Being great doesn’t mean losing yourself

On Sunday, ESPN aired the first two episodes of “The Last Dance,” a 10-part documentary featuring Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

Considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all-time, Jordan’s achievements remain unrivaled.

Some of Jordan’s career highlights include: 6-time NBA Champion, 6-time Finals MVP, 5-time NBA MVP, 14-time All-Star and 10-time First-Team All- NBA Selection.

Jordan became the face of basketball during the 1990s and turned the Chicago Bulls into a dynasty.

Known for being insanely competitive, Jordan conspired not only to beat his opposition, but to demoralize them. No matter who tried to defend him, the world knew he couldn’t be stopped.

Nevertheless, Jordan’s competitive fire did consist of its ups and downs. Several of his former teammates have gone on record saying how they hated playing with him. The records indicate that Jordan cursed out and berated opponents and teammates on a regular basis.

One account discloses that he gave teammates Steve Kerr and Will Purdue black eyes during fist fights.

Jerry Stackhouse played with Jordan during his time with the Washington Wizards and said he lost respect for Jordan after playing with him.

“Honestly, I wish I had never played for Washington. I didn’t enjoy that season at all,” Stackhouse said. “I lost the reverence I had for Michael after that season.”

This competitive edge caused Jordan problems off the court. His desire to win led to a gambling issue in which he acquired over a million dollars in debt.

Some people speculate that his first retirement in 1993 was a suspension by NBA Commissioner David Stern for his gambling actions, while others suspect that the 1993 murder of his father, James R. Jordan Sr., had something to do with Jordan’s gambling debt.

While watching “The Last Dance,” it caused me to ponder how far is too far?

Yes, everyone wants to win, and everyone wants the glory, but at what price are you willing to achieve it?

As a former athlete, I wanted to win as much as the next competitor. I dedicated every fiber of my being to my teams to earn a victory.

When I became team captain, sometimes I had to scold my teammates to get them to perform at their best. However, never in my wildest dreams did I think about harming my teammates.

I wanted to be respected, not feared, and to lead by example.

As I reflect, I realize I was a competitor but maybe I lacked that chip on the shoulder mentality like the one Michael Jordan had.

I wondered if I was a little bit more assertive would I have won championships? Would I be remembered as a legend if I called my teammates out more often?

I also wondered did I do the right thing by being myself, keeping an even keel demeanor and treating my teammates with respect?

In essence, different types of leaders govern in various ways and everything isn’t for everybody.

Being a loud, screaming and cursing type of leader was not for me.

Although I might not have been the most boisterous person in the room, I still viewed myself as a fierce competitor.

I refused to quit. I wanted to be a teacher rather than a dictator. I knew being an even keel type of leader didn’t make me “soft” or mean that anybody I competed against wanted it more than me.

Remaining true to myself and enjoying how I chose to play the game are the memories I cherish. Even though I never won any championships, I know I gave it all I had. Therefore, I have no regrets.

When I look at sports history, I see plenty of leaders who avoided the need to yell and disrespect others and are still considered one of the greats.

Some of these players include Steph Curry, Larry Fitzgerald, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan, Julio Jones and others.

You never hear about these players using harsh words and they are all first ballot hall of famers.

The moral of the story is being great requires sacrifice and hard work, but it doesn’t mean you have to lose sight of who you are in the process.