“I don’t go hunting for it” – A young Michael Jordan shut down Bulls’ doubts about his late-game heroics

Michael Jordan, the undisputed king of basketball, was not always the confident, clutch performer we saw in his prime. In the early days of his career, even with his immense talent, there were doubts within the Chicago Bulls organization about his ability to deliver in the crucial moments of a game.

One specific incident, recounted by legendary coach Phil Jackson in his book “Eleven Rings,” showcased the evolution of Jordan’s mindset and the journey from a prodigious talent to an iconic closer.

During the 1986-87 season, a season in which Jordan was just starting to blossom into the superstar he would become, the Bulls were struggling in a tight game. They found themselves down in the final seconds, and with a chance to tie the game, the ball was in Jordan’s hands.

Instead of making a decisive play to tie the game, Jordan hesitated. This hesitancy sparked a wave of anxiety and questioning within the Bulls’ coaching staff. “What’s going on with him?” one of the assistants questioned, “Why won’t he take the shot?”

Following the loss, coach Doug Collins confronted Jordan about his lack of aggression and his apparent aversion to taking the final shot. He was adamant about the need for Jordan to be the team’s leader, especially in crunch time.

However, Jordan had a different perspective. He explained that his reluctance to take the shot was not out of fear, but a deliberate tactic. He believed that forcing a shot when the defense was set would lead to a low-percentage outcome, potentially hindering the Bulls’ chances.

His philosophy was centered around the concept of creating opportunities by disrupting the defense and waiting for the ideal situation. He articulated this perspective with a succinct, yet powerful statement, “I don’t go hunting for it. I just wait until the opportunity comes.”

This instance highlighted a fundamental difference in basketball strategy between the ‘hero ball’ mentality of forcing a shot and Jordan’s more nuanced approach of creating chaos, opening up opportunities for both himself and his teammates. It reflected his understanding that being clutch wasn’t simply about taking the shot; it was about maximizing the chance of scoring by carefully analyzing the game.

Later in his career, Jordan’s decision-making process in clutch situations was widely lauded as one of his greatest strengths. His uncanny ability to read the game, wait for the perfect opening, and execute with unwavering precision made him a force to be reckoned with in the final moments.

While Jordan’s early hesitation in the face of late-game pressure may have been a moment of uncertainty, it ultimately became a catalyst for his evolution as a player. His realization that true clutch performance is not solely defined by taking a shot, but by the art of orchestrating an opportunity, allowed him to define what being a clutch player truly meant. It demonstrated that even the greatest basketball player of all time could learn and adapt, shaping him into the unstoppable force that etched his name into basketball history.