Michael Jordan remains persona non grata in Utah.
A Jazz spokesman confirmed to The Salt Lake Tribune that the Jazz have stopped selling T-shirts featuring Jordan’s “Jumpman” graphic due to backlash.
a jazz fan Post to X A photo of a gray shirt for sale at a Jazz store on Saturday that said “Utah Jazz” in black letters and had a black “Jumpman” silhouette above it.
User @lairddoman tweeted: “Fire anyone who allows this.”
The Salt Lake Tribune notes that many other teams have similar Jordan-themed jerseys — some of which also lost to Jordan in his prime — and the Jazz even have a “Jumpman” logo on their black jerseys.
But that didn’t stop many Jazz fans from complaining and venting on social media, with the team apparently deciding it didn’t need the negative publicity.
“Reading the horrible NBA core comments about this jersey and their response is ridiculous,” said user @lairddorman, release. “Those salty jazz fans who act like this is more than just fun need to check themselves out. We don’t want MJ dunking on us anymore. “We’ve had enough. “
The feud between Jazz fans and Jordan dates back to the late 1990s, when Jordan stripped John Stockton, Karl Malone and Jerry Sloan of two titles in consecutive years.
Two of Jordan’s most iconic games came against the Jazz.
In the 1997 “Flu War,” Jordan scored 38 points while battling the flu, leading the Bulls to a 90-88 win in Utah, giving Chicago a 3-2 lead in the series.
The Bulls defeated the Jazz at home in their next game.
A year later, Jordan ended the Finals in dramatic fashion.
Screened by top Jazz guard Brian Russell, Jordan shook the forward and made the game-winning shot with five seconds left. To this day, some people still insist that Jordan committed a foul during the game.
The Jazz haven’t returned to the NBA Finals since that season, and have only reached the conference finals once since Jordan’s shot, in 2006-07.