NBA legend Michael Jordan once made headlines for a controversial moment on a Chicago Bulls flight when he instructed a stewardess not to serve Horace Grant any food following a poor performance in a game. This incident highlighted Jordan’s relentless pursuit of excellence and his tough love approach towards his teammates.

Jordan was famously demanding, particularly towards Grant, who was often the target of his intense competitive spirit.

In 2020, Hall of Fame writer Sam Smith, known for his book “The Jordan Rules,” recounted this incident while discussing Jordan and Grant during the airing of “The Last Dance.” He shared that multiple players had approached him over the years with stories about how Jordan had taken away Grant’s food on the plane as a punishment for a bad game. Smith recalled, “[Michael] told the stewardesses, ‘Don’t feed him, he doesn’t deserve to eat.’” He mentioned how players encouraged him to write about these incidents, but he hesitated without direct quotes, emphasizing his commitment to journalistic integrity.

Throughout their time together on the Bulls, Jordan and Grant achieved remarkable success, clinching three NBA championships together. However, their relationship was often strained.

One notable incident that deepened their rift occurred when Grant expressed disappointment over Jordan’s absence during the Bulls’ visit to the White House after winning the 1991 NBA championship. Grant stated, “I’m very disappointed because it was a great honor for the whole city of Chicago as well as the Bulls organization. Not to have your best player and your team leader there is just like sending somebody else besides George Bush to Saudi Arabia.”

Jordan’s intense demeanor often crossed lines; he had confrontations with teammates like Will Perdue and Steve Kerr, and he famously instructed teammates not to pass the ball to Bill Cartwright during crucial moments. Nevertheless, this passionate leadership style proved effective as the Bulls won a total of six championships, maintaining an undefeated record in the NBA Finals and achieving back-to-back championships twice in the 1990s.

In a candid moment during “The Last Dance,” Jordan reflected on his leadership philosophy: “I pulled people along when they didn’t wanna be pulled. I challenged people when they didn’t wanna be challenged and I earned that right because my teammates came after me. They didn’t endure all the things that I endured.”