Dominique Wilkins Shares Unforgettable Story About How Cocksure Michael Jordan Was In His Playing Days

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Nearly two decades after his retirement, the legend of Michael Jordan continues to grow. There’s been no shortage of first-hand accounts that exemplify MJ’s eat-you-first-born-child-level competitiveness and effortless cool.

Atlanta Hawks icon and Hall-of-Famer Dominque Wilkins shared a Jordan story that stuck with him throughout his NBA career. The Human Highlight Film spoke with The Players’ Tribune about the time the Hawks traveled to Chicago for a regular season game against the Bulls in 1987. They had just arrived in their locker room when they got a taste of MJ’s unparalleled boldness.

I will never forget this. I’ve never had a player do this.

I remember us going to Chicago. Now, we’re in a suit and tie, and we’re sitting in the locker room. We’d just walking into the locker room. I remember, Michael Jordan walks into our locker room, suit and tie. I’m like “What in the hell is he doing in our locker room? Is he coming to the training room? Or what’s going on?”

So he walks by me, walks by Kevin [Willis]. When he gets to Randy Wittman he said, “Lace ’em up, it’s going to be a long night.” I’m like “Did he just come in our locker room? I didn’t know what to say, I was shocked.

He had 60 that night. He had 60 points that night.

We ended up winning the game, but the scoring performance he put on that night was incredible.

Jordan had 61 points and 10 boards that night. Wilkins dropped 34 in the win.

I can only hope in this life that I will have 1/1,000 the cocksuredness that MJ is. Is cocksuredness a word? See, I’m already second guessing myself. Can’t teach old dogs new tricks, I guess.

While we’re here, lets always remember how much of a freak Dominique Wilkins was.