“You have one requirement… You just have to be open and ready to shoot” – John Paxson on how easy it is to play with Michael Jordan originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Chicago Bulls icon John Paxson is one of Michael Jordan’s most important teammates. The sharpshooting guard nailed a slew of clutch buckets in the 1991 NBA Finals to lead the Chicago Bulls to their first-ever NBA Championship. Fast forward to the 1993 NBA Finals, Paxson knocked down a game-winning 3-pointer against the Phoenix Suns to complete the three-peat.
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It is through his significant time with Jordan that Paxson learned how easy it is to play with a shooting guard of his legendary caliber. When you receive the pass, be calm and let the ball fly.
“You have one requirement when you’re the other guard with Michael Jordan,” said Paxson in 1993, via the Los Angeles Times. “You don’t have to drive. You don’t have to pass. You just have to be open and ready to shoot.”
Paxson’s championship clincher
Paxson understood his role and did it well. This became critical in Game 6 of the 1993 NBA Finals against the Suns. Jordan revealed that the play Phil Jackson drew up was for him to drive straight to the rim.
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However, as the play progressed, MJ noticed that the Suns’ defense immediately collapsed on him. This tested the Bulls’ audible skills and chemistry and Chicago proved why they were champions. Even amid intense pressure, the team kept on moving the ball until they found the open man.
“The first option was to come off the Blind Pig (a backdoor passing action in the Triangle),” MJ explained. “If I was open, to give it to me driving to the hole. Well, in that play, when I was going to the hole, I brought a lot of attention because I just scored a layup. Horace (Grant) is wide open. When he (Scottie) threw it to Horace, Horace had the notion that he hasn’t made any free throws, he didn’t wanna get fouled.”
“So, it was a tossback, right back to Paxson… He had the feeling that it was a better shot, and Pax went for the win,” Jordan added.
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For Paxson, he was just doing what he was supposed to do. Way before the 3-point revolution, NBA teams acquired designated shooters like him, whose job was to stay behind the line and let it fly when they were open.
“It’s just instinct,” Paxson said. “Catch and shoot, like I’ve done thousands of times in my life.”
Jordan was a big Paxson fan
If it weren’t for Jordan, Paxson would’ve been out of Chicago after the 1990-91 NBA season. After all, the Bulls’ front office had no intentions of paying the sharpshooting guard his worth, even after his major contributions.
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To keep Paxson on the roster, MJ publicly criticized Bulls executives for their missteps in constructing a contending roster. He highlighted Paxson’s role on the squad, particularly his unselfishness and professionalism.
“He’s loyal. He doesn’t say anything and what does he want, maybe seven hundred thousand, eight hundred thousand dollars, and they’re going to screw him. I just hate that. This is going to be our last chance to win,” Jordan said about Paxson via Sam Smith’s “The Jordan Rules.”
After Jordan’s tirade, the Bulls signed Paxson to a three-year deal. And as they say, the rest is history. Mike wasn’t just an extraordinary player; he had the foresight and eye for talent. He knew Paxson was a critical part of their success, and did everything he could to keep him.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 27, 2025, where it first appeared.