Zach LaVine reflects on the impact of Michael Jordan

The Chicago Bulls swept the Detroit Pistons in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals and beat Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers to win their first NBA Championship. Bulls star guard Zach LaVine was born in 1995, but years later, he found ways to witness Michael Jordan lead them to five more championships in seven years. LaVine talked about it during his appearance on the ‘Scoop B Radio podcast.

“I was a big Michael Jordan fan, so I watched a lot of the tapes. I just remember how good they were; they were so dominant, especially in the East. The East back then was really good and they had to go through the Bad Boys, the Pistons.

They had to go through Indiana, so it was; they had some good teams back then. Even Miami was pretty good at the time. Michael Jordan obviously the most dominant player,” LaVine revealed.

LaVine’s arrival in Chicago

LaVine remembered his feelings when he came to Chicago and joined a team he followed as a kid.

“It was really cool, especially seeing all of the banners and the retired jerseys. This is one of the best franchises in history, especially the legacy they have set. You always want to hold yourself to a high standard and try to get to where they were,” LaVine explained.

The two-time NBA All-Star has never tried to hide the fact that he idolizes Jordan. LaVine scored 29 points in the first half of a 118-108 home win against the Mavericks on January 3, 2021, and after the game, he talked with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson about Jordan’s impact on his career:

“I’m a big, big Jordan fan. One of the main reasons I started watching basketball when I was a little kid, just like so many others,” LaVine said.

LaVine has missed four of the Bulls’ 14 games this season -- they are 1-3 in those games. Based on his recent performances and what he’s been saying, LaVine believes he could play more.

“I try to play as much as I can. That’s what I say,” LaVine noted on November 7. “Until we get to a point where we can figure out what is the best-case scenario, back-to-backs are going to be a little in the air. But I felt good. And I felt even better today. I wish I played yesterday and tried to make up for it today.”

LaVine has admitted to not being 100 percent coming off left knee surgery, but he’s been aggressive, looking for ways to contribute when he plays.