Michael Jordan conquered almost every challenge. Yet the Detroit Pistons stood between him and more championships. For three brutal seasons from 1988 to 1990, the Bad Boys turned Jordan’s brilliance into frustration. Isaiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman, Joe Dumars, John Salley, and company pushed him to his limits. Years later, the rivalry faded. But Salley revealed why Jordan was different and delivered a verdict that says it all.

“MJ…Michael Jordan, he should be the logo of the NBA. MJ is that next level. And he wasn’t playing. He was playing to destroy you. So when he would get the game, Michael loved playing basketball,” Salley shared with Natasha Graziano. “So he was doing what he loved at the highest level. And I was on a team that, like he said, made him better. The Detroit Pistons made him a better player, made him tougher, made him more resilient.”

Jordan “hated” the Bad Boy Pistons. He admitted on The Last Dance that he still carries the same feeling even to this day. Well, he has a valid case for such bitter emotions. John Salley & Co. had Chicago’s number for years.

The Bulls lost to the Pistons in 5 games in the 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals. In 1989, Detroit returned to the conference finals and won in 6 games, despite falling behind 2-1. The following year brought another painful exit, as the Pistons edged Chicago in 7 games. Their physical defense became known as the “Jordan Rules.”

Detroit reshaped the legend, like shaping hot iron. And it reflected in the 1990-91 season. Chicago swept Detroit 4-0 in the conference finals. The Pistons had won back-to-back championships, but their reign ended there. Jordan soon led the Bulls to their first three-peat. After his 2 year retirement, he returned and helped Chicago secure another three-peat.

Michael Jordan carried an immense competitive edge throughout his career. He could turn almost anything into motivation. A comment, a comparison, or even imagined disrespect could become personal. Clyde Drexler felt that pressure during the 1992 NBA Finals. The Bad Boys faced it too. So did Pat Riley’s Miami Heat.

Jordan brought relentless intensity everywhere, whether it was a playoff game or a practice. His goal remained simple: overwhelm the opponent mentally, physically, and on the scoreboard. He reshaped the NBA in such a manner that mental brute force became the focal point.

And that is exactly where Kobe Bryant thrived.

Kobe Bryant had Michael Jordan’s mannerisms down to a tee

John Salley also shared the Los Angeles Lakers locker room alongside Kobe Bryant from 1999-2000. He won his fourth and final title with the Purple and Gold. Now, the 4-time NBA champ shared his observations about the Mamba.

“I said to Kobe, ‘So, you going to be the next Michael Jordan?’ He was like, ‘No, Imma be the first Kobe Bryant.’ Now, he had studied Michael so much that he walked like him. His mannerism was like his,” John Salley revealed. “His shot selection was like Michael. He had the coach that won six championships with Michael. Kobe won five; it was his mentality. It was, ‘I’m better than everybody else on the court.'”

As a young Los Angeles Lakers star, Kobe looked closely at Michael Jordan’s game. Jordan became the blueprint for much of Bryant’s style. Bryant even adopted Jordan’s signature gestures and shooting techniques. Still, he never copied him outright. He blended those familiar elements with his own creativity. The result became a distinct style that felt unmistakably Kobe.

That’s the Michael Jordan Effect on the NBA. Kobe wanted to have his own style with a touch of MJ in it. The Detroit Pistons tried containing him. Meanwhile, the rest of the league failed to figure out His Airness. Maybe that is why John Salley’s idea of him being the NBA’s logo makes sense.