Michael Jordan‘s career was synonymous with success, but surprisingly, he doesn’t consider championships the be-all and end-all. For the Chicago Bulls legend, rings were a nice feather in his cap, but the lack of one did not mean the end of the world.
“It would be disappointing if I’ve never won, but my career would never, never, never be disappointing because of the success that I have gone through, the friends I’ve met, the experience that I’ve been through,” Jordan said in a 1991 interview with Pat Riley. “The game would still be as fun and remembered for me even if I never win the world championship.”
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“I would much rather win, but if I don’t, I’m not gonna look back at my career and say it was tarnished because there was no world championship,” added a then 28-year-old MJ.
At the time of the interview, Jordan and the Bulls suffered six straight seasons of futility. They were looking to stop the Detroit Pistons’ curse, the team that eliminated them in three consecutive postseasons.
MJ’s assessment was honest, but it’s also worth asking if he’d have had the same stance if he had already won a championship at the time. Nevertheless, it was proof that Jordan’s hunger wasn’t fueled by jewelry but by his love for the competition itself.
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Jordan’s basketball accomplishments until 1991
Of course, His Airness and the Bulls turned the tables on their tormentors by sweeping the Bad Boys in the 1991 ECF. They then won the first of their six championships by beating the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.
However, would Jordan be reasonable if he did not consider his career a failure with the absence of a ring at that point?
Well, even without that elusive championship in 1991, Jordan’s resumé already spoke volumes. Going back to his college days, he’d hit the game-winner for North Carolina in the 1982 title game, considered one of the most iconic shots in the history of college basketball. By the time he entered the NBA, his winning habits had long been established.
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The Bulls initially struggled with Jordan, but that was hardly his fault. He was often the lone bright spot of the squad and shattered expectations with his nightly performances. He dropped a still-playoff-record 63 points against the dynastic Boston Celtics in the 1986 postseason, earning praise from Larry Bird, who famously called him “God disguised as Michael Jordan.”
By 1991, “Black Jesus” already claimed multiple scoring titles, an MVP award and even a Defensive Player of the Year. For any other player, that’s already a Hall of Fame career, even before the rings come into play!
Today’s ring culture
In June 2025, LeBron James caught flak when he shared his take about ring culture in the NBA. According to the Los Angeles Lakers superstar, championships shouldn’t be the foremost determinant of a player’s greatness.
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It’s funny how much the conversation has come full circle. James made almost the same point as MJ — that a career shouldn’t be judged solely on championships. Still, the former was criticized for his stance, but the latter was given a pass.
Whatever the case, Jordan’s tone and mindset felt different. His comment didn’t come from the luxury of hindsight, but from somebody who had the fire of competing still burning. He wasn’t dismissing the idea of winning, as evidenced by his words; MJ was showing that his drive existed with or without validation.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 7, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.