Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan discussed how important stats were for him.
As competitive as Michael Jordan was, he never really paid too much attention to stats. MJ simply wanted to make the Chicago Bulls the best team ever.
Winning was the priority
Jordan’s career numbers were incredible, but doing whatever it took to lead the Bulls to wins was his main goal. MJ set records and won accolades, yet padding stats was never his motivation. During an interview with former Georgetown head coach John Thompson in 2003, Jordan said that winning was his priority.
“Well that, that never drove me. I mean the stats only add up when you put forth effort, you don’t worry about it. You know good things happen to the people that work hard. If I sit here and play for the stats, I would have never retired in 93, or I still probably be chasing Wilt Chamberlain’s all-time you know or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar all-time scoring lead.
I mean that doesn’t drive me. I mean, sure, I mean it defines to some extent for people who don’t know me or 20 years from now would never know who Michael Jordan really is. But based on the stats, he must’ve been pretty decent. You know those are the only ways that I look at stats. Other than that it’s all about winning championships and winning. You know the stats that matter to me is games that we win and rings that you collect,” Jordan explained.
Jordan’s mindset
Michael Jordan | ” If i’d play for the stats, i’d never retire in 1993? or i’d still be chasing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record. That doesn’t drive me. It’s all about winning championships and winning 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆#NBA #BullsNation pic.twitter.com/SPjqnTdY6M
— The Jordan Rules (@Rules23Jordan) December 21, 2022
According to his former Bulls teammate Horace Grant, Jordan’s intensity in practice was a key to his success.
“Man let me tell you, man we thought this guy was just the devil,” Grant said.
“In terms of the way he practiced, we thought that we were the Detroit Pistons or the New York Knicks. This guy practiced so hard and if you weren’t on his team in practice you were his enemy. And that’s how driven this man was and that’s why you can say that he was the best player that ever played this game,” the four-time NBA champion added per the ‘Scoop B Radio’ podcast.
Jordan ranks 10th among the winningest NBA players with six championships. He led the Bulls to two three-peats, one from 1991 to 1993 and the other from 1996 to 1998.
MJ’s personal and traditional stats additionally support his claims as he is 5th all time in points scored as well as in field goals made and attempted, 4th in steals and 19th in triple doubles.