"You would've thought that MJ had just won the championship" - When Michael Jordan showed his winning mentality on the volleyball court

In the ‘The Last Dance’ documentary, Michael Jordan made it clear that his competitive nature was off the charts and extended to any field, sport, or activity in which he participated.

While many basketball and golf legends experienced it firsthand, legendary HBCU coach CY Alexander shared an interesting story about how the five-time MVP exhibited the same level of determination even on the volleyball court.

CY Alexander on MJ’s desire to win

During Nike’s 1992 summer trip to Hawaii, CY had the opportunity to spend time with MJ and other Dream Team superstars. Moreover, as is well known, any competition involving the 14-time All-Star quickly becomes serious, and the stakes get even higher when money is put on the line. Alexander witnessed this firsthand when he saw the NBA stars play volleyball.

Furthermore, playing alongside basketball superstars like Charles Barkley, David Robinson, and, most importantly, Jordan, Alexander felt pressure to avoid committing mistakes at all costs.

However, when CY did end up slipping up, a single glare from the six-time Finals MVP was enough to remind him of the intensity with which Mike approached even casual affairs and the high expectations he had from his teammates.

"I got picked on Mike’s team. We’re having fun… the ball is hit to me on the backline, and I hit it, and I knock it way out of bounds. Michael was on the front, turned around,and that glare that Michael Jordan would give you when you didn’t do something right, he gave me that glare," Alexander said . "I didn’t make another mistake the rest of the volleyball tournament."

Related: "It's just like a good friend saying we cannot hang out anymore" - Magic Johnson on Karl Malone refusing to play with him in the 1992 ASG

Alexander on how important winning was for Mike

What began as a seemingly friendly volleyball tournament soon escalated into fierce competition, with Jordan’s desire to win taking center stage. And when his team eventually secured the triumph, Alexander could see just how much it meant to the 6’6” shooting guard.

"When we won it, you would’ve thought that MJ had just won the world championship. That's how into winning championships he was," Alexander added. "So that was a big moment to be on that trip and win the volleyball championship with Michael Jordan."

Whether due to the financial stakes or simply MJ’s innate drive to win, Alexander was able to witness the actual pressure on every athlete who shared the stage with the arguable GOAT.

Related: Michael Jordan’s return cost the Chicago Bulls $100,000