Michael Jordan earned the respect of every NBA fan that ever saw him play, his results with the Chicago Bulls spoke for themselves, after all. 6 championships in 8 seasons are something no other team has managed in the modern era. But while there can be no questions about the success MJ had, his process was something people had a problem with even when he was at the top of his game.
It’s natural for fans and players today to look back at the 90s and think about that era with tinted glasses. But Michael Jordan has his critics back in the day. One of the major things he was called out for was his treatment of his teammates. There are multiple stories of Jordan punching a teammate in practice after disagreeing with them. His drive to win and be the best was all-consuming.
Michael Jordan Knew What It Took To Win And He Doesn’t Regret Ensuring That His Teammates Knew It Too
And while Michael Jordan cared most about the results, it’s not like he didn’t hear the things that were said about him, either. Asked about his reputation as a ‘bad teammate’ during an interview with GQ in 2007, the GOAT opened up and shared his thoughts on the matter.
“That was leadership. I was the only guy there from 1984. I was there when there were 6,000 people in the stands. So I took pride in making sure every guy understood what it took to get us to this point, and by no means am I going to allow you to come in and change what we’d begun—the transformation of a city that’s never had a championship. I used my criticism, my aggressive language, my aggressive behavior, to make you conform.
“Some people, like Sam Smith [author of The Jordan Rules], looked at this in a whole different frame of mind. At first I was offended. Then I realized, people don’t understand our journey. I bet if you ask anyone now on those teams, they have a greater appreciation for what we achieved as opposed to the method we went by to achieve what we achieved.
Michael Jordan even went so far as to say that his teammates probably appreciated his intensity in hindsight, knowing that it was something that needed to be done.
“Absolutely. I never took a day off. If I took a day off, then Scottie was going to take a day off. And then Horace. The next thing you know, the whole scope of what we’re trying to do is being weakened. I never took a shortcut, and I never wanted anyone else to take a shortcut. If that meant someone interprets me as a tyrant, I’m pretty sure they’re appreciative now.”
Until and unless someone else achieves the success Michael Jordan did without being as intense as he was, no one can say that he was doing something he didn’t need to. While MJ surely has moments that he would take back if he were to go through them again, it’s easy to understand why he doesn’t think that it was unnecessary.
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