The practice of load management has become a common trend in the NBA in recent times. Unfortunately, it can be a matter of bad timing for fans if they happen to be in the stands when an All-Star or their favorite player is sitting out.
This is one of the reasons why Michael Jordan, who many people see as the greatest basketball player of all time, believes players shouldn’t even consider missing a game as long as they’re healthy enough to take the court.
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“It shouldn’t be needed, first and foremost,” Jordan said about load management during NBC’s most recent edition of ‘MJ: Insights to Excellence.’
Michael Jordan shares his thoughts on load management on the second installment of MJ: Insights to Excellence.
“I never wanted to miss a game because it was an opportunity to prove…the fans are there to watch me play." pic.twitter.com/h7g6krplDQ
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) October 29, 2025
“I never wanted to miss a game because it was an opportunity to prove. It was something that I felt like, you know, the fans are there to watch me play. I wanted to impress that guy way up on top who probably worked his a** off to get a ticket.”
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Apart from not wanting to disappoint any of the fans in the arena, the six time NBA Champion also wasn’t interested in the possibility of potentially letting down his teammates, as he alluded to one of his most famous moments as a player.
“I always felt the necessary need that I could never leave my comrades out if I could perform,” he said. “Even if I couldn’t – Utah, (during the 1997 NBA Finals) great example. Everybody says the flu game. It’s Game 5, which is a very pivotal game.
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“I was going to find a way to get out there even if I was a decoy. Well once I got out there, you never know how pushing yourself, you never know what happens right.”
Jun 11, 1997; Salt Lake City, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan gets a hug from teammate Scottie Pippin after the Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz in game five of the 1997 NBA Finals at the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY
The Chicago Bulls legend displayed intense passion and hunger every time he stepped on the hardwood, in a career that saw him claim five league MVPs and six Finals MVPs.
And even after over 20 years since his last NBA game, Jordan’s views on load management are perhaps a sign that his unmatched competitive spirit is still going strong.
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