His legendary competitiveness ranged from relentless training, court-side trash talk, merciless golf playing, and enthusiasm for gambling.
Such ultra-competitiveness went beyond the basketball court, turning everything he was involved in into a competition. It was this insatiable desire to win that established Jordan as a basketball legend.
Jordan once invited John Michael Wozniak, one of his trusted personal bodyguards, for a friendly game of pool.
During a Christmas party, the unthinkable happened: Wozniak beat Jordan in the game. The event, recalled by John’s son, Nicholi, had initially begun as a fun-filled engagement.
However, known for his disdain for losing, Jordan’s reaction to the loss caught Nicholi off guard.
Nicholi revealed how his father got ejected from the Christmas party after beating Jordan at the pool.
The extent of Jordan’s competitiveness boggled many, leading him often to perform unthinkable acts.
However, in the grand scheme of things, Nicholi acknowledged that his late father and Jordan built a beautiful bond centered on mutual respect.
John Michael never abused the monetary advantages associated with his closeness to Jordan, and likewise, Jordan always respected John.
Nicholi recalled a memorable incident in their relationship, which she shared with much joy. Once, while parking Jordan’s SUV, his father accidentally shattered the SUV’s rear window.
Feeling bad about the incident, John Michael offered to pay for the damage from his paycheck.
However, Jordan responded with a chuckle, assuring John not to worry about it and saying he would receive a new one the next day.
Enduring bonds: Jordan, John Michael, and George Koehler’s connection
Jordan and John Michael’s extraordinary bond endured up to John Michael’s last day. John Michael moved on in January 2020, succumbing to colon cancer.
George Koehler, who was Jordan’s assistant and considered a “best friend,” also shared similar moments with the renowned Chicago Bulls stalwart.
Koehler, unlike John Michael, could play basketball and possessed more athletic prowess. Jordan, at one point, was recovering from an injury yet he played a 1-on-1 basketball game with Koehler.
Predictably, Jordan faced initial challenges, but his entrenched competitive spirit prevented him from letting his assistant prevail.
Koehler will forever commemorate that day. Even though he shares the generally accepted view of Jordan’s excessive competitiveness, he knew from deep within that the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) was also a human being.
“He is a real person who feels pain. He didn’t ask for the pedestal on which people placed him, but then they attempted to depose him,” Koehler once expressed about Jordan.