Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest player of all time, but he is equally known for his fierce competitiveness. This unique trait of his stretched from the court to the golf course and even to the 1992 Olympics.
While in Barcelona, Jordan regularly played golf with Dream Team coach Chuck Daly . To MJ's surprise, the legendary basketball mind beat him on the field, and "His Airness" couldn't let that one slide. In true Jordan fashion, he challenged Daly to a rematch at 4:00 a.m. as the thought of getting torched by his NBA rival did not let him sleep.
"When he beat me at golf, it's like him, the Detroit Pistons beating the Bulls, and that just ate at me. Because I didn't think he was capable of beating me," the six-time NBA champion said . "So, yes, I wanted to play him in the next available time. I got back at him, but you know, he's a delightful guy. I enjoyed spending time with him."
MJ forged a friendship with Daly
Jordan knew Daly for his impeccable coaching skills and, above all, for being the genius behind the "Bad Boys" Detroit Pistons, the notorious squad MJ considered the Chicago Bulls' toughest rivals. However, everything Mike knew about Chuck eventually changed during their time in Barcelona.
According to the legendary guard, their relationship deepened during that stretch as he got to witness the human side of his NBA foe. In fact, Jordan confessed that he was yearning to get closer to Daly as the days passed.
"Chuck was great. I had some reservations about Chuck because we played against him; you know, he was that mountain. And so, going into the Olympics, I got a better impression about him and the more I got of him, the more I wanted to hang out with him," Jordan revealed.
Leading the U.S. to gold
Apart from itching to avenge his loss to Daly in golf, Jordan was, more importantly, determined to bring home the gold medal for Team USA . Despite being NBA rivals, Jordan and Daly coexisted in harmony, and the culmination of their partnership was evident in those eight consecutive Olympic games.
The U.S. head coach created an atmosphere where players felt comfortable expressing themselves on the court while MJ did what he did best—score and dominate. The synergy between the two resulted in triumph for Team USA and looking back, it's safe to say their off-the-court connection played a key role in it.
Related: Why Michael Jordan was the only player studying game film at the 1992 Olympics: "I never underestimate anyone"
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