“I’m gonna smack his tongue”: Jalen Rose recalling playing against Jordan in 1998

    Former Indiana Pacers star Jalen Rose has recalled playing with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in 1998.  Pacers and Bulls faced each other in the Easternc conference finals. Larry Bird’s Indiana was a tough rival for MJ and co. Chicago won the series only in game 7.  Rose, a rookie that time, remembers how it was to play against Jordan.  “What he told me, because I was coming off the bench, I was young, I had to play percentages, was ‘I’m going to put you on 23 (Jordan), if he’s scoring twice against you, I’m taking you out’. That was the instruction,” Rose told ESPN.  “And I’m like ‘Alright, I’m gonna just follow him, that’s the only thing in my head. So I could stay in the game. But he (Bird) didn’t want him to get into the rhythm.  “He’s one of the greatest athletes we’ve ever seen. And he plays basketball with his tongue hanging out. “When I was little, I used to be like ‘If I ever play against MJ, I’m gonna smack his tongue. And I remember standing in front of him, like, I don’t want to smack his tongue. That’s nasty, actually.” he added. 

This weekend, we’ll get to watch a young @JalenRose and the Pacers take on MJ’s Bulls. Jalen joined ESPN Daily to tell us what it was like going up against Jordan back then, and why he’s the one true 🐐.

This was super fun—listen here: https://t.co/vWC0UAElxD pic.twitter.com/48TCjqmqst — Mina Kimes (@minakimes) May 15, 2020

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