Michael Jordan is perhaps the most well-known player in basketball history. Starting off his career in the 1980s, it was MJ who truly made the NBA a household name all across the world. With an infectious personality on and off the court, wherever Jordan played, there was a packed crowd waiting for him.
While his charisma was unmatched, it was his on-court game that stunned the world. Entering the league, which was mainly dominated by bigger forwards and centers, Jordan showed the world that smaller guards like him could ace the game as well.
Be it his incredible athletic prowess, his unmatched scoring repertoire, or his rigorous defense, MJ was a two-way force for the Chicago Bulls and unsurprisingly was one of the best players in the league ever since he made his debut in the NBA.
In his 15 years in the NBA, Jordan probably had one of the most flawless careers in the game, winning 6 NBA championships, 6 Finals MVP trophies, 5 MVP trophies, and becoming a 10-time scoring champion.
Winning at such a consistent rate takes a lot of focus and determination. While some players generally look up to the stat sheet to see how they are performing in terms of points, assists, or rebounds, MJ was different.
In a recent interview, Jordan’s former trainer Tim Grover revealed the three stats MJ genuinely cared about at the end of the day.
“‘Never bring me the stat sheet again. The only stat sheet I want to see is how many turnovers I had, how many free throws I missed, how many fouls I had.’ He goes, ‘I’m supposed to score points, I’m supposed to make my teammates better, I’m supposed to get assists, I’m supposed to rebound, I’m supposed to get to the free throw line, I’m supposed to play defense,'”
This certainly goes to show that Jordan was always focused on being the best version of himself and tried to work on his flaws. While others would be flattered after scoring 30 points in a game, ‘Black Jesus’ focused on reducing the turnovers and scoring efficiently.
Not only that, Jordan always tried to be the leader of his team, often leading them by example. Be it on the court with his record-breaking performances or off the court with instances like rejecting an offer from Disney because of fear of overshadowing teammates, MJ was the epitome of a player who was a true leader.
