Chicago Bulls and NBA legend Michael Jordan and former Pistons guard Isiah Thomas had a well-known beef, but the extent and cause of the hatred weren’t known to the public until the release of MJ’s much-acclaimed documentary. “Last Dance.”  The documentary’s release gave fuel to the already-existing fiery quarrel.

However, Thomas knew of the fierce competition during his days with the Detroit Pistons and as a member and leader of the “Bad Boy Pistons.”  However, he never once thought that His Airness would decide to keep such a long grudge for all those years.

Isiah Thomas shared his thoughts about the situation when he was a guest on Draymond Green’s podcast of the same name.
I never knew this dude felt the way he felt until ‘The ‘Last Dance.’ All these years, you’ve been standing behind a tree throwing stones and letting somebody else take the fall for it. Had I known you felt that way, I definitely would have treated you differently. Thomas said

The Pistons legend continued further by sharing a story where he and his team refused to shake hands with Michael Jordan, claiming there was nothing to it other than keeping to a long-standing “ritual” rather than an act of poor sportsmanship.
The champions, they always left the court. And then they would come into your locker room after the game and shake your hand and say congratulations. Chicago, they’re the only champion that still cries about somebody not shaking our hand. Continuing further, he added

For the uninitiated, Isiah Thomas was a controversial figure known for the famous “Bad Boy Pistons.” It’s no secret that Jordan and the Bulls did not see eye to eye. Their rivalry intensified when the Bulls whooped the Detroit Pistons, and MJ publicly insulted Thomas.

Isiah Thomas says Kevin Durant saved the Warriors’ legacy

Isiah Thomas made a bold claim about the Golden State Warriors dynasty while a guest on Draymond Green’s podcast show.

He acknowledged how the Cleveland Cavaliers won their first NBA title after the Warriors had taken a commanding 3-1 lead in the series before surrendering and losing to a LeBron James-inspired comeback. He referred to the series as “probably one of the biggest collapses in NBA Finals history.“

What happened the following season altered the course of the Warriors’ history. The Dubs signed Kevin Durant during the offseason, during which he helped the Warriors avenge their 2016 loss. Subsequently, they won two NBA titles in 2017 and 2018 against Cleveland.
Kevin Durant comes that summer and really saves y’all basketball legacy. You win two championships after that. The Golden State Warriors’ dynasty that you’re going to go into the Hall of Fame on and everything else is cemented because if Durant don’t come that summer and you guys are remembered as the 73–9 team, all of your legacies are different. Isiah Thomas said:

However, the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals without Durant, which shows they could win without him. However, Isiah still believes KD saved the Warriors’ dynasty, as they needed him to avenge their shocking 2016 loss.