Larry Brown continued his criticism of Michael Jordan’s Bobcats this week, and Jordan has responded.
Brown was announced as SMU’s new basketball coach last week, and he also gave a lengthy interview to NBA.com. In that interview, Brown, who was fired by Michael Jordan as coach of the Bobcats in December 2010, was critical of Charlotte’s front office.
“The biggest problem — and [Michael Jordan] might get mad at me — he needs more people to challenge him and I don’t think he has enough of that,” Brown told NBA.com. “He needs more people around him who he has respect for who are not afraid to tell him what’s right. That’s the one thing I’m disappointed in. He tries to help a lot of people, put a lot of his friends in positions where he can kind of help them, but at the end of the day if they have his best interests they’ll be challenging him because he does want to be the best. We made the playoffs, but he wasn’t satisfied with that.”
Brown was even more critical of Jordan’s Bobcats during an interview with The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday.
“He’s around people who don’t have a clue,” Brown said of Jordan.
“It was almost like there were spies wondering what you were doing and getting back to him,” Brown said. “I do see a passion. I think he’s just hurt right now.”
Brown said that he felt disconnected to Jordan and wish he had more time one-on-one. “A coach, a GM and a president all have to be attached at the hip,” Brown said.
Jordan responded to Brown’s claims in an interview with The Charlotte Observer, and he disputed the accusations.
“It’s absolutely wrong that I don’t want guys to challenge me. And the people who say that aren’t in the room,’’ Jordan told the Observer.
Jordan thinks Brown’s criticism is the result of his firing.
“I imagine he was pretty upset we chose to change directions,” Jordan said.
Jordan also said he thinks he’s a target for criticism, probably because he was such a great player.
“My success will be judged differently … I’ve come to accept I’ll be scrutinized more than any other owner,’’ Jordan said. “I know now that I have to have a tough skin about these things.”
Jordan has denied rumors that he was considering selling the franchise if they don’t become more profitable, but the one thing both men can agree on is that if the team gets Anthony Davis in the draft, they’ll be on their way to turning around things around. As for the disagreement, I think there’s probably truth to what both men are saying.
H/T Ball Don’t Lie, I am a GM
