Anyone who has ever been deeply involved in sports at any level has probably found themselves in a moment where the stakes were high. The game had to be won at all costs and you had to push beyond your limits. Often, there’s a teammate whose sheer presence forces you to elevate your game.
That’s exactly how it was for Michael Jordan’s teammates in the ’90s, when the Chicago Bulls dominated the league like few teams before or after them, aside from Bill Russell’s Boston Celtics.
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Jordan’s aura was so overwhelming that he turned average players into winners. But many criticized his tyrannical approach, which became fully apparent after “The Last Dance” was released in 2020.
“When people see this, they’re going to say, ‘Well, he wasn’t really a nice guy, he may have been a tyrant,'” Jordan said. “Well, that’s you because you never won anything. I wanted to win, but I wanted them to win and be a part of that as well. I don’t have to do this. I’m only doing it because it is who I am. That’s how I played the game. That was my mentality. If you don’t want to play that way, don’t play that way.”
Jordan’s unique approach
Jordan rarely experienced losing because of his relentless drive. Of course, he had tough losses early in his career, especially against the Detroit “Bad Boy” Pistons. Still, once he entered his prime, he never lost in the finals, winning six titles in six championship-round appearances.
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Even though he was often labeled selfish and focused only on scoring, Jordan’s words reveal how his unique approach actually improved his teammates.
The Bulls were a team full of winners. Think of Toni Kukoc’s game-winners, the legendary clutch shots from Steve Kerr and John Paxson, or Scottie Pippen’s heroic play despite the back pain. That was forged in practices when the cameras weren’t rolling, as he instilled his championship mentality into his entire roster.
MJ gave his teammates a winning feeling
Gary Payton, one of Jordan’s fiercest rivals who experienced the Bulls’ power firsthand, believes MJ wasn’t wrong to show his dark side in the 10-part documentary.
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“You know what? That’s his documentary,” Payton told DirectTV Insider. “He can do whatever he wants to do with it, whatever way. It was a piece where it came out at the right time. Everybody was home. He was a popular guy. He showed you a side of him nobody had ever seen. And that’s what documentaries are about. It doesn’t matter what is said in there. It’s about what you can get the people to understand and see, about what was happening to his career. And he got that over very well.”
Payton, who himself had a relentless mentality, understood exactly what Jordan was doing to win six rings. Even if his approach sometimes crossed the line of good taste, his teammates surely look back with a smile today.
And why wouldn’t they? They were winners. Anyone who has played and lost knows how incredible it feels when you finally get over the hump. Jordan gave his teammates that feeling for the rest of their lives.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 13, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.