“Smoking weed kills brain cells”: Michael Jordan’s ex-teammate Ron Harper disses Dave Portnoy over outrageous coaching claim

Barstool Sports owner and co-founder Dave Portnoy stirred social media on Wednesday following his hot take about coaching football. The entrepreneur said in his podcast that he would be “one of the great offensive minds in the history of the game.” Portnoy added that he’d be “smarter than 99%” of NFL play-callers.

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Michael Jordan’s former Chicago Bulls teammate, Ron Harper, reacted to Portnoy’s claims:

“Smoking weed kills brain cells…”

Ron Harper

@HARPER04_5

Smoking weed kills brain 🧠 cells…

Portnoy admitted in May this year that he used cannabis in the past. In the “BFFs” podcast with Brianna Chickenfry and Josh Richards, the diehard Boston Celtics fan enumerated the ill effects of marijuana on him. Portnoy claimed that he has stayed away from it because it gives him “panic attacks” and his “heart feels like it’s going to explode.”

Dave Portnoy has zero experience coaching football. He was a standout baseball player in high school, but the gridiron was never his forte. Portnoy’s experience with football has been limited to cheering from the sidelines, predicting results and analyzing games.

Portnoy conceded that he would not be a master of the X’s and O’s, but he would recognize and know the “flow of the game.” He said that he would not hesitate to be unorthodox, a strategy he claimed NFL play-callers don't want to do.

Ron Harper could not help but bring up Dave Portnoy’s indulgence with marijuana after saying he could outsmart 99% of NFL play-callers.

Dave Portnoy sat courtside for Game 5 of Knicks-Celtics when his video of Patriots' schedule came out

Dave Portnoy lives and breathes New England sports, where he is a loyal supporter of the Celtics, the Red Sox and the Patriots. In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semis between the Knicks and the Cs, a clip of Portnoy, who sat courtside, announcing the Pats’ 2025 schedule came out.

In the video, the Barstool Sports founder stood behind the Patriots’ six Super Bowl trophies before giving the team’s play dates. Portnoy’s opening line caused a buzz inside TD Garden, the Celtics’ home floor.

“Week 1, Sept. 7, at home against the Las Vegas Raiders. First thing I think? Tom Brady, now part part-owner of the Raiders. He better not be announcing this game; that’s illegal. I don’t know how he’s allowed to do both.

Brady, who led the Patriots to six Super Bowl titles, remains beloved in New England. Although he is now a Fox Sports analyst and a minority owner of the Raiders, fans laughed at Portnoy’s comments.

For a little over five minutes, Dave Portnoy kept the pro-Celtics crowd entertained with his monologue. The video received a warm applause from fans, who couldn’t wait for the Patriots’ season to start.

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About the author

Michael Macasero

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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