Fearless Michael Jordan Admitted Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Dr.J “Intimidated” Him in 1998: “I Wasn’t Afraid of Them”
The heroics of Michael Jordan are etched in the memories of every NBA fan. Despite being one of us, in flesh and blood, Jordan scaled himself to the point where he was god-like. Understandably, it is difficult to imagine that the man who won NBA championships for fun was intimidated by someone. His Airness admitted to being intimidated by the likes of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson during an interview with Vanity Fair in 1998.
Although Jordan went on to become arguably the greatest ever in the game of basketball, him being intimidated by his idols is understandable. Later in his career, even his heroes acknowledged the Chicago Bulls legend’s greatness. During his interview, the 6x NBA champion explained the difference between how he saw his idols on the court and off of it.
When Michael Jordan used to be intimidated by other NBA legends
Although he wasn’t afraid of them on the court as Jordan still believed that he was the best on the hardwood. The personalities of his idols and the surrounding aura off the court made a young Jordan look at them differently. During a 1998 interview with Vanity Fair, he said, “I wasn’t afraid of them on the court, because I believed I had the skills to compete with anybody.”
