Do not let the TikToks and painted nails fool you. Jared McCain’s calm reaction during the Nikola Jokic and Lu Dort dust up had some fans thinking he wanted no part of the smoke. According to former NBA forward Chandler Parsons, that read could not be more wrong.
“I heard Jared McCain is almost the same level fighter as James Johnson…he's not the one to mess with…1000%, that dude can fight,” Parsons said.
– @ChandlerParsons@MichelleDBeadle | @TeamLou23 pic.twitter.com/1LTu57ZPkU
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 2, 2026
That comparison carries weight. Johnson has long stood as the league’s unofficial final boss when things get chippy. His reputation does not come from trash talk. It comes from credentials and stories that circulate in locker rooms.
Blake Griffin once detailed why Johnson sat atop that intimidating list during his playing days, BasketballNetwork. Speaking on the “Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams,” Griffin did not hesitate when asked who he would avoid.
“He’s a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. I think he has like nine siblings, and they’re all black belts. His parents? Black belts. So for years, he was the guy you just don’t fight,” Griffin said.
That résumé explains the nickname “Bloodsport.” Johnson, a 6 foot 7 forward from Cheyenne, reportedly owns a 20-0 kickboxing record and has trained in mixed martial arts. He even claimed he believed he could defeat Jon Jones in a fight, a statement that only fueled the mystique.
Reputation vs. Reality in the NBA
The league markets skill and finesse, but toughness still lives in every locker room. Rules and suspensions discourage punches, yet reputations travel fast. Players know who crosses lines and who commands respect.
The Jokic and Dort incident underscored that reality. As detailed in the uploaded report, Dort backed into Jokic and extended a leg that sent the three time MVP crashing to the floor. Jokic sprang up furious, though he stopped short of escalating the situation. Officials assessed a flagrant foul and technicals, preventing something uglier.
Moments like that test a roster’s composure. They also spark whispers about who would actually handle themselves if things went further.
Parsons placing McCain near Johnson in fighting ability does not confirm anything official. It does, however, shift perception. McCain might dance on social media, but if Parsons’ words hold any truth, opponents would be wise not to confuse personality with softness.
