Michael Jordan was one of, if not the most, dedicated athletes in the history of the NBA. His work ethic was second to none. The Chicago Bulls went from being labelled the ‘travelling cocaine circus of the NBA’ to becoming one of the most respected franchises in the league all because of MJ. His love for the game was unwavering when he truly was locked in. while he did falter at times, he did eventually go on to claim that he wasn’t the only one.
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Jordan retired from the league on 3 separate occasions. His first retirement was perhaps the most telling example of what happens when a man who’s given everything he has to one singular craft starts to burn out. In the summer of 1993, after James Jordan’s untimely passing, ‘His Airness’ hung up his Jordans.
He stepped away from professional basketball because he wanted to pursue a career in baseball, something his father always wanted. Another reason was because he simply was falling out of love with basketball, something that had been happening since the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
Michael Jordan on players playing for money and not the love of the game
Michael Jordan did any interview with Playboy in 1992 where he was asked about whether or not players in the league were in the league because of money or because they felt a genuine love for hoops. MJ didn’t hold back and said:
“Very few people play because they love the game. Most of them play because they make good money. They keep playing because of the money. I could care less about it. In 5 years, I would probably stand to make $6,000,000-7,000,000, maybe even more than that. But if I don’t love the game, no check is going to keep me playing.”
This is the biggest difference between what MJ did in 1993 and what other players in the NBA were doing. Michael falling ‘out of love’ with the game of basketball wasn’t because he didn’t want to play any longer. It was because he was feeling burnt out. He had carried a team for so long and he just needed a break.
The fact that his father had passed away only added to the emotional baggage and him stepping away and clearing his mind was the right thing to do. After all, he did come back in less than two years and torch the league once again. You don’t win 3 championships without an undying love for basketball.
Paul George and DeMar DeRozan claim the NBA still has players who don’t like basketball
Paul George and DeMar DeRozan took to the former’s podcast recently and broke down how a slew of players in the NBA aren’t in love with the game of basketball. Like Jordan said in 1992, they only play for money.
Patrick Beverley, another player with a podcast, said that a staggering 50% of NBA hoopers are in it just for the money and not for the love of the game. In a way this is understandable because at the end of the day, being an NBA player technically is still a job. Many hoopers are just trying to make a living and if being one of the best in the world is bringing money in then why stop playing?
