When 48 y/o Michael Jordan joined Hornets practice and dominated Stephen Jackson: "He got furious, trash-talking and killing him and all of us"

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Michael Jordan (somewhat) successfully transitioned from player to owner following his historic career, but this didn’t mean that he lost his passion for competing. The full effects of MJ’s competitive powers were felt during his underwhelming season as owner of the Charlotte Hornets when he took it upon himself to participate in practice and emphatically teach Stephen Jackson a lesson.

In what is a wild story recounted by former Hornets player Eduardo Najera when speaking with NBA Buzz, Jordan went nuclear on the roster during a losing streak.

“We were going through a rough patch. Michael decided to jump in and bring Charles Oakley on his team. Stephen Jackson, being Stephen Jackson, started talking trash. Jackson said, ‘That was the past, this is now, and I will bust your a*s.’ Michael got furious, trash-talking and killing him and all of us, telling Stephen Jackson,’ How does the leather taste in your mouth’ after every shot,” he said.

Stephen Jackson pokes the bear

Unfortunately for the Hornets and Stephen Jackson, MJ’s dominance during practice didn’t end there, as the two engaged in an intense one-on-one battle. This also didn’t end well for “Stack Jack,” with Jordan, despite being the ripe old age of 48, dismantling him as the two locked horns.

“Then it became a 1-on-1. It did not end up well for Stephen Jackson. Michael won. It was incredible. It was good for the team, and we snapped out of the losing streak we had,” Najera said.

It was a dramatic way for Jordan to prove a point, but no one can argue it was in typical MJ fashion to show everyone how it’s done instead of telling them. Najera wasn’t lying when he said the Hornets were struggling, and it wasn’t the first time Jordan called out the roster he put together.

On this occasion, it worked wonders, as the Hornets broke their losing streak the very next game. However, it was short-lived, as Charlotte limped to an underwhelming 34 wins in the campaign.

It would be the last season Jackson spent in North Carolina before moving to Milwaukee as his career wound down.

No escaping reality

While several stories, like this one, highlight Jordan’s desire to win as an owner, the reality is that his tenure with the Hornets was underwhelming. Charlotte’s record under his leadership was an abysmal 423-600, ranking 26th out of 30 teams in the league during that span.

He may be arguably the greatest player of all time, and he may have once schooled Stephen Jackson at 48, but that doesn’t change the fact that his ownership of the Hornets was largely a disaster.