Michael Jordan is one of the most fearless competitors in the history of the NBA. Jordan always seemed unafraid during games, especially in the big moments. No matter what the situation, Michael Jordan was ready to do whatever it took to make sure that his team would get the victory.
Jordan’s fearlessness was revered across the league. And when asked about his lack of fear, Michael Jordan gave a pretty simple explanation. In an interview after his second retirement, Jordan spoke to Ahmad Rashad, who asked him about whether he felt fear during his career. Jordan noted that he had no reason to be fearful because as a player, he was prepared for any and all situations (1:02 mark).
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“I never feared about my skills because I put in the work. Work ethic eliminates fear. So if you put forth the work, what are you fearing? You know what you’re capable of doing, and what you’re not.”
In the same interview, Michael Jordan spoke about how important practice was to his development as a player. Clearly, Jordan knew that all the effort he put in during practice was going to be critical to his performance on the court, and felt that he had all the tools needed in his game thanks to his practice.
While Jordan didn’t fear anything while playing the game, he did cause a lot of fear among players whom he played against. For several years, Jordan was the best player in the league and was incredibly dominant across his career. On top of that, his relentless desire to win and his ability to trash talk made him one of the most feared players in the league.
But not everyone feared Michael Jordan. Gary Payton, who faced Jordan in the 1996 NBA Finals, said he never feared Michael Jordan while he played against him. While Payton may not have feared him, Jordan was one of the most feared players in the league. What made him so feared was the fact that he was fearless himself.
