Most of today’s NBA players grew up wanting to “be like Mike” — Michael Jordan, the sport’s reigning god.
 
They stood in lines to be the first to buy the new Jordans, made his #23 Chicago Bulls jersey the top seller, and when some of them first became NBA players, they signed endorsement deals with his Jordan brand.
 
Now many of those same players are taking a dimmer view of Jordan, who has made the rare leap from NBA superstar to NBA owner. Suddenly it’s Them vs. His Airness.
 
Now that Jordan is owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, several players have been critical of Jordan,  who fought for players rights during the last big labor negotiation in 1998, and once earned $36 million for a single season with the Bulls. Now he is looking to slash the players’ share of the basketball-related income and also hoping to institute a more restrictive salary cap during the current NBA lockout.
 
NBA castoff Stephon Marbury felt he had had enough, and blasted Jordan on his Twitter page this week:
 
Micheal Fake Jordan is a sell out. #Period. He forgot which hole he came out of. I said it "Stephon X Marbury"... MJ went from MJ the black cat to a guy who forgot he was a player. Sell your team if you can't make a profit.. Your just a regular dude now! ... When he rapped the Bulls for 36 million for one year no ones said nothing about that...
He's just a man. I know he's some people's GOd but real is real. Dude forgot he played and demanded millions... he wasn't my idol I just loved his game. He never did nothing that I knew about to change the life off of the court other then hit cats over the head for a 100 150 dollar sneakers and still doing it. Jim Brown said it best. Micky mouse type cat. Wave and break you pocket for as long as he can.
he didn't create nothing. The game was played way before him...
 
There will likely be no rebuttal from Jordan, because NBA commissioner David Stern has instituted a gag order on labor matters for all 30 owners during the lockout.
 
 
Contact Terrance Harris at terrancefharris@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @Terranceharris.

(Photo: Xinhua/Landov)