When B.J. Armstrong swore to never pass the ball to Michael Jordan in 1991

As great as Michael Jordan was, he was not necessarily the best teammate. Whether it was his demanding nature, competitive fire, or inclination to take every shot, being teammates with MJ was an exercise in patience.

One of the most famous stories about Jordan’s teammates was when B.J. Armstrong swore never to pass him the ball in 1991. As detailed in the famous book “The Jordan Rules,” Armstrong and power forward Horace Grant felt that Jordan was hogging the ball too much and decided to do something about it.

Determined to freeze out Jordan

The baby-faced Armstrong played as a backup point guard in his first three seasons in the NBA. In 1991, his sophomore season, Armstrong was an integral part of the bench, averaging 8.8 points and 3.7 assists per game. However, he felt that Jordan—who averaged 22 attempts per game that season—was just shooting too much.

He shared his frustrations with Grant, who concurred with his sentiments. Together, the two vowed not to share the ball with Jordan in their next game against the New York Knicks.

“Armstrong knew what he had to do. “When I get it,” he told Grant, “I’m shooting it. Jordan doesn’t get it from me.” “Me, too,” said Grant. “Watch me against New York. I’ll shoot it every time I get it,” Sam Smith wrote.