Oftentimes we think of athletes as finely-tuned, perfect representations of humanity. However, the truth is that they are just as flawed as we are. They also have the same emotions and sometimes they lose control. Usually, this involves an encounter with an opponent, but sometimes they even get physical with a teammate.
The occasions are rare but highly dramatic. Over the next few days, they usually become major talking points. Many players have major rivalries within their own teams and don’t like each other. It’s far more common than most people realize but they try to remain professional and work through it.
However, this doesn’t always happen. Today, let’s take a look at 30 athletes who had physical altercations with teammates. Check out the list below via Sporting News.
30. Michael Jordan and Steve Kerr
Jordan is arguably the greatest NBA player of all-time and possessed a winning mentality like few other athletes from any sport. The Chicago Bulls superstar led his team to six rings and was a 14-time All-Star. But Jordan was also no stranger to a physical altercation when things didn’t go his way. His teammate Kerr discovered this to his cost during a practice session that exploded.
Jordan had an intense dedication to the sport and expected high standards from his teammates too. However, Kerr infuriated him during the practice when the two men were defending against each other. Jordan’s frustration erupted and he punched Kerr in the face. To be fair, the Bulls were an incredibly competitive franchise and the atmosphere was tense a lot of the time.