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“I Got Tired of Getting Beat Up”: Michael Jordan Once Admitted Using a Bodybuilding Regime to Overcome Isiah Thomas and the Bad Boy Pistons

Published 10/30/2022, 9:30 PM EDT

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The work ethic and toughness of 6x NBA champion Michael Jordan are well known. Being the fierce competitor he was, Jordan was one of the most hard-working individuals in the NBA. Despite stardom and individual greatness, Jordan never rested until reaching the ultimate milestone in basketball. Winning the NBA championship. In an All-exclusive sit-down with Ahmad Rashad from 2004, Jordan revealed the intense workout regime he took on to beat the Bad Boy Pistons.

Michael Jordan was one of the biggest athletes during his playing days. He was a global icon. He had deserved every bit of fame and success that came his way. But along with all the admiration, Jordan also received his fair share of criticism. Especially during his early years, when he had found little to no playoff success.

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Michael Jordan adopted an intense workout regime to beat the Detroit Pistons

In an interview from over decades ago, Michael Jordan sat down with Ahmad Rashad and other prominent athletes of the time to discuss sports and more. In the interview, Jordan shed light on his winning mentality and approach that resulted in 6x NBA championships. 

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When asked about what took him to the next level, Jordan replied, “I am getting up and beating everybody to the gym.” Jordan then revealed the intense bodybuilding regime that helped him overcome Isiah Thomas and the Bad Boy Pistons. Jordan attributed his fierce drive and focus to his desire to overcome the Pistons. Jordan admitted to getting tired of losing to the Pistons. He adopted an intense workout regime to become stronger and beat the Bad Boy Pistons, who played a very physical style of basketball. 

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The Chicago Bulls drafted Michael Jordan in the 1984 NBA draft. In just a few games after his debut, Jordan proved to the NBA that he was more than just a rookie. Jordan dominated the teams he played and put up mind-boggling stats. For his rookie campaign, Jordan averaged an eye-watering 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. But Jordan and the Bulls got knocked in the first round of the playoffs that season.

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In his early years, Jordan had dominant seasons and immense individual success. But he never managed to find any significant playoff success. At the time, the Bad Boy Pistons were his biggest hurdle. Jordan and the Chicago Bulls faced off against the Bady Boy Pistons in four straight playoff series. In the first three series, the Pistons dominated Jordan and the Bulls. But after years of failure and humiliation, Jordan and the Bulls finally managed to defeat the aging Pistons in the 1991 ECF.

 

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Written by:

K Shrijith

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K Shrijith is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Currently pursuing his BBA degree, Shrijith has a keen interest in the world of finance. In fact, he has past experience in equity research and writing research reports on the subject of finance.
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Edited by:

Vineet Nandwana