• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
The only man Michael Jordan 'feared' on the basketball court wasn't even an NBA player

Home> NBA

Published 15:45 22 Oct 2024 GMT+1

The only man Michael Jordan 'feared' on the basketball court wasn't even an NBA player

MJ's most feared opponent was a star in the NFL, not the NBA

Ryan Baldi

Ryan Baldi

Michael Jordan feared no player in the NBA during his illustrious basketball career. But, according to a former teammate, there was one opponent the Chicago Bulls icon dreaded facing, and he wasn't even a basketball player.

Jordan reigned supreme in the NBA between entering the league as the third overall pick in the 1984 draft and his third and final retirement in 2003.

The North Carolina native won six NBA championships, was named the league's Most Valuable Player five times and is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time.

Advert

But before he became and NBA superstar, there was one player who Jordan hated facing in college.

Lawrence Taylor of the New York Giants (Getty Images)
Lawrence Taylor of the New York Giants (Getty Images)

“There is one guy that I always thought, and I know to this day — I don’t know if Michael won’t admit or not, but I swear that he had a little bit of fear of — and it wasn’t a basketball player. It was a football player by the name of Lawrence Taylor. LT, phenomenal athlete,” Buzz Peterson, a former teammate of Jordan's at the University of North Carolina, told The Athletic in 2020.

“[Taylor] Could guard east to west, as quick as anybody, could jump, big hands, strong and was a bit crazy. So Michael, in the back of his mind, said, ‘S**t, I better be careful with this guy.’ And LT always wanted to guard him.”

Advert

Taylor was a standout football player for the UNC Tar Heels and, after he was drafted by the New York Giants with the second overall pick in the 1981 draft, went on to have a stellar NFL career.

The 6ft 3ins, 237lbs linebacker won two Super Bowls with the Giants. He won the Defensive Player of the Year award three times and in 1986 he became only the second defensive player to be named the league's MVP.

Taylor struggled with substance abuse for most of his career. But, a supreme athlete with ferocious speed and tackling power, he is still considered one of the greatest defenders in NFL history.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Images

Topics: Michael Jordan, NFL, NBA, Chicago Bulls, Basketball

Ryan Baldi
Ryan Baldi

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

5 hours ago
2 days ago
  • 5 hours ago

    LeBron James faced three NBA players in private 1 vs 1 matches despite insisting he would never play one

    LeBron James made his feelings very clear on taking on players in a 1v1 match

    NBA
  • 2 days ago

    Michael Jordan gave the coldest response when told he would be inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame

    The NBA legend didn't hold back when he found out that he was set to join several other icons in the Hall of Fame.

    NBA
  • 2 days ago

    Magic Johnson snubs Steph Curry and LeBron James when naming only five 'superstar' names in NBA history

    Johnson named the five stars that could 'sell out buildings' during their NBA careers.

    NBA
  • 2 days ago

    Michael Jordan's 'response' after being named in Diddy trial by ex-girlfriend 'Jane'

    The former NBA star's name was reportedly brought up at Diddy's trial earlier this week.

    NBA
  • Michael Jordan gave the coldest response when told he would be inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame
  • NBA legend was 'better than Michael Jordan' for two whole years but was unable to keep up with the GOAT
  • Michael Jordan only 'feared' one player in the NBA and 'admitted he was scared' of facing him on the court
  • Michael Jordan revealed the only time he was 'frozen out' during a basketball game