“NBA legend Dominique Wilkins has faced the best, but one moment against Michael Jordan stands above the rest.”
Wilkins recalls a night in Chicago, just weeks after he had dropped 57 points in Atlanta.
The Hawks were in their locker room before tip-off, still in their suits and ties when Jordan did something Wilkins had never seen before.
“All of a sudden, Michael Jordan walks into our locker room,” Wilkins remembered.
“I’m thinking, What the hell is he doing in here? Maybe he’s heading to the training room or something.”
But Jordan wasn’t lost.
He walked straight past Wilkins and his Hawks teammates, and headed directly to Randy Whitman.
Then, with complete confidence, he slapped Whitman on the behind and said, “Lace ‘em up. It’s gonna be a long night.”
Without another word, Jordan turned and walked out, leaving the entire Hawks locker room in shock.
“I didn’t even know what to say,” Wilkins admitted.
“I just looked around and said, ‘Well, you tell that so-and-so Scottie Pippen that I’m gonna kick his ass.’”
What followed was pure dominance. Jordan dropped 60 points that night, putting on an electric performance that left even Wilkins in awe.
“It wasn’t just that he had 60—it was how he had it,” Wilkins said. “It was incredible to witness.”
For Wilkins, that game was the ultimate display of Jordan’s unmatched confidence and ability to back up his words. Some players talk trash, but only a few can walk into an opponent’s locker room, call their shot, and then deliver a masterpiece. Michael Jordan was one of them.