Michael Jordan Says Load Management ‘Shouldn’t Be Needed’
michael-jordan-says-load-management-shouldnt-be-needed
During the second episode of NBC’s “Insights to Excellence” series, which aired Tuesday after the Milwaukee Bucks’ 121-111 victory over the New York Knicks, Michael Jordan criticized the growing practice of load management in the NBA.
“It shouldn’t be needed, first and foremost,” the six-time champion said when asked about players sitting out games for rest. Jordan emphasized that he never considered skipping a contest if he was healthy, citing both competitive drive and respect for paying fans. “I never wanted to miss a game because it was an opportunity to prove… the fans are there to watch me play. I want to impress that guy way up on top who probably worked his ass off to get money to buy the ticket.”
The Hall of Famer appeared in at least 70 games in 12 of his 15 NBA seasons, missing extended stretches only because of injury or retirement. He told the program that choosing rest when fit was never on the table. “You have a duty,” Jordan said. “If the guys are coming to watch me play, I don’t want to miss that opportunity. Physically, if I can’t do it, then I can’t do it. But if I just don’t feel like doing it, that’s a whole different lens.”
Jordan pointed to his famous “flu game” in the 1997 NBA Finals as an example of playing through adversity. Battling illness, he scored 38 points to lead the Chicago Bulls past the Utah Jazz in pivotal Game 5. “I could never leave my comrades if I could perform,” he recalled. “Once I got out there, you never know how you’re pushing yourself… the need of the team catapulted me to gut this thing out.”
Load management, now routine across the league and often directed by medical staffs, remains at odds with Jordan’s approach. For the 14-time All-Star, the message is simple: if you’re able, you play.
Source: Hoops Wire
