LA Clippers star Paul George recently talked about how he thinks he would have handled being teammates with Michael Jordan.
When the LA Clippers acquired Paul George last summer, they knew they were getting an established star and winner to pair with Kawhi Leonard to create one of the best duos in the NBA. The pair have done well so far, leading the Clippers to the second-best record in the Western Conference this year. The team remains one of the favorites to win the NBA championship once play does resume.
Recently, George spoke to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and the topic of how he’d pair with another elite NBA star of the past came up in their discussion.
The Last Dance documentary has the entire basketball world revisiting and discussing the career of Michael Jordan. New behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Jordan’s former teammates have shed more light on what he was like as a teammate, and how his win-at-all-cost attitude might not have meshed with everyone.
Wojnarowski asked George how he thought he would fare if given the opportunity to play with Jordan.
“You know what, I wouldn’t have had a hard time with that,” George responded.
George elaborated, saying that he grew up idolizing Kobe Bryant, who gained a lot of his fiery competitive nature from studying and idolizing Jordan.
“I grew up with watching Kobe, right?” George said. “I gained an appreciation with his will to win and his fieriness. Me being in Indiana, that’s kind of what I wanted to be. I wanted to be an enforcer to let people know I wanted to win and win at all costs. So I admired watching MJ during his documentary. I would have loved to play with a guy like that.”
This kind of mentality makes George a perfect player to pair with Kawhi Leonard to lead the team for the future of the franchise. Not only do the two complement each other nicely on the court, but they can also each lead in unique ways. While public perception of Leonard as quiet and reserved may not be completely accurate, according to his teammates, he does tend to remain stoic on the floor. While both Leonard and George provide leadership through example, George’s version of his own MJ-attitude or “Mamba mentality” can inspire teammates who might need a little more vocal leadership.
Personalities matter in basketball. It’s not enough to just put the best players on the floor if they don’t get along with each other, know how to communicate with each other, and lift each other up when they need it. Paul George seems to have studied the past well in order to mold himself into a leader the LA Clippers can be glad to call their own.