Provoking the great Michael Jordan is like throwing yourself in the deep end. The 14-time All-Star was always up for a challenge, and wouldn’t back down until he came out victorious. This elite mentality earned him several accolades during the course of his career: including 6 NBA Championships.

For a long time however, MJ had an arch nemesis in the form of league legend Dikembe Mutombo.

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Mutombo, who is now 55, was a former Congolese NBA star. An 8-time All-star, he was a devastating center in his prime. His instinctive play and fearless attitude on defense made him a tricky customer.

For a long time, even the great Jordan wasn’t able to put away a dunk over the Nuggets legend. Overall, he averaged nearly 10 points in his career. Yet, his contributions to his teams as well as the league were unforgettable.

When Michael Jordan hit back at Dikembe Mutombo in epic fashion

‘His Airness’ was undeniably a master of his craft. Back in 1991, Mutombo was still a rookie in the league. However, his actions spoke well beyond his age.

When the Bulls came up against the Nuggets, all hell was bound to break loose. The youngster, who was a fiery proposition in the game, managed to catch the eye of Jordan.

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The beast incarnate, never backing down, decided to ruffle up some feathers. Taunting the then 25-year-old, he signaled to Mutombo, before closing his eyes and making an iconic no-look free throw.

Precisely six years later, the overseas starlet had moved franchises, representing the Atlanta Hawks. In a bold move, he opted to take a dig at Michael in the locker room.

Although the forward had previously gotten the better of Mutombo, it was a fact that MJ had never dunked over him. Keen to have the upper hand, the Congolese let Jordan know about this statistic.

Unfazed, the Bulls star, who claimed then and there that “We gonna cancel your green card,” put on a show and made a historic dunk on the legendary center later that year.

If ever there was a lesson learnt from this, it’s that you don’t mess with the best. Small instances like these add up to prove the greatness of Michael Jordan. For so many around the world, he defined basketball in the late 20th century.

For that reason, we cannot thank him enough!

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