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Michael Jordan Once Outclassed Dominique Wilkins, Isiah Thomas and Larry Bird Winning $17,000, but Not in Basketball

Published 08/20/2022, 9:30 PM EDT

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It’s no secret that Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan is an ultimate competitor. From the basketball court to a small bet or a friendly competition, Jordan made sure he won. In fact, he once won against Dominique Wilkins, Isiah Thomas, and Larry Bird, but not in a game of basketball. And he ended up pocketing $17,000 as a result.

On the basketball court, Jordan was a winner. He prevailed against opponents with just sheer will and determination. And this is one of the reasons he is regarded as arguably the GOAT. But off the court, Jordan had the same mentality. He did not like to lose and would strive until he overcame his opponent. This was one such incident where the odds were stacked against him and he still prevailed.

Michael Jordan overcame insane odds to win against Bird, Thomas, and Wilkins

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Back in the day, GQ interviewed Jordan and featured some of his insane stories. And one of them included a fishing competition against his rivals. It’s probably a lesser-known fact that Jordan had never fished in his life before that. He was also very nervous when he was in a boat as he did not know how to swim.

Michael Jordan, Who Used A $331,000 Ferrari and Cigar to Intimidate Opponents, Once Got Verbally Smacked By Charles Barkley on Live TV: “If Anybody Say Anything to My Teammates, They Gonna Have to Go Through Me”

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So when he went up against Bird, Wilkins, Thomas, and others, many expected him to lose. The only reason he was even out there was that his rivals were present, too. And he would not them outclass him.

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Despite insurmountable odds and a lack of knowledge about fishing, Jordan won the competition. He had the biggest bass out there and not only that; he caught as many as his other twelve opponents combined; he won a bonus of $17,000.

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WATCH THIS STORY: When Michael Jordan made a huge statement of Tiger Woods 

At the end of the day, Jordan is a winner. On the court, he won six titles and 5 MVP awards. And off the court, he had no match either. Let it be a golf bet or a shoot-around, Jordan was known for winning. Even at things he wasn’t good at, like fishing, Jordan made sure he outclassed his opponents.

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Written by:

Vishwesha Kumar

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Vishwesha Kumar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Holder of a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Vishwesha has been writing content for about 3 years now. He has been following the NBA for nearly 10 years, since first starting off in the year 2012.
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Edited by:

Melroy Fernandes