Before their notorious rivalry developed, Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas shared a cordial relationship. This camaraderie was evident in 1985 when MJ invited Zeke, along with Mark Aguirre, to participate in the Schlitz Malt Liquor Summer League at Chicago State University, which was one of the biggest events in the country at that time.
Upon arrival, the Detroit Pistons point guard was given a stern and perhaps personal challenge by a Chicago native called Tracy Dildy. Ultimately, this confrontation provided the two-time NBA Champion the opportunity to teach Dildy about the significant gap in skill and talent between collegiate and NBA players.
Thomas answered Jordan’s call and taught him a lesson
In the 1980s, summer basketball tournaments in major cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago attracted a diverse array of talent, from local street ballers to NBA superstars. The Chicago State Summer League was one of those events, so drawing the attention of the reigning Rookie of the Year - Jordan was no real surprise.
As Sam Smith told the Chicago Tribune in his piece, Mike not only showed up out of the blue in the tournament but even requested the organizers call Thomas and Aguirre—both of whom were home for the offseason—as he wanted a higher level of talent on the court. While ‘Ziggy’ didn't turn up for MJ, Isiah did.
Upon Thomas’ arrival, a former Chicago high school star, who was then playing for San Diego State, saw the opportunity to test his skills against the four-time (at that time) NBA All-Star. Initially, Dildy found success as he knocked several jump shots over Isiah. However, this prompted ‘The Baby-Faced Assassin’ to demonstrate the true level of NBA play, teaching the latter a memorable lesson in the process.
Given that Thomas had just led the league in assists in the ‘84-85 campaign, he was majorly recognized for his playmaking prowess. Still, he used the opportunity to show the young San Diego State stud just how impressive his lightning-quick ball control and feet were.
Thomas humbled Dildy
Interestingly, Thomas’ intention wasn’t only to score on Tracy; he wanted to put on a show to justify his rank as one of the NBA’s best-ever point guards. Eventually, those one-on-one battles gave the audience an incredible show.
"One time, Thomas is dribbling the ball real low, like the Globetrotters do. And when the kid goes for the ball, Thomas puts it behind his back and goes in for a lay-up. Then Thomas is dribbling, and another guy comes over to double-team, and he goes between them and jams left-handed," Smith wrote . "The place went up for grabs."
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What happened to Tracy Dildy?
Such a harsh lesson for a young aspiring basketball star could prove intensely discouraging, and for Dildy, who was a standout at King High School in Chicago, never attained the same level of success in collegiate basketball. During his two-year stint with San Diego, he started only 13 games and averaged merely 3.0 points and 2.7 assists per game.
He then transferred to the University of Illinois-Chicago for his junior and senior years, where he averaged 5.8 points and 4.6 assists per game.
Dildy began his coaching career as an assistant at Ball State in 1994 and soon returned to returned to his Chicago roots by joining DePaul’s coaching staff. He played a crucial role in recruiting future NBA stars like Quentin Richardson, Eddy Curry, and Steven Hunter for Paul.
Ultimately, his coaching career included various assistant positions at UIC, Ole Miss, Auburn, and UAB. He then completed the full circle of his basketball journey by becoming the head coach of Chicago State University in 2010—the very place where the 1990 Finals MVP dominated him.
Though Thomas did indeed teach Dildy a tough lesson that night, one should note that despite being an undersized guard, standing only 5’11”, he managed to trigger arguably the greatest ‘Bad Boy’ Piston of all time. So, regardless of the final outcome, one should respect Tracy for his competitive drive.
Related: “I’ve looked at the film of that game at least 60 times” - When Isiah Thomas challenged reporters over alleged ‘freeze out’ game against MJ
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