In October 1992, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Gerald Wilkins to bolster their chances against the formidable Chicago Bulls. The media, seizing upon the narrative, bestowed upon him the moniker 'Jordan Stopper.'
Dominique Wilkins , Gerald's elder brother and a veteran of numerous encounters with Michael Jordan , was acutely aware of the five-time MVP's penchant for humiliating opponents who dared elevate the stakes or personalize their confrontations. Consequently, 'Nique' felt delivered to compel a stern message to his younger brother, cautioning him about the potential consequences of such provocative labeling.
Dominique Wilkins' message to his younger brother
Having only started 35 of the 80 games he featured in, Gerald mostly played a sixth-man role for the Cavs that season. However, his scoring average of 11.1 points and 1 steal per game helped the team register a top 6 rating, both offensively and defensively. Consequently, the Cavs' 54-28 record saw them register a hard-fought win against the New Jersey Nets in the first round of the playoffs, only to pit them against the two-time reigning champs Bulls in the next round.
As the media circles amplified the narrative of Gerald finally going up against MJ, Dominique recognized the prudence in advising his brother to disregard such sensationalism. During his appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, the 9-time All-Star also shed light on the message he gave 'Little Nique' before the series.
"You know what, I called my brother when he said that," Dominique said . "I said, 'What are you doing?' I said, 'You don't want to awaken a sleeping giant, are you crazy?' He said, 'Hey, he puts on his pants just like I do!' I said, 'If you're a good defensive player, you don't have to talk about a man.'"
Michael Jordan taught a lesson to Gerald Wilkins
As 'The Human Highlight Film' warned his brother, he anticipated the fury Jordan would unleash. Indeed, His Airness dominated the series from the start, scoring 43 points on 52.2% shooting from the field in Game 1. In Games 3 and 4, he averaged 31.5 points and concluded the series with a game-winning buzzer-beater in Gerald's face.
Quite clearly, the 6'6" shooting guard was already hyped about the prospect of chasing a three-peat - something that icons like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Isiah Thomas couldn't accomplish. Gerald's embracing the 'Jordan Stopper' moniker only further fueled his determination to showcase why he's the best.
Related: Dominique Wilkins on his rivalry with Michael Jordan: “We wanted to kick each other’s butt”
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