Throwback: Craig Hodges blasts Michael Jordan for calling the Bulls a "Traveling cocaine circus"

In 2020, Craig Hodges shared his thoughts about Michael Jordan's "Last Dance" documentary — a series that was both celebrated and widely criticized when it debuted. The project stirred controversy among former Bulls teammates, revealing stories that some felt should never have gone public.

Hodges — an important part of the Bulls' 1991 and 1992 championship teams — criticized Jordan's decision to reveal private locker-room dynamics and personal moments that had occurred decades earlier.

More specifically, he called out the NBA legend for describing the Bulls as a "traveling cocaine circus."

Traveling cocaine circus

Back in the '80s, the league didn't have the squeaky-clean, wholesome image it has today. Drug abuse was rampant, and some players were known to use cocaine recreationally.

Jordan confirmed this in "The Last Dance," recalling how he attended a team party right before the start of his rookie year and saw some of his teammates using cocaine. However, Hodges believed that Jordan should have kept this information private rather than sharing it with the world.

"One of the things as players we call this a fraternity," Hodges said in an interview with Fox Sports Radio. "So I'm watching the first episode and I was upset about the 'cocaine circus.'"

Hodges added that Jordan's revelation created a dilemma for members of the 1984-85 Bulls squad, as they had to explain themselves to family and friends who were unaware of their past drug use.

"That bothered me because I was thinking about the brothers who are on that picture with you who have to explain to their families who are getting ready to watch this great Michael Jordan documentary event and they know you're on the team," Craig stated. "And now you've got to explain that to a 12-year-old boy."

Disparaged Pippen and Grant

As spectacular and otherworldly as Jordan was at the height of his powers, he still wouldn't have been able to win any of his six NBA titles without getting help from the likes of Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant — two former teammates he attacked in the documentary.

Jordan described Pippen as "selfish" for taking his sweet time in getting surgery done on his injured foot and blamed Grant for leaking critical information about the Bulls to the media.

"Then the Scottie Pippen part. Scottie was 'selfish'. C'mon man, c'mon," Hodges exclaimed. "And then last night with Horace, that hurt me. I'm letting MJ know that that ain't right, dude."

"Horace did not deserve to take the fall for 'Jordan Rules'. If MJ knows something else and knows Horace's motive, then tell us how Horace did it for my sake, because I'm your teammate, brother, just like they are, and I'm kind of salty how everybody got interviewed but me," he added.

Hodges' public pleas to Jordan obviously fell on deaf ears.

This was quintessential Jordan. If he could live with himself without patching up with someone as significant as Pippen or even Charles Barkley, he could certainly live with himself not saying something to his former teammate.

Related: "I ate and drank all summer" - Michael Jordan on how he spent the summer of 1989 after falling to Pistons Bad Boys

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.