Throughout his legendary career, Michael Jordan had the confidence he needed to be mentally prepared against his toughest rivals. One account where MJ beautifully displayed his unwavering self-assurance was when he told the media that he wasn’t fazed by the fact that the Utah Jazz swept Shaquille O’Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers before they met in the Finals.
It happened in the 1998 playoffs when the Jazz manhandled the dominant Shaq and the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. By contrast, Jordan and the Chicago Bulls had to endure an arduous seven-game series against the Indiana Pacers at the time.
The narrative stated that the Jazz may have had the edge heading into the Finals against the Bulls. However, Jordan quickly killed that notion by simply emphasizing to a group of reporters that:
“I ain’t Shaq… Like I said, I ain’t Shaq,” responded MJ.
MJ always figures out how to win
If Jordan wasn’t the player he was, his comment about Shaq would’ve struck everybody as boastful. However, that was never the case, as MJ knew how to walk the talk. True to form, Mike and the Bulls beat the Jazz that year to complete their second three-peat.
For many, including then-Bulls head coach Phil Jackson, there was nothing surprising about it. According to Jackson, he knew well that Jordan had a unique ability to reach a point where he became truly unstoppable in almost every game. That said, “His Airness” could find a way to win regardless of what team was on the opposite end.
“It’s a matter of time with him. He has an incredible energy level. There is a point in the game where he is just going to take over and destroy a team,” Jackson once said.
MJ’s confidence was based on hard work
Indeed, Jordan sometimes exhibited confidence and arrogance. But then again, it depends on how people look at it, as some fail to realize that Jordan’s confidence comes from the countless hours of hard work he put into perfecting his game.
In retrospect, as Jordan’s career progressed, his dedication to the game only grew stronger. He understood that true confidence comes from preparation and hard work, not just natural talent. We now know where prime MJ’s incredible confidence was based.