Jamal Crawford on why Michael Jordan was on a different playing field than everyone: "He had 2 out of 4 cars ever made"

There are many reasons why Michael Jordan is revered by the entire NBA community. Players, coaches, analysts, and fans who witnessed Jordan play had the experience of a lifetime because of his unique combination of talent and athleticism.

However, it wasn't just his prowess on the hardwood that made His Airness one of the greatest players ever. He had such a different aura and lifestyle off the court, and those close to him can attest to it.

On another level

After winning his second three-peat with the Bulls, Jordan retired for the second time in early 1999. Still, he returned just one year later as president of basketball operations for the Washington Wizards.

Having been away from the hardwood, MJ used the 2000 offseason to get in shape by training and holding several workout sessions with some NBA players he invited.

One of such was rookie Jamal Crawford , who was traded to the Bulls after being picked by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He got close to the Chicago icon and witnessed why he was built differently on and off the court.

"I was going through the draft process, and my dad said Michael Jordan likes your game," Crawford recalled . "I get drafted by the Bulls, and [Jordan's personal trainer] Tim Grover is like, 'MJ says you can meet him'... And so from there, I went to meet him; he's working out. I never forget it. And he was like, 'We could work out this summer.' And from that day forward, we were locked in. He really took me under his wing like I'm going to his house," continued the former Sixth Man of the Year. "He had a car; there was only four in the world, [and] he had two of them. He was on a different playing field. He was on such a different level of everything ."

Being one of the most marketable sports personalities, Mike ushered in a new era of endorsement deals in the NBA; his Jordan Brand was his gateway to earning more than his peers, and he maintained a different lifestyle from anyone else.

Related: "When you go to college, ain't nobody hitting you with moves" - Bradley Beal recalls how Dwyane Wade welcomed him to the NBA

The legacy of a brand

When players want to "be like Mike," they don't necessarily mean solely the game aspect of it alone but also lifestyle. Jordan built his brand as one of the greatest players on the court but also as a revolutionary business personality. Rarely do you see athletes transcend both worlds while active in his or her sport.

When he returned to the NBA after his first retirement, No. 23 nearly doubled the highest base salary in the league from $18 million to $30 million. It remained the highest salary ever received until Kobe Bryant earned $30 million in 2012. Post-retirement, he also became the first former player to own a majority stake in an NBA franchise and the only African-American to do so.

Related: When MJ got called a hypocrite for his Bad Boys slander: "If it wasn't for Rodman, he wouldn't have gotten that six"