Michael Jordan was competitive in everything he did. Whether it was basketball, making random bets, or playing golf, Jordan never took losing as an option.
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The Bulls legend has compiled an incredible list of stories from his playing days in the NBA, from elite level trash talking, to incredible tales of how wildly competitive he was, to of course, his general basketball dominance.
All these things combined have given Jordan his GOAT status. His accolades, championships, and struggles are all remembered side by side with the stories of how he reached there.
The Bulls legend has accomplished what NBA players dream of doing in his career. Six championships, six Finals MVP’s, five NBA MVP’s, an obvious Hall of Fame induction, and much more has cemented Jordan’s legacy as the greatest NBA player of all time.
So, why was his career so confusing? Well, he retired thrice in his career, to give you some context. If that sounds weird to you, that’s because it is. His first retirement was by far the most surprising as it came only nine years into his career, and he had just started to win at the highest level, coming off of his first threepeat.
On this day in 1997… despite feeling under the weather, Michael Jordan put together a heroic performance with 38 PTS in Game 5 of the #NBAFinals! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/UAr1Ig4icf
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) June 11, 2022
Michael Jordan went toe-to-toe with golfer Hunter Mahan
Golfing is a sport Jordan takes very sseriously. He has his own private golf course built just for him called The Grove 23. However, it’s nickname is Slaughterhouse 23 because of how dominant he is on his home court. Of course, Jordan can afford such a luxury with a $2.1 billion net worth.
During the 2009 President Cup, Jordan was named honorary captain, and he was playing alongside six-time PGA Tour winner Hunter Mahan. Mahan recalled a story of how Jordan got insanely competitive and slightly ticked off at Mahan’s supposed lack of competitive drive.
“You know, you are kind of nice at that point, so I gave him a putt,” Mahan explained. “I think I was 1 down through three or something. So I was walking off, and MJ just looks at me, like intense, like super intense, like he was playing or something. And he’s like, ‘Don’t give him that s—! Don’t give him that s—!’ And slapped me on the a**.”
Mahan realized in that moment that he couldn’t let MJ down and lose the match. “That was terrifying and awesome at the same time,” he added. “I’m like, we can’t lose this. We can’t lose this match. I’m not going back to that clubhouse and having to look at him as just a straight loser. We can’t do it, we gotta find a way to win, man.”
They did eventually win the game as Mahan closed out Villegas 2 and 1. You can listen to the complete story here.
Also Read: Charles Barkley’s ‘bar punch’ almost left a $50,0000 hole in his pocket
