Michael Jordan’s competitive nature allowed him to become the greatest basketball player of all time. Jordan was as competitive off the court as he was on it.
Former Phoenix Suns player Eddie Johnson once shared a story about playing cards with Michael Jordan for five hours before an exhibition game. Jordan bet that he’ll score 40 points in the game.
“He does take everything personal and everything he does, cards whatever,” Johnson said on the PHNX Sports podcast. “I was in the room with him for five hours one time. Day of a game, he wouldn’t let us leave; me, Tom Chambers, and Ty [Tyrone] Corbin. It was an exhibition game, and he would not let us leave. We were stiff, I called Cotton [Fitzsimmons] and said, ‘Cotton, I cannot go.’ He said, ‘That’s okay, I was gonna hold you up.’ Tom called him up, ‘Cotton, I’m sore, I can’t go.’ That’s okay. And Ty Corbin wouldn’t dare do it.”
Johnson added: “Jordan stands up in the room, and he says, ‘You tell that boy Dan Majerle I got something for him tonight. … He looked at Tom and I he said, ‘I’m gonna give your boy 40.’ Yeah, okay. Whatever. ‘Bet a $100, bet $200.’ I took the bet. Tom took the bet. So he starts the game, and he just going nuts.”
Johnson revealed he was at the game still stiff from playing a game earlier. On the other hand, Jordan was scoring at will. When Jordan had 34 points, he walked to the bench and gestured four fingers at them, essentially reminding them about the bet. But that wasn’t the end of it, Jordan then snitched to Cotton about what the players were doing prior to the game.
“Michael came over at the timeout, and he said, ‘Cot, your boys, they were playing cards with me all day,'” Johnson continued. “Told on us. ‘That’s why they’re not playing and they bet me too. I told them I was gonna give your boy Dan Majerle 40.’ … Cotton turns to Dan, who is a rookie because Dan supposedly locked Jordan up in the Olympics. Cotton looks at Dan and said, ‘Dan, what did you do to Michael?’ and Dan was like, ‘I didn’t do anything to him.'”
Michael Jordan then fulfilled his promise to score 40 points by apparently dunking on the entire Suns’ team present on the court. Johnson concluded by revealing that he and the rest of the players were forced to work hard in the practice the following day. The reason is Coach Cotton believed it was their fault for poking Jordan.
As for the game, it could have been an exhibition game in 1988. Eddie Johnson mentioned it was Dan Majerle’s rookie season.
Michael Jordan Always Found Ways To Take Things Personally
There are many stories about Michael Jordan betting on his talent, and more often than not, it paid off well for him. Moreover, it’s no secret that Jordan loved to win more than anything.
His competitive nature caused the famous “shrug game” in the 1992 NBA Finals. It was apparently due to Magic Johnson defeating Michael Jordan while playing cards ahead of Game 1 of the series.
Jordan took out his frustration by making six three-point shots in one half. The Bulls legend finished the game with 39 points, 3 rebounds, and 11 assists while shooting 6-of-10 from downtown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hynjpv8y1pA
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