Mac McClung on his NBA Mount Rushmore of dunkers :

Zach LaVine
Vince Carter
Michael Jordan
Dominique Wilkins

Do you agree with this list?

(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/pLenByDS3s

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 16, 2024

Jordan and Wilkins acknowledged that the Slam Dunk contest isn’t what it used to be, with NBA superstars refusing to take part. However, Jordan was quick to point out that it has become more difficult now as the players need to be more creative. For them, there weren’t any varieties of dunks that the fans had seen, whereas, over the years, they have witnessed everything. This leads to the participants having to either repeat or be extra creative.

In an article by ‘AP News‘, the six-time NBA champion talks about his Slam Dunk Contest experience and battles with Wilkins before choosing his best dunk over the years. He says, “The most amazing dunk I have ever seen is probably Vince Carter when he hung his elbow in the rim. To me, that was, without question, just unbelievable.” Michael Jordan, like most of us, believed that the Vince Carter dunks were the best in the history of the contest.

Despite having some of the best sky-walkers in his era, he still gave Carter the nod. In fact, most of Jordan’s dunks still remain iconic. No one can ever forget the dunk from the free-throw line that left the whole arena gobsmacked. That being said, no one would debate Jordan picking Carter. Arguably, one of the greatest dunkers in the NBA, Vince Carter was ‘half man-half amazing’. His dunks have become the barometer for any young player wanting to prove himself in the contest.

Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins talk about LeBron James

The All-Star Dunk Contest lineups have taken a 180-degree flip over the years. Earlier, it had All-Star caliber players participating, whereas now, most names are unknown to the casual NBA fan. The last two editions of the contest have been won by a G-League player. Wilkins and Jordan realized the shift and talked about wanting to see NBA superstars like LeBron James participating in the contest. Here is an excerpt from the ‘AP News’ article:

“‘I’d have loved to have seen LeBron,’ Wilkins said.

Jordan agreed, saying he knows fans are clamoring to have seen James try it at least once.

‘What we did in the game and excitement that we created when we did dunk,’ Jordan said. ‘People wanted to see that. Is it the same today? Maybe not.'”

Michael Jordan agreed with his fellow competitor and talked about the excitement slowly dying out from the contest. And, they are not wrong. Over the past few years, the Slam Dunk Contest has lost its charm as NBA stars refuse to participate. There is no dearth of talent in the league at present. NBA stars like Anthony Edwards, Ja Morant, and Zion Williamson can still revive the contest if they are willing to do so. The NBA should take a hard look at the future of the competition.

The post “Most Amazing Dunk I’ve Ever Seen”: When Michael Jordan Discussed Dunk Contests With Dominique Wilkins, Brought Up LeBron James appeared first on The SportsRush.

Born in Lilburn, Georgia, the Grayson High School Wing is 6’9” and weighs 170 pounds. Therefore, he has turned out to be a couple of inches taller than The Human Highlight Film. Nique suited up for the Georgia Bulldogs for three seasons back in the day and his son also committed to the program last year. Therefore, he is pretty much on the right path following his father’s pathway. 

 

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Like his father, Jacob is also playing some winning basketball in high school. He has led his team to a 25-2 record and his school is #1 in the state of Georgia. Individually, Wilkins is ranked #5 in the state of Georgia, as per ON3, which also ranks him at number nine in the Small Forward position for the class of 2025. The teenager has also made it to #55 nationally in ESPN’s projections for the class of 2025.

Meanwhile, 247 Sports has ranked him at 27 nationally. The Forward has made a decent name for himself already and has acquired 17.2k followers on Instagram. On Twitter, the rising high school star has garnered 1,368 followers. Considering that he has honed the craft of windmill dunking like his father, there is a high chance of him becoming much more popular on social media.

Jacob Wilkins has hops like Dominique Wilkins

The lean Forward has incredible athleticism and can soar quickly and high off his feet. His ability to read the passing lanes and then hit the jets to slam it with power has been on full display on numerous occasions. The slashing Forward is also a defensive nightmare for many smaller-sized players in high school. Once he moves to the Georgia Bulldogs’ basketball program, he is bound to put up more muscle which can make him an even more effective threat.

Considering he is from the class of 2025, Jacob has gone up against the sons of Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. In 2023, Kiyan Anthony and Bryce James teamed up for the squad “Strive for Greatness”(SFG) in a game against Wilkins’ Georgia Stars squad. During these dunk fests, Wilkins showed incredible hops and even slammed down a reverse jam. 

While he is still in the early stages of his basketball career, Jacob Wilkins has shown promising signs. His stint with the Georgia Bulldogs will determine if he has what it takes to be drafted into the NBA. 

The post Who is Dominique Wilkins’ Son? Taking a Look at Jacob Wilkins’ Basketball Career appeared first on The SportsRush.

Dominique Wilkins Net Worth

Introduction

Dominique Wilkins spent 15 seasons in the NBA while also featuring in the EuroLeague for two seasons. The Forward is best known for his time with the Atlanta Hawks. His one-handed and two-handed windmills earned him the moniker ‘The Human Highlight Film’’. As one of the best dunkers to grace the basketball floor, Nique has left a lasting impact on the NBA.

Early Life/School/College

Wilkins was born in Paris where his father served as a US Army Official. After moving from France to the USA, Nique and his family briefly lived in Dallas and Baltimore. Later, they settled in North Carolina’s Washington.

As a high-schooler, Wilkins mesmerized scouts and earned various honors. He was a part of the 1979 McDonald’s All-American team while also making his way into other High-School All-Star honors like the Capital Classic and the Dapper Dan Classic. Entering as one of the top prospects in college, Wilkins had a remarkable NCAA career for the University of Georgia. As the Forward for the Georgia Bulldogs side, he earned the SEC Player of the Year and SEC Tournament MVP Awards in 1981. Wilkins finished his three-year college career tallying 21.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game on 53% shooting.

NBA Career

During the 1982 Draft, the Utah Jazz selected Dominique Wilkins at #3 but traded him to the Atlanta Hawks. Within his third season, the Small Forward climbed the 25-point per game mark, a feat that will last for 10 more seasons in a row. For the Atlanta Hawks, he featured in 12 seasons and made nine straight All-Star teams from 1986 to 1994. The Forward was the NBA’s scoring leader during 1985-86 season as he put up 30.3 points a game. His best scoring season came during the 1987-88 season when he tallied 30.7 points per game. 

During his 15-season long career, Wilkins never won a title. He got closest to his dream in the 1988 Playoffs when he lost in seven games to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semis. Apart from playing with the Hawks for 12 seasons, Nique had single-season stints with the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, and the Orlando Magic. Sandwiched between his 15-season-long NBA career were two seasons in the EuroLeague, making for a 17-year pro basketball career.

Panathinaikos Athens

For the 1995-96 season, Nique headed to Greece’s basketball club Panathinaikos Athens. For Panathinaikos, he tallied 20.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game on 44.6% shooting. With the Greek club, he won the EuroLeague title, finally realizing the dream of winning a title at the professional level. Apart from Panathinaikos, Nique spent the 1997-98 season with Italian ball club Fortitudo Bologna. He put up 17.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game on 45.5% shooting. But this time, he couldn’t win the EuroLeague title.

NBA Earnings

Wilkins made most of his NBA money from 1991 to 1999, when he earned $16,482,500 in 9 years. From 1992 to 1994, the Hawks paid him in the $3,100,000 to $3,500,000 range, marking his highest-yielding salary period in the league. Apart from these contracts, Panathinaikos signed him to a two-year $7,000,000 contract. At that time, it was the richest deal for a pro-baller who wasn’t part of the NBA. However, this contract would later land in legal soup as Nique and the club had a fallout over his absence

Net Worth

Estimates suggest that Dominique Wilkins has a net worth of $16 million. Much of his earnings can be attributed to his NBA playing days. However, the former Hawks Forward has continued to make substantial money after his retirement too.

After retirement

After retirement, Dominique Wilkins is enjoying a serene lifestyle in Atlanta. As a food connoisseur and a cook, he is often found eating in restaurants such as Four Seasons. He also spends a ton of time playing golf with Atlanta’s Bobby Jones Golf Course being his primary choice. His most prominent work after retirement has been as a color analyst for the Atlanta Hawks, a position he has had for FSN South since the 2008-09 season. 

Since Wilkins was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes just after retiring, he launched a diabetes prevention program called DominiqueCare in association with Well Star. The Forward has investments in a cigar line, while he has also invested in America’s Division II Soccer USL team, Birmingham Legions. Currently, Nique is also the Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Atlanta Hawks.

FAQs

Is Dominique Wilkins in the Hall of Fame?

Dominique Wilkins was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

What was Dominique Wilkins’ best year?

During the 1987-88 season, Dominique Wilkins put up 30.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.3 steals on 46.4% shooting. He also made it to the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals but lost to the Boston Celtics in a heated seven-game series.

How many rings does Dominique Wilkins have?

Dominique Wilkins never won an NBA championship.

 Is Dominique Wilkins in the Top 75?

After missing out on the NBA’s 1997 All-Time Top 75 players list, Wilkins made it to the top 75 list in 2021.

The post Dominique Wilkins Net Worth: How Much Is Hawks Legend Worth in 2024? appeared first on The SportsRush.

Since 1984, there have been just six athletes who have won the competition more than once. This list includes the free-throw line dunk maestros Zach LaVine and Michael Jordan.

Nate Robinson

Former Knicks guard Nate Robinson is one of the most iconic faces of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. The high-flyer nabbed three awards in 2006, 2009, and 2010. He is the only player to have won the competition thrice. Standing at 5’9”, fans couldn’t believe the vertical leap the athlete could make with ease.  It was reminiscent of Spud Webb, who at 5’6”, is the shortest NBA All-Slam Dunk contest participant and won the 1986 Contest. 

During the 2009 contest, Robinson made a memorable dunk as he leaped over a 6’10” Dwight Howard and slammed it with a lot of gusto. Howard had won the 2008 contest in one of the most prolific showings. Apart from Howard, the former NBA guard towered over Josh Smith, DeMar DeRozan, Shannon Brown, and JR Smith. 

Dominique Wilkins

6’8” Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins is one of the best in-game dunkers of all time. His breathtaking jams earned him the moniker of Human Highlight Reel. He won the contest in 1985 and 1990, where his windmills, cradles, and reverse jams stole the show. In 1985, he defeated Michael Jordan in the final round.

To seal the deal with his second dunk of the round, the forward tossed the ball himself and after picking it cleanly, reverse-jammed it with emphasis. In those times, dunk contests were an anticipated event, and several stars used to compete fiercely to show their dominance. In these dunk contests, Wilkins defeated high-flyers Clyder Drexler, Scottie Pippen, Julius Erving, and Rex Chapman. 

Michael Jordan

6’6” Michael Jordan made a huge mark in the dunk contest history and revived Julius Erving’s free-throw dunk. The way he stretched out his tongue and clutched his legs en route to a free-throw slam, made for an iconic image.

During the 1988 dunk contest, the Bulls legend avenged his 1985 defeat against the Nique. The 1988 Dunk Contest is dubbed one of the best in NBA history because of the duel between Air Jordan and the Human Highlight Reel.

Harold Miner

Dubbed as ‘Baby Jordan’ for his athletic heroics, Harold Miner won the Dunk Contest in 1993 and 1995. During the dunk contests, the high-flying guard showed the shades of both Nique and MJ when going for his jams. His moniker Baby Jordan propelled him to huge popularity and his dunk contest feats overshadowed his overall NBA journey.

During his wins, Miner defeated athletic wonders like Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith, Mohammad Abdul-Raouf, J.R Rider, and Tim Perry.

Jason Richardson

Former 76ers shooting guard Jason Richardson won the contest twice in 2002 and 2003. The 6’6” Guard’s ability to make between-the-legs dunks in mid-flight mesmerized NBA fans for multiple years. The guard could make unbelievable reverse jams and also complete terrific windmills while switching the ball mid-air.

Thanks to his explosive package, he was able to defeat tough rivals Amar’e Stoudemire, Richard Jefferson, Steve Francis, and Desmond Mason.

Zach LaVine

In the post-2010 NBA Slam Dunk History, Zach LaVine is among one of the most prolific names. He won the award twice in 2015 and 2016 and invoked shades of MJ, Dr. J., and J-Rich to pull off a between-the-leg dunk.

This dunk helped him fend off a fierce Aaron Gordon whose boundless creativity and athletic chops were garnering a lot of love. LaVine had to go through extra rounds in 2016 to defeat Gordon. The battle between Gordon and LaVine is one of the best in the contest’s history.

The post 6 NBA Players With Multiple NBA All-Star Dunk Contest Wins Featuring Michael Jordan and Zach LaVine appeared first on The SportsRush.

Shaq shares a few of MJ’s thoughts pic.twitter.com/PiHunPB8bk

— tragicpatek (@tragicpatek) January 2, 2024

In an interview promoting the launch of NBA 2K14, Jordan was asked about his early days in the league. He said,

“Physically it was a much more physical game than what it is. Today, You can walk across the lane without getting checked, or screens. [Back then] you always had to pay a price.

Jordan further elaborated on the mentality of players saying, “If you were aggressive and you got an old guy and you go in, you go in with the understanding that I’m gonna get hit. I’m gonna pay the price, but you know that’s part of the game.”

 

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Jordan spoke from experience. He endured some of the most brutal physical punishment against the Detroit Pistons during the late 1980s. He got the worst of it in the 1989 Eastern Conference Finals. The Pistons, nicknamed the ‘Bad Boys,’ hounded the Bulls superstar en route to a 4-2 series win. Jordan claimed that no player in this era would have to endure that:

“Those are the type of things that these kids don’t even have a clue, of how we we had to grow up or how we had to play.”

The debate about physicality has affected players in the past has been raging on for well over a decade. It came to the fore when JJ Redick dissed Larry Bird. On an episode of First Take, the retired guard said:

“There’s no way you could ever argue Larry Bird is a top three-point shooter of all-time. You can’t make that argument. There’s plenty of people that have shot more, made more and — guess what — made more at a higher percentage than Larry Bird from three.”

Mad Dog & JJ Reddick. This is gonna be a classic

[: ESPN/youtube] pic.twitter.com/PprjLkPzkQ

— SplashBrosMuse (@SplashBrosMuse) February 15, 2023

Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins educated Redick with a strongly-worded response. During an appearance on Sirius XM NBA Radio, he said:

“To say something as idiotic as that is ridiculous. The physicality that was a part of the league. Hey, look, when you can put your hand on a guy’s hip and make him go a certain way, and you can put your elbow in his chest a guy to slow him up  — there’s not that many guys that can deal with that type of pressure.”

Bird knew opposition players would get handsy with him, and he wasn’t one to take it without dishing it back. Today, the league is more protective, and players don’t get into physical altercations as often. The ‘hard foul,’ where players intentionally use extra strength while intentionally fouling a player to stop them from scoring, was a staple for defenses in the 80s and 90s. However, now it’s almost as rare as an eclipse.

Shaquille O’Neal would dominate with his physicality in today’s NBA

By sharing the post, it can be said that Shaquille O’Neal agrees with Michael Jordan’s view about the lack of physicality in the modern NBA. And why not, as the center himself is among the most dominant forces in NBA history. In an exclusive interview with ESPN, O’Neal claimed that he would be as dominant in the current era as he was during his playing days.

“I would love to play in this game because it’s less physical. I would bring a little more physicality.”

The modern NBA is about stretching the floor, and shooting three-pointers or creating layup opportunities. Some have suggested that O’Neal, who lived in the paint on both ends of the floor, would struggle in the modern era. He doesn’t believe that would be the case, pointing to a two-time MVP as an example:

“I would bring my length, my athleticism, and I would be like the Greek Freak. So before you say Shaq can’t play in this era today, I’m already playing. I am Giannis Antetokounmpo.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo relied heavily on his physicality to score points and got double-teamed in the paint. However, he tweaked his game before the 2018-19 season and started passing the ball more often when he would get doubled. That helped him increase his output. He averaged four minutes fewer than the previous season but improved his scoring rate from 26.9 to 27.7 and assists from 4.8 to 5.9. Antetokounmpo won back-to-back NBA MVP awards and led the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA title in 2021.

O’Neal was more physically imposing than Antetokounmpo. If he became adept at passing when double-teamed, he would have been even more difficult to contain than the Bucks superstar is.

The post “These Kids Don’t Even Have A Clue”: Michael Jordan’s Comparison Of Physicality Across Eras Gets Showcased By Shaquille O’Neal appeared first on The SportsRush.

Gilbert Arenas hilariously explained that no matter how they talked about the shots, most of the dunks the players pulled off could be seen as windmills.

He talked about how he personally would have judged those contests, claiming that he would not give 50 points to the same shot being repeated every year, as seems to have been the trend back then. The clip was shared on Instagram by ‘entirely.nba’.

Gilbert Arenas thinks all dunks in the 1980s were windmills

Arenas talked about how overall dunking has constantly and comprehensively improved since the 1980s. Talking about the 1988 dunk contest in particular, he claimed that most of the shots Wilkins and MJ pulled off will now be seen as windmills.

 

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Arenas explained that no matter what angle the shots were viewed, they were still windmills at the end of the day. He used the argument to question the quality of the dunk contests back then, claiming that he would personally not have given 50 points on each of the shots,

“You watch them now, you realize, out of 10 dunks between Jordana nd Wilkins, 9 were windmills. I don’t give a sh*t how you did the windmills. Windmill from the middle, I am going to the side, it’s a windmill, s**t don’t change. It’s still a windmill, between-the-legs windmill, come off the baseline windmill, spin windmill. Every year, we know what Dominique is going to do, we know what Jordan will do. It is a windmill. I am not going to give you the same points each time you do the same dunk, I am sorry. It’s a windmill!.”

While Michael Jordan ended up winning the 1988 dunk contest, it was a controversial call. Quite a few critics claimed that Dominique Wilkins had been robbed of the award, including Michael Jordan himself. For Arenas, however, the quality of the dunks during the 80s was the problem, rather than any specific dunk contest.

Dominique Wilkins criticized players for not participating in dunk contests anymore

Dominique Wilkins had recently claimed that the current generation was not interested in competing in dunk contests. Speaking to Vlad TV, Wilkins talked about how back then, even players wanted to know who the best was.

However, nowadays, nobody cares enough to find out, claiming that some players tend to think that losing them would somehow impact their legacy. However, Wilkins claimed that wasn’t the case.

He said that during his and MJ’s time, even the players wanted to be tested, and find out who the best was. This led to them giving it their all during dunk contests as well, something which does not seem to be true anymore.

The post “9 Was Windmills”: Michael Jordan And Dominique Wilkins’ 1988 Slam Dunk Contest Gets Clowned on by Gilbert Arenas appeared first on The SportsRush.

Reese is an up-and-coming WNBA prospect who has earned flowers from the big man Shaq himself. The LSU Tigers sophomore helped her team win the 2023 NCAA championship and was voted the tournament’s most outstanding award. As Reebok gets a future WNBA star onboard, here is a list of all the players who had signed with Reebok and donned their shoes over the years.

Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal became the face of Reebok’s basketball brand when he signed a $15,000,000 multi-year deal with the brand in its rookie year in 1992. During his NBA career, Shaq donned some of his iconic Reebok releases, such as Shaq Attaq and Shaqnosis shoes.

“This is my planet.”

When Shaq made a Reebok Shaqnosis commercial with him knocking a Lil Penny doll off a couch. pic.twitter.com/ni3qKFIfjq

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) October 12, 2023

Shaq’s most significant role in Reebok was when he started to own shares in the parent group ABG in 2015. By the year 2021, the big man became a part owner of the company after ABG finalized a $2.1 billion acquisition from Adidas. Since then, Diesel has risen in the ranks to rise as the brand’s Basketball Operations President.

Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson is the next big name who made his mark with Reebok during his NBA career. AI first signed his 10-year $50,000,000 deal with the brand and was offered a lifetime contract by the brand in 2001. One of the clauses in his contract mentioned a $32,000,000 trust fund, which saved him from getting broke.

Allen Iverson picks up a Reebok shoe telephone as a joke and quickly finds out its real pic.twitter.com/yHxpAE5gbP

— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) March 28, 2020

Back in the day, AI was spending over $50,000 on strippers and other lavishes, greatly depleting his net worth. The $32,000,000 trust fund pays AI over $800,000 every year for the rest of his life, in addition to gaining access to the trust fund on his 55th birthday.

Rebook made Allen Iverson put $32M into a trust that pays him $1M a yr.
He can’t access the money until he
is 55 so he wouldn’t go broke. “I was throwing $50K a night at strippers.” pic.twitter.com/RludAOKtl6

— Black Millionaires ® (@Blackmillions_) March 23, 2022

Currently, AI has been selected as the Vice President of Reebok’s basketball operations, where he has already started making big moves.

Yao Ming

In 2003, Reebok successfully signed Yao Ming in a multi-year deal, successfully snatching the Houston Rockets legend from Nike. The Chinese superstar signed this new contract, opening lucrative market opportunities for Reebok in China.

Ming signed a $75,000,000 for ten years, which placed him second to the then Cleveland Cavalier rookie LeBron James’ $90,000,000 Nike deal.

John Wall

Reebok had outbid competitors Nike and Under Armor to sign 2010 rookie John Wall for $25,000,000. During that time, Wall was expected to be the face of the brand, looking to replace Allen Iverson over time.

However, after being signed to the brand for three years, Wall announced his separation in 2013. The former Clippers guard next signed a multi-year deal with Adidas for an undisclosed amount the same year.

Dominique Wilkins

Dominique Wilkins is best remembered for his time with the Atlanta Hawks during the late ’80s decade. The Hawks forward had signed a four-year endorsement contract with the brand, which led him to promote Reebok’s iconic ‘Pump’ shoes. These shoes rose in immense popularity before their eventual downfall in the 2010s.

Shawn Kemp, Dominique Wilkins Talk Reebok Pump Kamikaze II (VIDEO) http://t.co/PbivuMXeWg @ReebokClassics pic.twitter.com/6YToG6vLoJ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 11, 2015

Reebok is seemingly trying to revitalize its position in the basketball market after appointing basketball legends like Shaq and Allen Iverson at the helm of basketball operations.

After signing star player Angel Reese, the brand looks eager to compete with the likes of shoe giants Nike and Adidas, who dominate the current market, to gain a prominent position that it enjoyed in the erstwhile era of the league.

The post NBA Players Who Have Worn ‘Reebok Basketball Shoes’ Featuring Shaquille O’Neal appeared first on The SportsRush.

O’Neal’s game did not take long to take off in college, and later on, in the NBA. However, he still needed a mentor to guide him at the time. Fortunately for him, Wilkins had been looking out for him since his days at Louisiana State University. As the legend revealed, Nique enjoyed his role very much, as he guided Shaq to become the most dominant center ever. Despite being defeated by the Shaq-led Orlando Magic in 1995, Wilkins still is proud of mentoring the big man.

Dominique Wilkins fondly remembers mentoring Shaquille O’Neal

In 1995, Dominique Wilkins was part of the Boston Celtics. In the first round of the playoffs that year, the team had to face Shaq’s up-and-coming Magic team. With series only going up to five games at the time, the Celtics didn’t have much wiggle room either. Unfortunately for them, in the end, they were sent home in four games.

Wilkins expressed his regret over not beating the team, believing that they ‘had them’. However, soon setting it aside, Dominique began to fondly remember his time with Shaq. Speaking on his experience mentoring him and what he was like back in the day, the nine-time All-Star said the following.

“Oh he [Shaquille O’Neal] was the energetic, young man. I mean, physical, athletic off the charts, man for a guy that big, and just was a fun guy to play against. I was kind of a mentor to him…when he was in college, LSU, when I first met him. So, we had a pretty cool friendship.”

From the way he spoke about him, it is clear that Shaq owns a special place in Wilkins’ heart. Given how much of a loving man Shaq has turned into over the years, that isn’t likely to change anytime soon.

Wilkins also revealed the foul play behind David Robinson winning the scoring title over Shaq

Back in 1994, Shaquille O’Neal and Spurs legend, David Robinson were the frontrunners to win the scoring title. It came down to the final games of the season to see who would run away with the title. At the time, the San Antonio Spurs were playing against the LA Clippers, a team that had Dominique Wilkins on it. Due to this, he was able to reveal a shocking story about former Clippers owner, Donald Sterling, and how he employed dirty tactics to make sure Robinson won the award. The following is what Wilkins said.

“Playing for Sterling? Lot of things. “I remember the end of the year, playing against the San Antonio Spurs, and Bob Weiss came in the locker room and said, ‘Look, I want y’all to get along, but I’ve been told to take all you guys out after the first four minutes of the first quarter,’” Wilkins said. And I’m like, ‘Why?’ And he said, ‘Donald Sterling wanna see David Robinson keep the scoring title in the West, he didn’t want Shaquille to get it in the East.’ I said, ‘Last time I checked, neither guy played on our team. Who cares?’ And so he did, he took us out with four minutes to start in the game, and David Robinson had 71. Crazy.”

Given how petty Shaq can be at times, it is likely this story is still a thorn in his mind.

The post “A Guy That Big”: Michael Jordan’s Legendary Rival Reveals Mentoring Young Shaquille O’Neal Despite Getting Humbled in 1995 appeared first on The SportsRush.

The Clippers were against the San Antonio Spurs towards the end of the regular season. With Shaq and David Robinson fighting for the scoring title, Sterling instructed coach Bob Weiss to pull Wilkins off after four minutes in the first quarter. This was because Sterling wanted Robinson to get points and edge ahead of Shaq in the race for the title. Dominique claimed that he was stunned to hear Sterling’s decision to help Robinson, and argued by claiming that neither of the players played for their team.

Dominique Wilkins reveals how Donald Sterling ensured Shaquille O’Neal didn’t win scoring title in 1994

Wilkins was asked on the podcast whether there was anything that bothered him about playing under Sterling. He responded by claiming that there were lots of things.

Wilkins proceeded to tell the crazy story of how Sterling wanted the Spurs’ Robinson to win the scoring title over Shaquille O’Neal. To ensure this, the head coach was told to pull Wilkins after four minutes in the game:

“Playing for Sterling? Lot of things. “I remember the end of the year, playing against the San Antonio Spurs, and Bob Weiss came in the locker room and said, ‘Look, I want y’all to get along, but I’ve been told to take all you guys out after the first four minutes of the first quarter,’” Wilkins said. And I’m like, ‘Why?’ And he said, ‘Donald Sterling wanna see David Robinson keep the scoring title in the West, he didn’t want Shaquille to get it in the East.’ I said, ‘Last time I checked, neither guy played on our team. Who cares?’ And so he did, he took us out with four minutes to start in the game, and David Robinson had 71. Crazy.”

While Wilkins argued and claimed that their team should not care about the scoring title, it was of no use. Weiss ended up taking him off after just four minutes, which resulted in Robinson producing his famous 71-point game. 

O’Neal did not want to hear Donald Sterling’s apology

Back in 2014, Sterling had come out with a long-winded apology for his racist comments during a CNN interview. Claiming that he was “baited” into making the comments, Sterling said he does not talk about people that way.

The former Clippers owner was heard ranting about her friend V. Stiviano. Stiviano had posted a bunch of pictures with a few of her African-American friends.

This includes Magic Johnson, who was also mentioned in Sterling’s rant. Shaq, in response, claimed that the world had already seen the real side of Donald Sterling. He also said that it was funny how he apologized before proceeding to go on another rant, according to CNBC. Of course, Sterling’s “apology” was in fact for allowing himself to be “baited into making the comments.”

The post “Didn’t Want Shaquille O’Neal to Get It”: Dominique Wilkins Accuses $4 Billion Worth Former Owner of Manipulating David Robinson’s Scoring Title appeared first on The SportsRush.

Pippen was an exceptionally skilled player. A typical point forward, he had handles, playmaking ability, defensive skills, and scoring potential, that made him one of the best out there. In many people’s eyes, he is undeniably one of the greatest players of all time. However, his skillset couldn’t be compared to that of Michael Jeffrey Jordan, who was always in a class of his own, according to Wilkins.

Dominique Wilkins claims Michael Jordan was substantially more skilled than Scottie Pippen

Dominique Wilkins recently shared his thoughts on the ongoing beef between Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Things had reached a place recently whereby Pippen had resorted to undermine Jordan’s game to justify his own potential. This is something that does not sit well with the Atlanta Hawks legend.

Speaking on VladTV, Wilkins respectfully rejected claims that Pippen is the most skilled player of all time. While he does commend the Bulls legend for his ability, he does not believe that he is the greatest. Instead, that title, in his opinion, belongs to none other than His Airness.

Over the course of his 15 seasons in the NBA, Wilkins has come across many skilled players. The likes of Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, and many others come to mind. However, it’s Jordan whose skill impressed him the most, ahead of everyone else.

“Scottie was skilled, there’s no question about that. Nobody can take Scottie’s ability away from him. My only problem is the…negative undertone that this whole thing has taken. What are you hoping to get out of this? But, when we talk from a skill level, I don’t know too many people more skilled than Michael [Jordan].”

For the most part, it’s hard to deny Wilkins’ take. Very few players have presented themselves as worthy challengers to MJ’s claim as the greatest of all time. Even though Wilkins put MJ first in overall skill level, he also mentioned that Magic and Bird were right up there behind him.

Wilkins believes Scottie Pippen is wrong for calling MJ out

The whole situation between Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan has gone out of hand. Pippen has been on bad terms with his former partner-in-crime ever since the release of The Last Dance documentary. He feels that the series put MJ on a pedestal while diminishing the role he and the other Bulls stars played in the Chicago side’s success.

Many would agree with Scottie on this front, but they also don’t like how he’s handling the situation. One such person who feels this way is Dominique Wilkins. Wilkins believes that Pippen is wrong for calling out Jordan. The Hawks legend further points out that while Pippen was integral to the Bulls dynasty, they would not have had success at the highest level if it weren’t for the GOAT.

Scottie Pippen is now doubling down, putting himself on the same pedestal as Michael Jordan

Thoughts on Pip’s claim? pic.twitter.com/Jq3FpHul7f

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 13, 2021

As things stand now, the situation has not improved between Pippen and Jordan, and it likely never will. One can only hope that as time passes on the two can put their differences aside and can respect each other once more.

The post Picking Apart ‘Most Skilled’ Title Bestowed Upon Scottie Pippen, Hawks Legend Respectfully Puts Michael Jordan Above Everyone in History: “There’s no Question” appeared first on The SportsRush.