When it comes to extraordinary athletes that have graced the NBA, Michael Jordan is at the very top of that list. Known for his relentless ability to score the ball, the secret sauce that brought it all together was Jordan's unfathomable athletic feats in the late 80s and early 90s that transcended the game globally and immortalized his reputation in league history.
Fans would flock to arenas for the possibility of seeing MJ steal the ball on a face break with his tongue out and assault the rim on a foray to the basket. Jordan was indeed a special athlete, but what may be even more impressive was his ability to do it all, even with an extravagant lifestyle outside of the arena. Former Seattle Supersonics head coach George Karl remembers it all too well. He recalls Jordan's remarkable ability to perform at an elite level even after playing 36 rounds of golf and running on next to no sleep.
Karl discussed what it was like playing against the Bulls legend in the NBA Finals in 1996, even with the knowledge that Jordan was participating in extracurricular activities in between Finals games.
"When I played them in the Finals in '96, he was playing 36 holes on the day of a playoff game and still go out and kick your a*s. So I mean, he was an amazing athlete, you know he could push the limits of sleep. He could push the limits of physicality and still be an unbelievably great performer," he said .
An extraordinary athlete
It's no secret that MJ was an athlete significantly ahead of his time. Unlike today's NBA, where athletic gifts are a prerequisite to being effective in the Association, Jordan had very few equals during his playing days.
Standing at 6'6" and having the ability to run like the wind and jump out of the gym, Jordan was an athletic anomaly and, in truth, was a hard proposition for opposition head coaches to try and slow down, as George references.
Throw in the NBA rules at that time that allowed superstars to operate on an island with minimal help defense; in most instances, opposing teams could only stand and watch as Jordan destroyed his direct opponents on the low block.
Did Jordan do himself a disservice?
For all the plaudits and admiration MJ has received throughout his career for staying up all night, playing a full round of golf, and still dominating his opponents, when looking back in hindsight - it perhaps wasn't in the best interest of his career.
He's been consistently celebrated for his delicate juggling act of living two lives at the same time. Still, there is no denying that his overall lack of rest and dedication to prolonging his career hurts him in the longevity discussion. When the likes of LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Kobe Bryant competed for at least 20 consecutive years, Jordan's career lasted just 15, and even less impressive when factoring in two separate retirements.
Of course, what he achieved in those 15 years is largely unmatched from a resume perspective. Still, as the likes of James continue to stack the years, stats, numbers, and the overall body of work, instead of putting a nail in the coffin of the GOAT debate, Jordan's underwhelming longevity left the door open.
In the end, it could cost him, and perhaps playing 36 holes of golf and running on a sub-optimal amount of sleep did him the ultimate disservice.
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