June 23, 2025
He asked coach Daly to put him back in the game once he found out the plan to not shake their opponents’ hand after game
The Basketball Network recently reposted a video released over five years ago by former Detroit Pistons player John Salley, in which he stated that he did not want any part of the team walking off the basketball court before the game was over after they lost a playoff series to the future NBA Champion Chicago Bulls.
The incident occurred after the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals. The Detroit Pistons were the reigning NBA Champions for two straight seasons and were facing the upstart Chicago Bulls to see who would represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. The Pistons had to fend off the rising star named Michael Jordan, and it was an intense series. The Pistons were called the “Bad Boys” of the NBA for a reason; they played with such intensity that they were the most feared team. However, this did not stop the Bulls from proving they were the better team in their quest.
The Pistons had previously knocked the Bulls out of the playoffs on their way to capturing their second title, so revenge was on the mind of the young Bulls team. The Chicago team brought it directly to the Pistons and SWEPT the NBA champions, not allowing the “Bad Boys” to gain one victory. The Game 4 match took place in Detroit at the Palace of Auburn Hills, in front of the team’s home crowd.
As the time ticked off the clock with the game already won by the Bulls, the entire team, who weren’t on the court, got up and walked past the Bulls without acknowledging the players, despite time still being left on the clock. That was the most disrespectful move any NBA team can make: not even congratulating their opponents for beating them, showing no sportsmanlike conduct.
During an interview with Vlad TV, Salley admitted that he did not want any part of the disrespect toward the future champions, who went on to win their first NBA title that year.
Once Salley learned of the plot, he went to coach Chuck Daly and asked him to put him back in the game so he wouldn’t be involved with the disrespect his teammates planned.
“I literally said, ‘Chuck, put me back in the game.’ He was like, ‘Come on, Salley, you can’t get any more points.’ I go, ‘You gotta put me back because I don’t want to be a part of what’s about to happen.’ And they walked off,” Salley told Vlad.
He explained that the Celtics had done the same to them when they won their first championship, so they were “repaying” the Bulls by giving them the same treatment.
The Bulls went on to win three straight NBA titles before Jordan retired and went to play baseball. He eventually returned, and the Bulls won three more championships as Jordan went undefeated in the NBA Finals (6-0).
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