“He Gave Our Team Great Respect”: The One Team That Michael Jordan Put in High Regard in NBA

There is no doubt that Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were at the pinnacle of their sport during the 90s. 

Jordan and the Bulls won six NBA titles which were achieved in two different phases. One three-peat in the early 90s and the other three titles from 1996-98 after Jordan came back from a brief 13-month retirement. 

While many consider the Bulls might have achieved even more if Jordan hadn’t retired in 1993, there are others who would have none of it. 

The Houston Rockets claimed back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995 ending the Bulls’ dominance in the league. The highly talented Houston team was powered by Hakeem Olajuwon who played center.

The Rockets didn’t face the Bulls during the 94 and 95 playoffs. But they were simply dominant. Olajuwon’s Rockets beat Orlando Magic in the 1995 NBA finals who entered the finals by breezing past Jordan’s Bulls.

On the other hand, the Bulls didn’t face the Rockets in any of their six titles runs either. 

Hakeem Olajuwon earns the respect of Michael Jordan

Recently crowned Hall of Famer Rudy Tomjanovich was then the coach of the Rockets team that won back-to-back titles. 

According to a story in ‘The Athletic’, Tomjanovich met with Jordan in 1998 after his retirement. The duo was in a group dinner and the 2020 Hall of Famer recalls having a conversation with the Jumpman.

In the words of Tomjanovich, here’s what Jordan had to say about the mighty Rockets team:

“Unprompted, Jordan offered some praise for what the Rockets accomplished. He gave our team great respect,” Tomjanovich said.

 “He didn’t feel that they could contain Hakeem [Olajuwon]. They just didn’t have the personnel to do it. And he said he thought we were the team that gave them the most trouble,” he added.

The Rockets and Jordan’s Bulls met six times between 1991-1993 in which the Rockets dominated 5-1. This clearly won Jordan’s respect for Olajuwon. The Bulls struggled to contain him which was admitted by Jordan himself.

MJ has the Houston legend in his all-time NBA team, which signifies the sensational abilities that Olajuwon possessed.

Although both teams never met in the playoffs, no one can diminish the achievements made by the Rockets during their time. Both teams peaked at different years and Rockets fans can cherish knowing that Michael Jordan respects their title-winning team.