Maybe you don’t care about the NBA.
Doesn’t matter.
I certainly care less than I used to.
But you must admire this.
Suffering from flu-like symptoms, nearly dehydrated, Michael Jordan further cemented his legacy by playing on the biggest stage, and willing himself to win, while clearly under severe physical duress.
It was Game 5 of the NBA Finals, 1997, and the series was tied 2-2 against the Utah Jazz.
My guess is the Jazz felt they could take advantage of the sickly Jordan, as a kind of “underdog” scenario.
It’s also plausible that many players, even with so much on the line, might choose to sit out.
Some players, and people, opt for that out way too easily.
Not Michael Jordan.
There were times he wa
s so weak and depleted that he found himself staggering and struggled to stand upright.
By the end of the game, Scottie Pippen had to carry him off the court.
But in the game, he scored 38 points, including a 3-Pointer with 30 seconds to go to seal the win.
Phil Jackson called it one of the most heroic things he’s ever seen on a basketball court, further adding to his legend.
Maybe you think he did it for himself, but basketball is a team game.
And think about all the fans in Chicago, and the world, who witnessed one of the greatest acts of grit and determination ever seen in any sports.
Sometimes you have to play sick if you still want to win.
That’s will. That’s what MJ showed us.
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