For The Love Of The Game
We all know how much MJ loved the game of basketball, and he said it himself — ‘love of the game’ is what pushed and motivated him throughout his career and ultimately propelled him into the superstar legend status he carries today.
Because of this unbreakable bond between MJ and the game of basketball, he was the first player in NBA history to have a “love of the game” clause added to his contract.
This clause essentially allowed him to play basketball anywhere he wanted, with no liability for unfortunate events like injuries.
Recommended Articles
Jordan could play in exhibition games, scrimmages or just a pickup game in a random park whenever he wanted. Furthermore, MJ is the only player that Chicago Bulls’ general manager Jerry Krause ever thought about giving this clause to and one can only imagine what would happen if Jerry refused.
MJ didn’t hang out at playgrounds, but he played in a lot of high-level pickup games just for maintaining his conditioning and competitive edge during the off-season.
Nowadays, we see many players playing in pickup games and scrimmages, most of these games are published on various social media, so it seems like a regular thing. But only a few decades ago, it was prohibited throughout the league.
It’s always nice to see guys who earn millions of dollars in the NBA, going out and playing basketball in a pickup game, just for the love of the game.
