There is a small gulf between world-class and being the greatest. Michael Phelps wanted to emulate Michael Jordan’s quest for the same.
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While the gulf itself may be small, the elites know that bridging that gap is an almost insurmountable task. Many have tried and many have fallen short.
Yet among the rubble of the contenders, there often rises a challenger that can claim the throne. In sports, this statement rings true in the largest magnitudes.
The said challenger and eventual winner can only be one. For all basketball fans, it is Michael Jordan. LeBron James is a challenger for now. Likewise in the world of swimming, there is Michael Phelps.
Phelps’ dominance is akin to that of Jordan. He obliterated his opponents on his way to a staggering 23 Olympic gold medals. A feat that will take some time to break, years, decades, perhaps.
And like a true winner, he looked to the beacon that is Michael Jordan. As per the Baltimore native, he channeled his inner MJ. Or more like inner a**hole.
Also read: “LeBron James is the One”: Allen Iverson holds the King supreme over Michael Jordan
Michael Phelps says he channeled his inner a**hole to succeed like Michael Jordan
We know the tale of the tape too well by now. MJ was no nice guy. The lore of his seemingly unquenchable thirst to win is something no player is yet to find. In basketball, at least.
But it looks as though Michael Phelps did manage to tap into his inner MJ and as per his own words, he was an a**hole to his teammates.
It is no secret that Phelps has been a longtime admirer of Jordan. He has admitted to being star-struck when they met. In an interview with Yahoo Sports, he said “To put it quite blunt(ly), everyone saying he was an a-hole (sic),”. He continued “But I would say the same thing about myself.”
Phelps added that he wanted everyone in the team to succeed, despite swimming being a largely individual sport. He said, “We’re all in there working together as a team even though it’s an individual sport”
The Olympian added, “We want the best for each other so I’m gonna challenge them and I’m gonna make sure that they’re getting stress in practice that they’re gonna face in a meet.”
Doesn’t that sound slightly familiar? Maybe this video might refresh your memory.
Yes, Phelps’ statements and attitude are reflective of Jordan’s. It looks as though the swimmer took his winning far too seriously. Just like the Bulls legend.
What do you think? Is a mindset like that necessary to reach the pantheon of greats? Or perhaps even sit on the throne?
Also read: $60 million Pistons star hated playing with 40 y/o Michael Jordan on Wizards
