Michael Jordan is one of the fiercest competitors the NBA has ever seen. Jordan was a phenomenal athlete with a ferocious competitive streak. His desire to be the best led him to six NBA Championships, including two three-peats with the Chicago Bulls. Aside from this, he is a five-time NBA MVP, six-time Finals MVP, and a former Defensive Player of the Year.

‘The Last Dance’ documentary began airing in April of this year, during the pandemic. The documentary features backstage access to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls during the 1997-98 NBA season. The docuseries became an instant hit with fans, as they got unprecedented access into the team and the workings of Michael Jordan.

One of the key points of emphasis was how competitive and demanding Michael Jordan was. MJ demanded the best not only of himself but of his teammates too. This would often led to Jordan berating his teammates and admonishing them for not doing what he felt was needed of them.

Jordan’s aggressive nature was a discussion point among many fans. Some argued that Jordan’s fiery aggression is what made him one of the greatest players ever. His desire to win needed to be matched by his teammates so that they could achieve the collective goal. Whereas others argued that Jordan often took liberties with teammates that he had no authority to. Regardless of how good he was, Jordan should not, in the minds of fans, have treated his teammates poorly.

Michael Jordan – Toxic?

The Last Dance documentary has split fans over Michael Jordan’s competitiveness, but not on his talent. The docuseries allowed many fans to understand how pivotal Jordan was to the sport of basketball, with many of Jordan’s friends and contemporaries praising what he could do on the basketball court. Jordan is undefeated in the NBA Finals, winning all six of the series he has been in.

Comedian TK Kirkland spoke to Cam Capone News. On the subject of the last dance, Kirkland was critical of how Jordan behaved with his teammates. He said, “I had mixed feelings. When I watched the interview, I didn’t like Michael Jordan… Because I felt like the players were in a toxic atmosphere.

“I felt for the players. That’s how they felt when they were dealing with him in practice. They had to kiss his a** to not be blackballed, or him to not do something to you. And no man should have to go through that. As a player he was great, but when I saw the Last Dance, I didn’t like it.”

When asked whether that fire made him the player he was, Kirkland didn’t think Jordan had to be so aggressive. “I still think you can get the same results by being a nice person. You should know when to delegate authority. When people are not used to power that’s how they act.”

Michael Jordan’s competitive nature was the driving force behind his desire to be great. While people may not have liked how he acted, no one can argue that it got him results. His former teammates have come forward and spoken fondly about Jordan and the time they spent playing with him.