basketball Hall of Fame.” Along with this, he also shared a couple of pictures from the Utah Jazz legend’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2009, where Zeke escorted his Stockton into the Hall of Fame.

The NBA’s all-time Assists leader was favored over Isiah Thomas for the 1992 Dream Team, which was controversial as Thomas was a 2x champion by that time. In 2022, Stockton revealed in an interview with Jason Whitlock, that he faced backlash from Thomas and his camp that entire year because his selection in the Olympics team. However, Thomas took a step to make things alright.

He called Stockton’s father to tell him he didn’t have anything against his son, but was disappointed with how Team USA treated him. This earned him respect from the Stockton family and even led the Jazz icon to have Thomas by his side during his Hall of Fame induction.

“One thing I know for sure is that he (Isiah Thomas) showed up many times in my life and made major impact for me. And a lot of it’s behind the scenes and thank you. I appreciate it,” Stockton said during the ceremony 15 years ago.

Even during his interview with Whitlock, Stockton hailed Thomas’s impact on his career. “He’s been impactful for me, and we probably hated each other when we played each other. That is the beauty of competing, and these were fights, these were wars, and he is one of the guys that I respect the most out of my entire years of playing, and we weren’t buddies.”

Thomas and Stockton both completed ten-plus years in the NBA with Stockton lasting 19 seasons and Thomas 13. They both have more than earned their spots in the list of all-time NBA greats and retain mutual respect for each other.

The two have known each other since high school and have ensured that their on-court rivalry hasn’t spilled over into their personal lives. However, the same cannot be said of the relationship between Thomas and Michael Jordan.

Isiah Thomas and Michael Jordan’s decades-long beef

This surprising choice to omit Thomas from the Dream Team fanned the flames of division between Zeke and Jordan. It is alleged that His Airness didn’t approve of Thomas due to an on-court debacle. The Pistons, led by Thomas, walked off the floor without shaking hands with the Chicago Bulls after getting beaten in the 1991 ECF and it seems like MJ never got over that. However, that is not all.

Isiah Thomas’s current issue with Jordan stems from the iconic 2020 The Last Dance documentary. From Thomas’ perspective, he thought he was on good terms with Jordan; that was until he watched the series. Thomas wondered why Jordan made it look like he didn’t have a problem with him, while his comments in the documentary were contrasting.

“The reaction of the public has kind of changed his perspective…You can show me anything you want, there’s no way you can convince me he wasn’t an a**hole,” Jordan had said in the documentary.

Speaking on

The Draymond Green Show a few months ago, Thomas discussed the fallout from the Dream Team unveiling and Michael Jordan’s later account of what happened. “This dude got on international television and called me a**hole, somebody who’s been really good to him…If you didn’t mean it, say it publicly. If you meant it, I understand. I’m good with that,” Thomas voiced his disappointment over Jordan’s comments

Although Jordan has always claimed he had no part to play in excluding Thomas from the team, his former best friend

Charles Barkley, feels otherwise. “I think @IsiahThomas was a better player than John Stockton. Isiah Thomas probably should’ve been on the team…But apparently Michael Jordan didn’t want him on the team,” Barkley said on an episode of Club Shay Shay.

Even though Jordan and Barkley are friends no more, it was news when Barkley blamed Jordan for Isiah Thomas’s exclusion.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video.