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Having Helped Michael Jordan Gain 15Lbs To Beat The Pistons, Tim Grover Gives Fans ‘Reality Check’ On MJ’s Greatness

Advait Jajodia
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"Jordan, Jordan, Jordan, Jordan": Having Helped Michael Jordan Gain 15Lbs To Beat The Pistons, Tim Grover Gives Fans 'Reality Check' On MJ's Greatness

Tim Grover has become one of the most famous trainers in the sports world. Over the past few decades, Grover has worked with some of the most iconic players in the NBA, including Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, and most famously, Michael Jordan. Even though Jordan and Grover met each other during MJ’s University of North Carolina days, they started working together on a regular basis in 1989. From there, up until the conclusion of his career, Grover helped the Chicago Bulls icon stay in peak shape. In fact, Grover helped MJ gain 15 lbs in order to sustain the brutal beatings from the “Bad Boys Pistons”. Recently, Tim went on to list an interesting achievement in order to explain Michael’s greatness.

Back in the late 1980s, the Isiah Thomas-led Detroit Pistons were notoriously known for their physical, often even dirty style of play. Michael Jordan, who suffered three straight postseason losses against the Pistons, would get beaten up whenever he went up against them. In order to sustain the blows, His Airness approached Tim Grover for help in 1990. Under the guidance of Grover, Jordan put on 15 lbs of muscle that enabled him to lead the Bulls to a Championship win in 1991.

Tim Grover uses interesting statistics to talk about Jordan’s greatness

Tim Grover recently made an appearance at a convention where he was asked to weigh in on the famous debate. The 58-year-old was asked to choose between Michael Jordan and LeBron James. The renowned personality began his argument with an interesting take. Grover highlighted the fact that only four times in NBA history had a player won the scoring title and MVP, was the 1st Team All-Defense, led the Playoff in scoring, and won the Finals MVP in a single season. Only one player achieved such a terrific feat – Michael Jordan. Take a look at u/Barbell_Flyes’ Reddit post.

“This thing has only happened four times in the history of the NBA. Four times where one player has won the scoring title won the regular season MVP, was 1st Team Defensive Player, led the playoffs in scoring, and won the MVP in the Finals. All five things, it’s only happened four times in the NBA. You know who the four players to do it were? Jordan, Jordan, Jordan, Jordan.”

It sounds almost made up that Michael Jordan had four of the most accomplished campaigns in NBA history.

Jordan has been retired for two decades and is still the frontrunner for the GOAT title. The 6-0 record in the Finals, along with the 10 scoring titles and five MVPs have a huge impact on his legacy. And of course, Grover’s constant help with the training allowed Michael Jordan to take his game to the next level.

Michael Jordan gave Kobe Bryant Grover’s number

Michael Jordan wasn’t the only star Tim Grover trained. Kobe Bryant and Dwayne Wade, two of the greatest Shooting Guards, were also some of the high-profile stars who were guided by Grover. In fact, it was Jordan who connected a young Bryant to Grover.

Grover, who is known for helping his clients achieve their highest levels of performance, enabled Bryant to win five Championships, an MVP, and two scoring titles. Whereas, D-Wade went on to win three Championships and one scoring title.

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia

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Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over three years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,500+ articles.

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