John Salley On Playing With Michael Jordan And The Bulls: 'It Was Like Being With The Beatles, Elvis Presley, And Michael Jackson At The Same Time'

The 1996 Chicago Bulls may be remembered as the greatest basketball team in NBA history. The team went 72-10 and delivered a championship in arguably the greatest single season a team has ever had. John Salley was a part of that roster and described what it was like to play on the Bulls in the Michael Jordan era.

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"It was like being with The Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jackson at the same time. I remember we pulled up to a hotel in New York, The Plaza. I have walked around it, it was right opposite Central Park. We pulled up from the back, I didn't even know there was a back. We got ushered in and we went upstairs and it was this unbelievable layout. I thought I was at a gala. They handed us the keys and my room, I had a huge room! I thought I was balling. But Michael, Dennis, Scottie, and Phil had suites upstairs... 

He also described how MJ would have his security guards fly to a city before the team got there so that MJ could be on the team plane.

"We were flying on an MGM flight. MGM used to have a plane where all celebrities fly on a red-eye... It was unbelievable. We were flying this all over. Michael had his security because his plane would take the security ahead. Michael would fly on the plane with us. I don't gamble. The gambling on this plane. Jack Haley would be playing in those games and win. They'd be pissed, and Jack would be like, 'I got him today, Sal'."

That experience opened Salley's eyes to what being an NBA player should feel like.

"The food was better. I think I had a fruit from Costa Rica and the farmer brought it onto the plane. It was the best basketball experience I've ever had. That's when I realized what it's supposed to be, that's how it's supposed to be."