Just because Michael Jordan wore a suit didn’t mean he no longer had his famous competitive fire. Rather, with competitive basketball no longer in the cards, it may have burned brighter as ‘His Airness’ no longer had an outlet to channel it.
And so, when the Washington Wizards – a team he had recently become part-owner of at the time – weren’t putting in the effort during practice, Jordan didn’t hold back in expressing his disappointment and holding them accountable.
A fierce competitor who treated any defeat as unacceptable, MJ was not one to tolerate a lack of effort or commitment from his players and unleashed his wrath on the team’s leaders at the time: Juwan Howard, Mitch Richmond, and Rod Strickland.
“I will not accept somebody coming in and taking practice for granted. I didn’t as a player. I won’t now. I really lit into my guys, let them have it,” Jordan said.
Practiced with the team
In an interview with Slam Magazine, Michael recalled shedding his suit and exchanging it for a practice jersey as he joined the team’s practice session to gauge his players’ commitment and competitiveness. What he witnessed irked him.
“I practiced with them after the Phoenix game. I wanted to see their competitive nature. I wasn’t in shape, and my first shot went 20 miles over the rim. But what I saw was the second team was kicking the first team’s butt. That should never happen!” Jordan shared.
Michael was particularly harsh on the aforementioned veterans, questioning their pride, saying, “You should have pride no matter who you’re playing. Juwan (Howard) and Mitch (Richmond), and Rod (Strickland), I don’t think, gave their all. Or they didn’t give enough. So when they played the game the next day, they played horse(bleep)!”
As Jordan expected, a subpar practice eventually led to a blowout loss. Immediately after the defeat, MJ stormed into the locker room and yelled at the players with a profanity-laced tirade. He demanded they take things more seriously and work harder to win games.
“I went into the locker room and went off. ‘You, you, and you gave me a horse(bleep) practice yesterday, a horse(bleep) game today! This is my money I’m risking! I could be doing a lot of other (bleep)ing things than helping run this organization! I consider you leaders—what kind of example are you setting for your teammates?’” Michael narrated.
Unwavering winning mindset
This incident highlighted Jordan’s intense desire to win and unwavering dedication to excellence. He expected nothing less from his players and held himself to the same high standard. It also showcased his natural ability as a leader, commanding respect and pushing the players to be their best selves.
He later threw everyone out of the locker room except for his three veteran leaders. Michael was far from done with them.
“I said, ‘Let me tell you a (bleep)ing thing—you guys think you can come in here and turn it on? We won six championships, and we couldn’t just turn it on. You guys haven’t won (bleep)! You can’t sell me out like that! You want to do it that way, pack your (bleep) and get the (bleep) home!’ I was steaming because when you play like sh*t, it’s a representation of me,” MJ added.
While Jordan hasn’t had much success in his executive roles with the Wizards and later on the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets, his leadership and competitive drive remain a hallmark of his legacy.
Moments like these defined Michael as a basketball icon and a true leader. His presence alone commanded respect and demanded excellence from everyone in his orbit. While many may have seen him as an intimidating figure, those who truly knew him understood that it was all driven by an unwavering passion to be the best.