Michael Jordan is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. His hooping powers astounded viewers all around the globe and have continued to exemplify brilliance in the sport. He knocked his opponents to their knees and left them bewildered while “His Airness” flew around the court.

His superhuman skills clearly set him apart from his opponents, but it was his ability to get under his opponents’ skin that propelled him to the top of the pecking order. Jordan would get inside his opponents’ heads, rendering them defenseless, before eventually winning the ballgame for his side. With his fiercely competitive drive, he not only wanted to eradicate the opponent but also let them know about it.

However, one person went head-to-head with Jordan in talking smack. Bill Russell, who has a staggering 11 championships to his name, is one of the athletes on the same echelon as Jordan. Jordan took a short break from basketball to play golf with Russell on this one beautiful day. In an old interview, the Celtics great lauded Jordan before recounting some mud-slinging that happened on the golf course.

?I think he is a great player and I have the ultimate regard for him. We were out in the middle of the golf course; they had just won the championship. He says, ?You know we?re going to go after your record.? I said, ?Which one?’?

READ MORE:?Billion Dollar Company That Kobe Bryant Eventually Hated, Once Intended to Make Him the Next Michael Jordan

Russell then went on and said, “You know, we won 11, but we won eight straight. I don?t think you?ll live long enough to get either one of those.”

Jordan probably did not anticipate Russell to be this cutthroat, given his history of trash-talking. After that ruthless smack talk, Jordan probably had to swallow his pride.

Michael Jordan and Bill Russell’s accomplishments resembled one other in certain ways

Jordan was a toddler when Russell hung his jersey, which obviously means the two NBA legends played in contrasting eras. Their legendary careers, however, mimic one another in a myriad of areas.

WATCH THIS STORY:?The second Richest NBA Player After Michael Jordan is not LeBron James or Kobe Bryant

Russell and Jordan each had 13 playoff appearances over their 13 and 15-year careers, respectively. Jordan has 14 All-Star selections to Russell’s 12, and both have been named to 11 All-NBA teams. In addition, the two mercenaries have 5 MVP trophies each to showcase on their cabinets.

Naturally, each of them was dominant in their role. Jordan has 10 scoring titles to Russell’s none, as well as 10 All-NBA First Team selections to Russell’s 3. Russell, on the other hand, had his own strengths. His 4 rebounding crowns surpassed Jordan’s 0, while his incredible 11 championships surpassed Jordan’s 6.

Many would argue that Russell played in a somewhat weaker era, which is partially correct. His achievement is plainly a fiction, and in an increasingly competitive and evolving NBA, it seems completely improbable?if not impossible?to fathom a player capturing 8 straight rings.