Dikembe Mutombo’s Verbal Barbs at Michael Jordan & On-Court Reply Resurfaces After Tragic Death

In the world of NBA legends, two Titans stand tall. One is the Chicago Bulls legend and 6x NBA champion Michael Jordan, while the other is the finger-waving Philadelphia 76ers veteran, Dikembe Mutombo. Though they were successful in generating fear in their opponents’ heads, their on-court battles narrated a different story. It was one of fierceness, heightened intensity, and everything gripping. Although the Congo’s very own now rests well somewhere in heaven, the basketball community is blessed again with a glimpse of an archive video that captured an old rivalry.

The video making rounds involves His Airness taking verbal jabs from the late center. According to Mutombo, Jordan had never dunked on him but the Bulls shooting guard was adamant to believe that. “Mike, come on man, be for real. You haven’t got me yet,” said Mutombo in the video and even threatened MJ that he would call Scottie Pippen to confirm if Jordan was able to dunk on him or not.

Mutombo’s defensive greatness was a captivating spectacle of athleticism. Surprisingly, for the talented center, basketball wasn’t even his first choice. While still in school in Kinshasa, he was more into soccer and martial arts. It was only for his father’s encouragement that Mutombo started taking basketball seriously at the age of 16.

On turning 21, the seven-footer traveled to the United States to attend Georgetown University where he began playing for the university team called the Georgetown Hoyas. He was later selected as the fourth overall pick in the NBA draft of 1991 by the Denver Nuggets. But what was the case with Jordan and Mutombo?

The clash between Michael Jordan and Dikembe Mutombo on the hardwood was a unique display of offensive and defensive prowess. Why? Their on-court battles were legendary as Jordan’s acrobatic scoring ability was constantly challenged by Mutombo’s imposing defensive abilities. For instance, Mutombo’s signature finger-wagging celebration after blocking Jordan’s shots became a symbol of their rivalry. However, it didn’t take long for the Bulls #23 to respond in kind to Mutombo’s claims. And one he dunked on Mutombo, he made sure to do it in style. Obviously, by waving his finger.

As fans continue to mourn the loss of Dikembe Mutombo, the resurfaced video serves as a bittersweet reminder of his greatness and the impact he had on the sport. It also highlights the enduring nature of rivalries and the power of sports to bring people together, even in the face of tragedy. However, there was a time when the late center had annoyed His Airness.

The time when Dikembe Mutombo had made Michael Jordan angry

The Congolese-born NBA center was known for his defensive prowess and his ability to frustrate even the top scorers and one player who often found himself on the receiving end of Mutombo’s defensive dominance was Michael Jordan.

In an episode of the BroBible podcast, the host Connor Toole, asked the legend about the trash talk between him and Jordan during an All-Star game. The late center at that time didn’t spare any moment to answer the question. “I made him mad. I told him, ‘Michael, you’re lucky to be able to dunk on many people, but you’re not going to get me.’ And Michael didn’t like that. It took Michael seven years. This guy was one of the most dominant basketball players to ever the game, but he could not climb Mount Mutombo,” said Mutombo during the podcast.

This trash talk led to the moment when Jordan scored a free shot with his eyes closed. While their rivalry was often intense, it also served as a testament to the competitive spirit of the NBA. Both players pushed each other to be better, and their matchups were always entertaining to watch.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.