NBA fans have almost certainly heard the now-mythical story of Michael Jordan’s famous “flu game,” where he scored 38 points in 44 minutes and hit a crucial game-winning shot to lift the Chicago Bulls over the Utah Jazz in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals. There’s only one problem: he didn’t have the flu.
During a recent interview, NBA legend Isiah Thomas discussed the presence of Jordan and other NBA legends on the NBA on NBC this past year as he called out those players – including Jordan – for using the platform to promote hyperboles about their careers.
Jordan’s flu game was one example he brought up.
‘He didn’t have the flu’
During an appearance on Run It Back on Friday morning, Thomas was asked whether or not he liked the NBA on NBC bringing on players like Jordan to celebrate the game and its history. Thomas has no problem with it, but he does not like seeing Jordan use the network to continue fueling his own mythology.
Thomas wants the broadcasts to be truthful.
“Only if they’re going to be one hundred percent honest, and not promote this BS,” Thomas said on the podcast. “Tell the truth about the game. Truthfully, honestly, and factually to the fans so they can continue to learn and grow and love our game. But the way our game is being talked about in some ways, it’s very mythical. It ain’t real. We’re still calling his (Michael Jordan) game ‘The Flu Game,’ and they know he didn’t have the flu. But they promote it.”
“I’m just down for honesty and telling the truth about what it is we’re seeing. If NBC is going to bring back people to talk about the game, bring the folks who are going to be honest and tell the truth. Not this BS,” he continued.
Not a ‘flu game’
While the performance has been dubbed the “flu game” by many over the years, the truth is that both Jordan and his trainer have instead described his illness as a bout of food poisoning, believed to have been caused by late-night pizza delivered to his hotel room in Utah the night before Game 5.
Some people have even suggested that Jordan was sick during the game as a result of a hangover from drinking the night before.
Regardless of what caused the illness, however, Thomas is right – it was not the flu.
About Dave Kelsey
Contributing author to The Comeback.