
via Getty
AUCHTERARDER, SCOTLAND – SEPTEMBER 26: Ex-NBA star Michael Jordan watches the action during the Morning Fourballs of the 2014 Ryder Cup on the PGA Centenary course at the Gleneagles Hotel on September 26, 2014 in Auchterarder, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

via Getty
AUCHTERARDER, SCOTLAND – SEPTEMBER 26: Ex-NBA star Michael Jordan watches the action during the Morning Fourballs of the 2014 Ryder Cup on the PGA Centenary course at the Gleneagles Hotel on September 26, 2014 in Auchterarder, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
NBA legend Michael Jordan is obsessed with winning. Over the years, many stories have been told about the competitive nature of MJ. His competitive fire began at an early age while playing pickup basketball with his siblings. Then various things added fuel to the fire as he grew. Not being selected for the varsity team played a huge role as well. This helped him become a superstar in the league and win six titles later on in his career. Interestingly, his competitive spirit was not just limited to the NBA.
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Jordan is competitive wherever he is or in whatever he does. Be it a game of cards or just a handshake, he wants to win at any cost. He’s so competitive that he would not even lose to children who attend his coaching camps. And it is the same whenever he’s going up against his own children as well. MJ has three children with his ex-wife Juanita Vanoy.
His two sons Jeffrey and Marcus wanted to follow in his footsteps to a have a career basketball. Similar to Jordan and his siblings, his sons used to play pickup basketball when they were young. So the Chicago Bulls legend wanted to teach them a few things about winning.
Michael Jordan wanted to teach his children about competitiveness
ESPN released a Sports Century documentary about Michael Jordan in 1999. The documentary had interviews with Jordan himself, people that were close to him, and media personalities. At one instance, Juanita Vanoy disclosed MJ wanted to win at everything and taught this to his children as well. Jordan then revealed he wanted to teach his youngest son about accepting a loss and competing. So he wanted his son to watch him play against his older son, Jeffrey. However, things turned out a bit different than anticipated. Jeffrey took an early 4-2 lead.
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“So I’m saying ‘I gotta get serious here because I’m really trying to prove a point to my kid.’ So the oldest, fakes one way, head, and shoulder fake, and throws up the most luckiest shot you have ever seen and it goes in. And I’m pissed and I looked back at my son, he looked at me and said, ‘Next.’ I turned away and I smile, and I say, ‘You know what? That’s my son.’ Because that was exactly what I would say,” Jordan said.
WATCH THIS STORY – Did Michael Jordan Play in 1994? Was Shaquille O?Neal the last player to beat MJ in the NBA playoffs?
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Jeffrey and Marcus Jordan developed a love for the game from a very early age. Even though they did not make it to the NBA, they were both decent high school players. And they both played college basketball as well.
Do you think Michael Jordan is the most competitive athlete ever? Let us know in the comments.
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