Michael Jordan Once Avoided Ejection Despite Throwing Punch At Rival

Canice Nnanna | 6 Hours Ago

Unknown Date, 1992; Philadelphia, PA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Philadelphia 76ers canter Charles Shackleford (14) in action against New York Knicks forwards Charles Oakley (34) and Xavier McDaniel (32) at the Spectrum during the 1992 season. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-Imagn Images / RVR Photos-Imagn Images

Thirty years ago, the NBA was different.

There were plenty of hard fouls. Ejections were a rarity. So were suspensions.

No better moment displays this than when Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller got into a skirmish in 1993. After a made basket, Miller shoved Jordan near the baseline. Jordan retaliated by raking his hands across Miller's face. Jordan then threw a punch.

The result? Jordan stayed in the game while Miller was ejected and later fined by the league. Both players would have likely been tossed in today's game, which is why comedian Canice Nnanna is calling for a return to those physical days.

"I remember when the NBA was the NBA," Nnanna said. "The sport I remember is it was a few guys, legendary like Anthony Mason. You had Charles Oakley. They couldn't even hoop. They're just fighting. There is video right now. You can go watch Michael Jordan punch Reggie Miller and Reggie Miller got kicked out of the game because his nose hit Michael Jordan's fist."

Mason and Oakley were among the NBA's enforcers. They were joined by the likes of Rick Mahorn and Bill Laimbeer.

February 10, 1993: Michael Jordan vs. Reggie Miller.

Miller was ejected and later fined $6,000. Jordan stayed in the game, but was later fined $10,000 and suspended for one game after video of the incident showed he'd "hit Miller in the throat with an elbow" and thrown a punch. pic.twitter.com/CJdIxh5XJW
— NBA Cobwebs (@NBACobwebs) February 10, 2022

"I grew up on Rudy Tomjanovich getting his whole face cracked," Nnanna said. "Vernon Maxwell smakced a fan and went back in [the game]. They just called a personal foul and they went back to the game. This is what we're talking about. Bring back that."

Canice Nnanna is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at info@canice100k.com.

More of his comedic work can be found on Facebook.

Published 6 Hours Ago|Modified 1:22 PM EDT