The name Michael Jordan is synonymous with greatness. His accolades and body of work have made many people consider him to be one of the greatest athletes ever. Jordan’s influence extends beyond the scope of the basketball world. So, when a former Boston Celtics player was lost for words after witnessing Wayne Gretzky during an NHL game, he praised the greatness of the 4x Stanley Cup winner the only way he knew how.

When Isaiah Thomas heard from Jamal Crawford that Wayne Gretzky was in the same arena as them, Thomas instantly revealed how big of a fan he was of the NHL legend by comparing him to Michael Jordan.

“Gretzky’s here? You are lying, man. I gotta see him. I don’t even gotta meet him I just gotta see him. It’s like Jordan, bro,” said the 2x All-Star.

Thomas later got the opportunity to meet and shake hands with Gretzky as he was working for TNT the day Thomas went to see a game. He revealed to Gretzky that he is a big fan and that it’s an honor to be able to be in the presence of the Canadian hockey player.

Gretzky is considered by many to be the greatest player ever in hockey. He has 61 national hockey records to his name. Along with his four Stanley Cups, his greatest accomplishment is that he has more assists than any other player has points in the NHL. This is all while he is the leading scorer in NHL history.

So Isaiah Thomas is not wrong for calling him the Michael Jordan of hockey. Both Gretzky and Jordan have had a good relationship with each other as well. They have even been seen together many times. But did you know Gretzky once insulted Michael Jordan in public?

Wayne Gretzky showed Michael Jordan how it’s done

Back in the day, Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky decided to test their luck at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. When a waitress brought drinks to the table, Michael Jordan gave the waitress a $5 chip as a tip.

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Gretzky saw this and decided to show Jordan how things are done in Vegas. He replaced the 5-dollar chip that Jordan gave her with a 100-dollar tip and said, “That’s how we tip in Las Vegas, Mike.”

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Gretzky is one of the few people in the world who holds the same status as Michael Jordan as one of the greatest in their respective sports. So, hearing this from Gretzky would have been a real blow to the 6x champion.

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What do you think of Isaiah Thomas comparing Wayne Gretzky to Michael Jordan? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!