"If I burnout, I burnout. It means my career is short, and I can go and play golf" - Michael Jordan on why he never believed in pacing himself

“If I burnout, I burnout. It means my career is short, and I can go and play golf” – Michael Jordan on why he never believed in pacing himself originally appeared on Basketball Network.

All gas and no breaks — that was Michael Jordan‘s career. It was 15 seasons of all-out effort, 15 seasons of playing as hard as humanly possible and leaving it all on the line.

When Jordan entered the NBA, he was a player unlike anything the league had ever seen. The Association knew greatness, it knew high-level competition, but it never knew relentless, unforgiving, inexorable competitiveness quite like what Jordan brought to the table.

The Chicago Bulls legend ignited an unprecedented fire within the league. Jordan didn’t just beat opponents; he humiliated them. He showed them no mercy and trash-talked everyone persistently while doing it. Because MJ’s approach was unlike anything anyone had witnessed, the NBA public didn’t know how to react. His playing style was so extreme that questions began to arise about whether it was sustainable long-term.

Jordan didn’t care, however, and was upfront about his commitment to pushing as hard as he could until the wheels fell off, even if it meant a shorter career.

Jordan speaks out

Everyone wanted a piece of Jordan at the peak of his powers. If the Bulls icon played in today’s equivalent, every podcast, National TV station and talk show would jump at the opportunity to sit down and pick his brain. Unlike today, where it’s commonplace for superstars to have their own platforms, it wasn’t the case during MJ’s era, so getting time with him was a monumental event.

However, he did make time for the media when the conditions suited him, and one of those occasions was an appearance on “The Arsenio Hall Show” in 1990. Naturally, Jordan was asked about his approach to playing hard, and was very transparent in stating he would continue to go full throttle no matter what.

“When I play, I play hard all the time. There is no turning on here, turning on there. It’s just 110 percent all the time. If I burnout, I burnout,” he said. “It means my career is short, and I can go and play golf. In my whole life, I never paced myself. It’s all about going out and doing your best. A lot of people worry about me burning out, and I never have the time to worry about it. I just go out and play.”

In fairness, Jordan’s tune has never changed, even when stepping away from the game. He was cut from an old-school cloth that deeply valued hard work and believed in leaving it all out on the court. He left no questions unanswered when he stepped on the hardwood, and there was never a time in his career when anyone watching could have questioned his work ethic or his will to win.

It’s been decades since he retired, but it still bothers Jordan when players in the modern NBA don’t value those same traits. One of the main issues he raises is the entitlement the new generation carries with them before they’ve achieved anything in the league. Of course, it’s not all of their own doing, but MJ, in particular, pinpoints inking rookies to millions of dollars before they’ve even played a single minute in the Association.

For example, Cooper Flagg’s rookie contract is worth over $62 million, with the first two years guaranteed at $28 million. It doesn’t significantly ease up as the lottery goes on, either, with second overall pick Dylan Harper signing on the dotted line for over $56 million, third overall pick VJ Edgecombe signing for over $50 million, and even the 30th pick in the first round set to make over $14 million on his first deal.

And that’s only player salary. It doesn’t account for NIL money that’s already been pocketed or any endorsement and advertising deals.

This, in turn, has inhibited the very fabric Jordan stood for, which was earning your keep by playing hard as your baseline. Nowadays, you can make a strong case that the lifestyle and money bestowed on a younger, less established era of players has given them a license to avoid playing hard every single night.

“Playing hard is a skill”

Lucky for us and the league’s general livelihood, there are still equally as many players in the Association who abide by Jordan’s ethos. In reality, if everyone in the league didn’t prioritize playing hard, the competitive spirit would fizzle out and the product would die out quickly.

One of the great examples of playing hard in today’s league is Indiana Pacers point guard TJ McConnell, who has put together a successful 10-year career by simply outworking his opponents.

McConnell was never heavily recruited during high school or college, and went undrafted in 2015 before signing with the Philadelphia 76ers. After that, it was impossible not to play him, as his energy and relentlessness on the floor oozed through the locker room. Fast forward a decade, and he’s just finishing playing an integral role in the Pacers reaching the NBA Finals.

Players like McConnell continue to keep Jordan’s legacy alive. MJ wouldn’t have been the player he was if he had not combined his generational talent with an unwavering mission to exhaust every last ounce of energy to maximize his God-given ability.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 15, 2025, where it first appeared.

“If I burnout, I burnout. It means my career is short, and I can go and play golf” – Michael Jordan on why he never believed in pacing himself

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