Michael Jordan had many great battles in the Eastern Conference. One that even continues today is with the Pistons legend, Isiah Thomas. Their beef has many layers and after several years, there always seems to be a new chapter that stirs the pot even more. One such lore is from MJ’s rookie season, from the infamous All-Star weekend. Part of the proceedings was one Chicago Bulls’ rival, who wished for the feud to end.

On the Scoop B Radio Podcast, Dominique Wilkins was asked about the ‘Freeze Out’ at the 1985 All-Star game and the resolution of the Michael Jordan & Isiah Thomas beef. “I’m going to stay away from that one.” Wilkins didn’t want to shed light on the conspiracies of the event but had a hopeful answer for the current issues involving the two legends. “Well, I think in time it will be, you know. Hopefully, you hope that’s the case, but in today’s world, you never know.”

But there was one thing that the current VP of Basketball Operations of the NBA got wrong. When Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson asked Wilkins if he played “in that all-star game,” the Hawks legend gave a positive affirmation. But it reality, he was not part of any All-Star team but was a participant and the eventual winner at the Slam Dunk contest that weekend. An unintentional mistake, after all, the event took place close to 40 years ago.

Wilkins may have fumbled with the memory of his own involvement, but the lore about the event, about the intentional freezing out of the rookie Michael Jordan, remains fresh in his mind and the rest.

It became the infamous ‘Freeze-Out’ game when NBA stars, supposedly led by Chicago native Isiah Thomas, allegedly kept the ball away from the super popular rookie Michael Jordan. Apparently, it was an attempt to embarrass him and demonstrate that he’d have to wait his turn behind the stars of that time. Like Magic Johnson, Julius Erving, George Gervin, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, and, of course, Thomas. The Pistons star, however, has denied the allegations often.

“that never happened,” he says. But the beef continues with many instances of disagreements and accusations that followed — from Michael Jordan allegedly not wanting the Pistons legend in the 1992 Dream Team to the comment from MJ, during ‘The Last Dance’ documentary. But, did you know, once Thomas and the Bulls legend decided to squash the beef?

For the greater good, Isiah Thomas encouraged 8x All-Star to sacrifice for Michael Jordan

During the final Wizards run, MJ was part of the 2003 All-Star game, and interestingly, Zeke was the coach of the team. But the previous tension did not creep up during that weekend. “Part of the tension might have been that I was coming into a city he grew up in and was loved in,” The 6x NBA Champion spoke to the Daily Press of his long-standing rift with Thomas.

“Our dialogue (now) is respectful. We joke around here and there, but I’ll admit it’s guarded. I wouldn’t say we’re the best of friends, but we have a sense of respect.” Just like MJ, out of respect, even Thomas wanted to celebrate the weekend. “I want to make his [Jordan’s] last All-Star Game as enjoyable for him as it possibly can be.” And for that to happen, the 2x NBA Champion asked Vince Carter to give up his spot.

“I let Vince know it would be a selfless thing to do and something I thought Jordan would truly appreciate.” So, from allegedly not passing the ball to Michael Jordan to making a place in the starting 5. Isiah Thomas did encourage the right thing in 2003. Maybe that’s why Dominique Wilkins feels there is hope for things to de-escalate.