Bulls legend Michael Jordan was a beast at the game of basketball and a natural leader both on and off the court. But as his former teammate Steve Kerr laid out, it wasn't always easy being on his side and having to endure his constant barrage of tests every day.
"There's a mutual respect that exists. We don't really stay in touch but we see each other and we see each other every once in a while because we travel the same circuit. It's always fun to relive those days and to ask about our teammates and talk about the good times. being his teammate was hard, he was really tough on everybody because his philosophy was that he had to toughen us up to get us ready for the playoffs and the Finals. So he came after us and you had to stand up to him and you had to survive the MJ test. And the guys who survived it he had immense respect for. People know about the fight we got into together and that was just about him testing me."
The incident Kerr is referring to here happened right before the 1995-96 season. What started out as a typical pre-season practice turned hot when Kerr challenged Jordan in front of the team. Michael ended up getting kicked out of practice by coach Phil Jackson after he punched Steve in the face . Michael would later express deep regret over his actions but he and Kerr managed to mend their relationship to win multiple championships together.
On the court, Michael made things dramatically easier for his Bulls teammates. His unmatched scoring ability drew so much attention from the defense that it opened up the floor in new ways for his teammates, which included Kerr, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and others. Over his 15-year career, he averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game on 49.7% shooting.
By the time he retired for the second time in 1998, he was a 6x champion, 5x MVP, 14x All-Star, 10x scoring leader, and 11x All-NBA athlete. Today Michael is considered the greatest player ever by countless fans and his legacy with the Bulls has been immortalized in basketball history forever.
One of Michael's most celebrated traits was his relentless competitive spirit but what many don't understand is how hard it made it to play with him. Since Michael held all of his teammates to the highest standard, he personally tested every one of them to make sure they could keep up.
Some, like Steve Kerr, Dennis Rodman, and Scottie Pippen, passed Jordan's tests and they got to join him in one of the most dominant runs in basketball history. By his sheer talent and leadership, the Bulls formed a dynasty that is still known and celebrated today.
So while not everyone could handle the Michael Jordan experience, those who endured his rigorous tests and training were rewarded by being a part of history. For Kerr, his role may have been minor but his impact was enormous.
Both on and off the court, Steve knew his role and he knew what Michael wanted from him. It took an incident for him to understand, but now that he is on the other side of the experience, he has no regrets over how it went down.
Related: Anthony Edwards Claims Michael Jordan Was The Only Skilled NBA Player Back In The Day
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