"I just lost it" - Michael Jordan once went off after Bulls' owner for suggesting load management over injury risk

Former Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan was never a fan of load management. It was suggested to it by Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf during his sophomore season. During the 1985-86 NBA season, Jordan's season was limited to 18 games as he broke his foot in the third game of the campaign.

While recovering from the injury, Reinsdorf was concerned about Jordan's well-being as he had just started his career. The owner suggested that the eventual six-time NBA champion sit out the rest of the season. However, Jordan insisted on playing when his foot healed and returned to action in March.

In 2020's "The Last Dance," the story is mentioned, and Jordan discusses his mentality at the time.

"I gradually worked my way up to a point where I'm playing 5-on-5 in a game," a younger version of Jordan said. "And I get confidence that the foot is completely healed, and I can play on it."

Reinsdorf claims that Jordan questioned the physician about the likelihood that playing would cause him to get another injury. The doctor told the Bulls star there was a 10% chance.

"I just lost it. I said, 'It's 10% chance, but it's 90% chance that I won't.' ... Everybody's just thinking about the negative. While I think the glass is half full, everybody (thinks) that it's half empty," he added.

The owner explained his side by using an example. According to Reinsdorf, he gave a situation to MJ where he was dealing with a headache, and there were 10 pills. However, only nine of the pills can cure his headache, and the remaining one could finish him. This was Jordan's response:

"I looked at him and said, 'Depends on how f***ing bad the headache is.'"

Jordan averaged 22.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists during his brief time on the court. In three games, he averaged 43.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, helping the Bulls advance to the playoffs.

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Michael Jordan refused to practice load management

Michael Jordan's 1985-86 season isn't the only instance of him refusing to practice load management. The Bulls and the Utah Jazz faced off in the 1997 NBA Finals. Jordan wasn't feeling well in Game 5 because he had flu-like symptoms.

In his 2020 documentary, Jordan explained that he didn't experience flu. Instead, he dealt with food poisoning. The night before the game, his trainer, Tim Grover, ordered a pizza, which the 14-time All-Star ate all by himself.

The following morning, he didn't have the best feeling and claimed to have gone to the bathroom in the middle of the night, throwing up. However, it did not stop him from being present for his team, and he led the Bulls to a victory with 38 points.