Despite his unmatched legacy and reputation, Michael Jordan was often regarded as a tyrant for his relentless pursuit of success and improvement. As a result, MJ also pushed his teammates to the extreme, going beyond the standard expectations of a leader.
Therefore, Jordan never found compromise, or rather didn't want to compromise, for trying to get the absolute best out of his teammates, because he treated them in the same way he treated himself. With his intense, aggressive approach, MJ pushed them to the breaking point, believing that was the only way to win.
Although Jordan's behavior is often viewed or described as crazy, it ended up working, considering the Chicago Bulls ' perfect six-and-o championship record and a two-time three-peat. While that is certainly the pinnacle of sports success, MJ revealed that it wouldn't be the thing he would miss the most when he retires.
Jordan enjoyed all the big moments he went through and the great awards he achieved. However, what he enjoyed the most were the in-between moments that led to the glamour, the work that went on behind the scenes. With that, in typical MJ fashion, he enjoyed displaying his signature approach to his teammates every single year.
"The competition, the pre-season. I get a kick out of that, coming back for the next year and going through training camp and seeing all the new players. You go at them and challenge them every day," Jordan said when asked what he would miss most about his NBA career.
Jordan never questioned his approach and leadership style; he always believed it was necessary. By pushing his teammates to their limits, he prepared them for the biggest challenges the NBA season brought, especially the playoffs.
Still, Jordan wasn't blind to his excessive methods; he acknowledged them all the time, but to back it up, he held himself to an even higher standard. In all of their success, his teammates ultimately confessed that MJ's ludicrous methods were responsible for the Bulls' six titles.
In the end, that was all Jordan wanted to be remembered by.
As someone as famous and impactful as Jordan, many would think he would like to be remembered by his unreal accomplishments, playstyle, charisma, or anything else that made MJ who he was. But that wasn't the case for him.
"When someone asks, "What's Michael Jordan like to play with?" I want them to say he busts his ass at practice. He plays at practice like he plays in the game. When I play against someone that's new in the league, I make him respect me. They may have heard about me, but now you get to see me actually in front of you. That drives me. Like playing out West. They don't get to see us that much. I want to come in and say, This is what you're missing," Jordan said.
As stated, Jordan's words come to fruition in Netflix's famous "The Last Dance" documentary, where, in the final moments of the doc, MJ became visibly emotional as he described his unethical methods.
No matter the imperfections in his behaviour, Jordan accomplished what nobody ever did, and probably never will, which stamped his name in history forever.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
