When Michael Jordan played pickup games with regular Chicagoans in preparation for his NBA return in 1994, it was no surprise that most guys inside The Athletic Club gym at Illinois Center felt a mix of intimidation and excitement. Some were starstruck, overwhelmed at the thought of sharing the court with the Chicago Bulls superstar. In contrast, others relished the chance to compete alongside the one and only MJ.
However, one man stood out from the crowd: Dennis Allen. Unlike his fellow gym-goers, who were captivated by MJ’s infectiousness and charisma, Allen approached the situation with a unique mindset. He wasn’t just there to bask in the glory of playing with an NBA legend. He was ready to challenge him.
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Throughout their games, Allen even engaged in playful trash talk, showing no signs of being awed by Jordan’s presence and greatness. Former NBA star and MJ’s friend Kendall Gill even witnessed the unbelievable exchanges firsthand.
“He was sort of like the mayor down there. Real competitive,” Gill said of Allen. “Nobody can out-talk Dennis. When you come in and battle him, you better have great skills on the basketball court because you’re not going to be able to out-talk him. Not even Michael. Michael couldn’t out-talk him. No way in hell.”
Dennis wanted all the smoke
For most guys inside that facility, the opportunity to compete against Jordan was a rare and unforgettable experience that they would likely cherish forever. Yet, for Allen, it was more than just that.
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Instead, Allen viewed it as a golden opportunity to demonstrate his basketball skills and competitive spirit. He was very eager to prove that it was his house and nobody could ever outplay him, not even the greatest basketball player in the world.
“All I wanted to do was beat Michael Jordan as many times as I could,” Allen proudly reflected. “I never wanted to play with him. Because he’s Michael Jordan. The basketball players now, they’ll join the best players and try to win a championship. I’m exactly the opposite kind of guy. I want to beat the best. I don’t want to play with the best; I want to beat the best. It makes no sense to me, for me to play with the best players and we win. If you’ve got any kind of championship blood within you, you always want to play against the best to measure yourself.”
“Was I the best player down there? Nowhere near it. But I was the most competitive. I was the most competitive player you’re ever going to go against. No one is going to outcompete me. I’m like Rodman. Nobody was going to outcompete me, and that’s what made me stick out. That’s why everybody remembers me,” he added.
Dennis and MJ ended up having a great bond
Despite engaging in epic on-court duels, Jordan and Allen found themselves bonding with each other after games. Allen humbly set his competitiveness aside after witnessing how good a person MJ was off the court.
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In retrospect, Allen may have been proud of his refusal to back down from the great Jordan. But he is also grateful for the friendship that unexpectedly emerged between him and MJ even in the midst of competition.