Horace Grant is one of the former Chicago Bulls players who is absolutely convinced that Michael Jordan is the one true GOAT. Interestingly, Grant didn’t have to break down Jordan’s legacy or count his accolades to prove that MJ deserves that title. For Grant, he already knew the moment he witnessed Jordan’s work ethic.
Admittedly, Grant was in awe of MJ’s commitment to practice. Jordan was already one of the best players in the league when Grant joined the Bulls in 1987. However, Grant noted that MJ still constantly worked on his game.
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To this day, Horace vividly recalls how Jordan would set the tone for the entire team during practice sessions. It was always plain and simple for MJ – go hard or go home.
“Man let me tell you, we thought this guy was just the devil,” Grant once said of Jordan on the Scoop B Radio podcast. “When I say the devil that’s out of respect. In terms of the way he practiced, we thought that we were the Detroit Pistons or the New York Knicks. This guy practiced so hard, and if you weren’t on his team in practice you were his enemy.”
“And that’s how driven this man was, and that’s why you can say that he was the best player that ever played this game,” he continued.
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Horace doesn’t see anybody in the same category as MJ
This wasn’t the first time Grant was asked to comment on Jordan’s case for being the GOAT. He revealed on more than one occasion that he never really had a great relationship with MJ as a teammate, he wouldn’t discredit “His Airness” and his undeniable greatness.
For Horace, no other player has earned the right to be mentioned in the same sentence as Mike. Having played alongside the likes of Kobe Bryant, Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O’Neal, Grant felt he was in a perfect position to dismiss all the comparisons.
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Grant argued that no matter what the people who didn’t witness Jordan play firsthand say, he would always tell them that MJ was different.
“Don’t compare anybody to Michael Jordan,” Grant once said in a separate discussion. “I’ve seen it firsthand. I played with Kobe [Bryant], Penny [Hardaway], but [Michael Jordan] is in a class by himself. I’m telling you from the standpoint of how strong he was, athletic, and that drive, that killer instinct.”
Jordan’s teammates never questioned his GOAT status
Because of Jordan’s remarkable dedication, the Bulls developed into a championship-caliber team. With a great leader in charge, Grant and the ’90s Bulls were able to match other team’s physicality and relentlessness on the court.
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Through leading by example, especially during practice, Jordan earned the respect of his teammates. Though not all of them admired Jordan’s personality, they are in unison in declaring him the rightful NBA GOAT.
Nearly every former Bull would praise Jordan for his work ethic and commitment to winning. For them, MJ earned GOAT status not just because of his skills and NBA titles. Instead, his consistency and constant pursuit of nothing less than team success made him a cut above the rest.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.