“If I get the ball, you’re at mercy of whatever I want to do” - Michael Jordan on why he could always score when he was on his game

Michael Jordan is the most successful offensive player ever. He is tied with Wilt Chamberlain for the highest career points per game average, with 30.1 points per game. Since MJ played in a more challenging era filled with lockdown defenders, MJ’s numbers are more impressive for many people.

Despite facing plenty of elite defenders during his career, Jordan knew he could do anything he wanted when he felt confident. It might have sounded arrogant, but Mike was good enough to say things like that because he could back it up without any issue.

“If I get the ball, you’re at mercy of whatever I want to do. Nothing you can do or say about it when I’m on my game,” Jordan said in an interview during his playing career. “Feeling is that you own the ball, you own the game, you own the guy who’s guarding you, you can actually play him like a puppet.”

Jordan was unstoppable whenever he felt confident

During Jordan’s era, he knew that a strong performance meant his opponents would struggle to guard him. Typically, he employed straightforward movements, driving directly into the paint to finish over defenders or posting up to hit a fadeaway.

While he was easy to telegraph, Michael was savvy enough to have some small moves between his signature maneuvers to make the defender second-guess their decisions. That's what set Jordan apart—he had the innate ability to execute any move he desired, intimidating opponents with his sheer talent.

He was so good that the Detroit Pistons created the “Jordan Rules” which involved getting physical with him enough to rough him up but remain fine with the referees. It took a toll on Michael during the late 1980s, but in 1991, the Bulls got past the Pistons and embarked on two three-peats during that decade.

Related: The Lakers' team bus would always leave Kobe Bryant behind because he waited to talk to MJ after every game: "We were always one head short with Kobe"

A confident Jordan became the league’s best-ever player

Today, His Airness is universally known as the GOAT; while debates may arise favoring LeBron James, MJ remains firmly in contention, stirring passionate debates within the NBA community.

MJ got past the Pistons, who tormented him through their rough-nosed defense, which became the last defensive system that stopped a healthy MJ. He and the Chicago Bulls went to the Finals six times and won every series. That happened because of Jordan, the Bulls' most reliable scorer, who became a worldwide phenomenon due to his success, exciting highlights, and overall superstar aura.

Related: Michael Jordan opens up about his older brother Larry not making the NBA: "He has always been a good player, but he just didn't grow enough"