For decades, Michael Jordan has been defined by one trait above all else: an unmatched competitive drive.
It fueled six championships with the Chicago Bulls, built a global brand, and cemented his status as the greatest player in basketball history. But according to Jordan himself, that same edge comes with a cost-one he jokingly describes as a “curse.”
Michael Jordan tells Gayle King why he thinks he is cursed
While speaking with journalist Gayle King about his involvement in 23XI Racing, the NASCAR Cup Series organization he co-owns, Jordan offered a revealing look into how deeply competition is wired into his personality. The team, launched in 2020 alongside Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing, represents his continued presence in elite-level sports even long after his playing days ended.
Jordan’s competitive instinct never turns off
Jordan explained that his competitive instinct doesn’t turn off once he leaves the court or the boardroom. Instead, it seeps into every part of his daily life. “The joy of seeing competition, right? I’m a very competitive person. 100%. I think I’m cursed, I’m cursed with this competitive gene that anything that I do, if it’s getting dressed, I want to get dressed before my wife gets dressed, those types of things. I’m cursed!” he said.
It’s a striking admission from someone whose career was built on turning that mentality into dominance. Stories about Jordan’s relentless drive have become part of sports folklore, from his fierce practice habits to his refusal to lose even the smallest challenges.
That mindset was famously highlighted in projects like The Last Dance, which showcased how his internal fire often pushed teammates-and himself-to extremes. That trait got Jordan in trouble and even fighting some of his own teammates. Greatness is not given, right?
Michael knows very well that he’s a ‘difficult’ person
What makes Jordan‘s comment notable is not that he’s competitive, but how he frames it. By calling it a “curse,” he acknowledges the double-edged nature of that mindset. The same obsession that helped him outwork opponents and define an era can also make it difficult to relax or step away from competition in everyday life.
His transition into ownership roles, including with 23XI Racing, suggests that the competitive drive never fades-it simply finds new arenas. Whether it’s chasing wins in NASCAR or striving to be first in something as trivial as getting dressed, Jordan‘s perspective offers a rare glimpse into the personality behind the legend.
For fans, it reinforces what they’ve long suspected: Jordan didn’t just play competitively-he lives that way. And even for someone who reached the pinnacle of global sports, that constant need to compete is something he still wrestles with, seeing it not just as a gift, but as a lifelong burden.
