Michael Jordan conquered the ultimate prize in basketball at the start of the decade in 1990. He won the NBA championship thrice on the trot, won many other accolades, including three finals MVP trophies for the three Finals that he and the Chicago Bulls won. The Bulls legend was on top of the world and an icon for basketball. There was nothing he could’ve done more to solidify his legacy in the sport.

 Meanwhile, Jordan retired and came back in 1995 for his second stint in the NBA. He once recalled the difficulty to cope with a similar pressure and perform with the same intensity as he did in his first championship campaign.

Michael Jordan on retrieving the hunger to win Championships

The Bulls no. 23 won it all several times and suddenly left the sport because of personal reasons and also the lack of will to play basketball. Michael Jordan lost his father in 1993. This was a difficult phase for Jordan as he time and again has mentioned.

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While talking to Ahmad Rashad in 2004, Michael Jordan described how difficult it was to win a championship after coming back from retirement. “Anytime you win, obviously to do it over and over again is a big challenge, ‘cause you gotta get yourself mentally back to that hunger like you never really won, which is probably the most difficult thing to do. To repeat doing something,” the Bulls legend said.

“Cause the first time you’re hungry,” he added.

The six-time NBA champion implied that reinvigorating that motivation inside yourself is a difficult task as you’ve changed as a person and you are used to having success which might make you complacent while you’re on the job again. 

MJ also added that the 1996 Finals win over the Seattle Supersonics by the Chicago Bulls was the most special one for him. He mentioned how the championship was won on Father’s day. And it seemed like the stars had aligned for this to be a fitting tribute to his late father. “This is for Daddy, I’m very happy for him.”, the Bulls’ legend said after the 1996 NBA Finals.

Jordan’s first retirement

The Bulls no 23 won three championships on the trot and decided to quit the game of basketball. The two biggest reasons are the loss of his father and his lack of motivation to play the game.  

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He retired in 1993 with a press conference announcement only to return later and secure three more consecutive championship wins.