Larry Bird Gave This Secret Sauce to Michael Jordan Which Helped an NBA All-Star Years Later

When it comes to setting an example, Michael Jordan may be the most inspirational athlete of all time. In addition to being recognized as the number 23 and winning six NBA championships throughout his playing days, the basketball great has a lot to say regarding what it means to be successful. Especially since it’s coming from a legend like him, it’s wise counsel.

Michael Jordan is famous, and he certainly deserves all the attention he gets. There has never been a better basketball player than him. When Jordan played, he defied the laws of physics.

The retired NBA star, Jamal Mashburn, opened up about his life and career days, and how MJ’s advice became a boon, changed his playstyle, and scored 50 points after following Jordan’s words. In a recent interview on the YouTube show Fansided, he revealed how he kept scoring well in his career. 

He said, “He (14 times NBA All-star) was like Jamal you love to go left 80% of the time. And he said something to me he was like Hey listen uh this is something that was passed down to me from Larry Bird and Dr J. He said to always play the game within the game. And I was like what do you mean Michael.”

Jordan made Mashburn understand the real meaning of his quote. Mashburn continued, “He was like well if you go left 80% of the time within the game. Make sure you go right pull up jumpshot all the way when you’re going right to keep people off balance.”

From there he understood and played well with Jordan’s philosophy. 

Mashburn further mentioned, “And probably about five games after that all I can’t remember how many games it was.”

“I scored 50 points just using that philosophy you know what I mean and I realized and that was my second time in my career scoring 50 points and this is my 10th year in the NBA.”

And Jamal Mashburn continued how amazingly legend Micheal Jordan used to play. 

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Jamal Mashburn’s favorite players of all time 

Even retired NBA greats like Mashburn, who knows the game inside and out, have their preferred starting lineups from the league’s golden era. 

Isiah Thomas is someone whom Mashburn admires; he thinks that the majority of people fail to appreciate his peak performance. Even more impressive is the fact that he won two consecutive NBA titles with the Detroit Pistons and defeated Bird, Magic, and Jordan when they were at the height of their careers.

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