Horace Grant’s Negative Reaction to Michael Jordan and “The Last Dance” Documentary

As the final two episodes of the critically acclaimed ten part docuseries “The Last Dance” aired last Sunday, May 17^th, 2020 many people have reacted with their opinions and takes on documentary. One of the outspoken individuals who previously played with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, Horace Grant, has publicly responded to it in quite a negative manner.

On Tuesday, May 19^th, 2020 Grant was interviewed on the radio by Kap and Co. on ESPN 1000 in Chicago. During this interview he fired back at Jordan for lying throughout the documentary. He also reacted to the way in which MJ treated former players, ownership, and front office executives during his time with the Chicago Bulls organization as well as after his time with the historic franchise. 

Sam Smith’s Book “The Jordan Rules” 

Grant was mostly upset with Jordan claiming that most of the information leaked to Sam Smith for his famous book “The Jordan Rules” came from Grant directly. Although Horace acknowledged he had and still has a great relationship with Smith, that he never revealed any personal information about Jordan or other players on the Chicago Bulls or broke the sanctity of the locker room which is an important unspoken rule in professional sports. Grant goes on to defend himself regarding this matter by saying that Smith was an investigative reporter who would need to sources in order to write the book. Grant wasn’t sure why Jordan chose to call him out and not anyone else too.

Grant Touches on Jordan’s Relationships with Others   

During the interview Grant goes on to discuss how Jordan’s relationships with other people such as Charles Barkleyhave deteriorated over the years due to Michael holding a grudge about something small being said. Jordan’s relationship with Barkley fell apart after Charles criticized MJ’s management of the Charlotte NBA franchise that Jordan owns.

Horace Calls Jordan a Snitch

In response to Jordan claiming that Grant was a snitch for disclosing information to Smith form his book, Horace reminds the listening audience about how Michael snitched in the documentary. Specifically, regarding Jordan’s description of entering a teammates hotel room as a rookie and seeing cocaine, weed, and women everywhere. Although Jordan did decide to include that information in “The Last Dance”, he never did throw his teammates under the bus by naming anyone involved in those crazy hotel parties that he witnessed.

Grant wasn’t Happy with Jordan’s Portrayal of other Players

Horace definitely expressed his feelings revolving around how MJ treated his teammates throughout his career with the Chicago Bulls. Grant explained that Jordan was bullying other players on his basketball team, and that his behavior would cross the line at times. Grant describes Jordan punching teammates and calling some of them bitches and ho’s was unacceptable. Horace explained that if Jordan went after him, he would go right back at Michael, but other players that were weaker or more mild mannered like Steve Kerr, Will Purdue, and Scott Burrell did not deserve the abuse from that Jordan dished out to them.

Grant would take Jordan out in a Fight?

Grant goes as far to say that if Jordan went after him back in their playing days, he could have taken Michael out in a heartbeat. Horace stated that if they encountered each other hopefully everything would remain civil, but he is not worried about their fractured relationship if Jordan still holds a grudge with him. It is obvious these two former friends have some bad blood that should be resolved. They were teammates that won three NBA championships together, and they should not let these little things ruin their relationship with one another. Hopefully this documentary will result in them working things out so they can remain friends.

Media Statements 

“Lie, lie, lie. … If MJ had a grudge with me, let’s settle this like men,” Horace Grant stated. “Let’s talk about it. Or we can settle it another way. But yet and still, he goes out and puts this lie out that I was the source behind [the book]. Sam and I have always been great friends. We’re still great friends. But the sanctity of that locker room, I would never put anything personal out there. The mere fact that Sam Smith was an investigative reporter. That he had to have two sources, two, to write a book, I guess. Why would MJ just point me out? 

“It’s only a grudge, man. I’m telling you, it was only a grudge. And I think he proved that during this so-called documentary. When if you say something about him, he’s going to cut you off, he’s going to try to destroy your character.” 

“Charles Barkley, they’ve been friends for over 20, 30 years,” Grant explained. “And he said something about Michael’s management with the Charlotte Bobcats or the Charlotte Hornets, and then they haven’t spoken since then. And my point is, he said that I was the snitch, but yet and still after 35 years he brings up his rookie year going into one of his teammates’ rooms and seeing coke, and weed and women. My point is: Why the hell did he want to bring that up? What’s that got to do with anything? I mean, if you want to call somebody a snitch, that’s a damn snitch right there.” 

“I would say [it was] entertaining, but we know, who was there as teammates, that about 90% of it — I don’t know if I can say it on air, but B.S. in terms of the realness of it,” Grant proclaimed. “It wasn’t real — because a lot of things [Jordan] said to some of his teammates, that his teammates went back at him. But all of that was kind of edited out of the documentary, if you want to call it a documentary.”

“He felt that he could dominate me, but that was sadly mistaken,” says Grant. “Because whenever he went at me, I went at him right back. But in terms of Will Perdue, Steve Kerr and the young man, Scott Burrell, that was heartbreaking [to watch]. To see a guy, a leader, to go at those guys like that. I understand in terms of practicing, you have a push and shove here and there, but outright punching and things of that nature. And calling them the B’s and the H’s; that wasn’t called for.”

“Anybody [who] knows me, as a rookie, if anybody comes up and tries to snatch my food away, I’m going to do my best to beat their ass,” Grant expressed. “And believe me, back then, I could have took MJ in a heartbeat. Yes, it’s true that he told the flight attendant, ‘Well, don’t give him anything because he played like crap.’ And I went right back at him. I said some choice words that I won’t repeat here. But I said some choice words and stood up. ‘If you want it, you come and get it.’ And of course, he didn’t move. He was just barking. But that was the story. But anybody [who] knows me, where I come from and what I stand for, come on, man. There’s nobody in this earth would ever come and try to take food off my plate and not get their rear ends beaten.”

“The crazy thing, for one of my charities he sent me an autographed pair of shoes,” Grant recalls. “I don’t understand it. If he had some difference with me, he could have text me, he could have called me, the whole nine yards. But if I see him today, we would hopefully pay our respects to each other because we went through three championships together. But if not, believe me, I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.”

“I have never seen a quote unquote No. 2 guy, as decorated as Scottie Pippen, portrayed so badly,” Grant responded. 

“In terms of the migraine, in terms of the 1.[8] seconds, [Jordan calling him] selfish. I have never seen this in all of my life. … Pip was out there in Game 6 [of the ’98 Finals], could barely walk, getting knocked down on his back. Tried to do whatever he could to help that team. My point is, why was that 1.[8] seconds in the documentary, so-called documentary, about Pip? 

“MJ wasn’t even on the team. Why was that in there? We handled that that year really well as a team. Pip knows that he was wrong for doing it. … Bill Cartwright stood up and said what he had to say, and then we handled it. It was over. It was over. We go on to take the Knicks to seven games. It was over. Why bring that up? That’s my question to everybody out there who’s listening.” 

“When that so-called documentary is about one person, basically, and he has the last word on what’s going to be put out there … it’s not a documentary,” says Grant. “It’s his narrative of what happens in the last, quote-unquote, dance. That’s not a documentary, because a whole bunch of things was cut out, edited out. So that’s why I call it a so-called documentary.”

Michael Jordan’s NBA Career Statistics

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Horace Grant’s NBA Career Statistics

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