Michael Jordan was a notoriously harsh teammate during his stint in the NBA. Jordan was one of the fiercest competitors in the league’s history. And he demands the most from his teammates, whether it be on the court or off the court. For Jordan, he best exemplifies the killer mentality that demands success at all costs. And he feels that all his teammates need to have a similar desire for success in order to achieve their goals. This mentality didn’t always make Jordan the best teammate, as he would berate his teammates for not fulfilling what he felt was their true potential during the game.
In a recent documentary focusing on Australian NBA star and former member of the Chicago Bulls Luc Longley, Jordan spoke (around the 24:42 mark) about his return to the Chicago Bulls during the 94-95 season. He was just trying to get an understanding of his teammates and what their mental approach to the game was like. Jordan always strived for perfection and expected the same from his teammates. Jordan knew that he would not come across well, but he was only doing what he felt was necessary in order to get them to the mindset and physical level that was required to find championship success in the league.
“I was anxious to understand who my teammates were. My mindset was to go, you know, try to get back and win. You have to be prepared. You have to be ready to play…You would assume that everybody had the same mentality that I had. Strive for perfection, each and every time you step on the basketball court. But unfortunately, everybody doesn’t have that same mentality. But I had a mission, I wanted them to understand what it took to win. Winning has a price. I’m pretty sure there were times they were not happy with me. But as a leader, sometimes you’re not going to be well-liked, you’re not going to be but you have to pull them along.”
In the documentary and the complimentary article, Jordan revealed a story with Longley from their final season together (25:25 mark). During the 1998 NBA Finals, the Chicago Bulls were playing the Utah Jazz in the rematch from the previous year’s Finals which the Bulls won. Longley had started the game really strong, finishing the quarter with 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Jordan was impressed with Longley’s play, telling him that when he performs at that level, the Bulls can dominate their opponents. After the first quarter, the Bulls were up 15 points and on track to win the game.
But the game ended very differently. The Bulls lost the game by 16 points, and Longley didn’t add anything at all to his numbers from the first quarter. Jordan went up to Longley after the game and told him that it was the last time that he would give him a compliment during the game.
“He may not like this story. In 98, we’re playing the Utah Jazz. The first quarter ends, Luc has 12 points, 4 blocks, and 4 rebounds. And I go to Luc – ‘that’s how you f**king play, man. You do that, we dominate! We up by 16.’ At the end of the game, Luc had 12 points, 4 rebounds and 4 blocks. We were up by 16, we lose by 15. And I said ‘you know what Luc? That is the last time I’m going to give you a compliment in the middle of the game’.”
Jordan and Longley both were able to find humor in the story. All things ended well, as Longley, Jordan and the Chicago Bulls went on to win their third consecutive NBA Championship. After their championship win, the Chicago Bulls went on to disband. Jordan went into his second retirement, and Longley went to the Phoenix Suns. Longley was snubbed in the recent ‘The Last Dance’ documentary that came out last year, something Michael Jordan very much regrets and wishes he could change. But it seems the two still maintain a good relationship to this day.
