CHICAGO Bulls legend Michael Jordan isn’t a fan of NBA players taking days off to rest. Jordan criticised the idea of load management Tuesday, saying the practice “shouldn’t be needed.”
Jordan made those comments during another appearance on “MJ: Insights to Excellence.” Host Mike Tirico asked Jordan for his thoughts on load management, which wasn’t really a thing when he played in the NBA.
Jordan made it clear he wasn’t a fan of the idea, saying he wanted to prove himself to the fans every night.
“It shouldn’t be needed, first and foremost,” Jordan said. “I never wanted to miss a game because it was an opportunity to prove. It was something that I felt like the fans are there to watch me play. I want to impress that guy way up on top who probably worked his ass off to get a ticket, or to get money to buy the ticket.”
Tirico interjected at that point and asked Jordan if he really cared about the opposing fan sitting all the way at the top of the arena. Jordan replied, “Yeah, because I knew he was probably yelling at me and I wanted to shut him up.”Jordan continued:
“You have a duty that if they are wanting to see you and as an entertainer, I want to show,” he said. “If the guys are coming to watch me play, I don’t want to miss that opportunity.

“Now, physically, if I can’t do it, then I can’t do. But physically if I can do it, and I just don’t feel like doing it, that’s a different lens.”
Jordan then talked about a situation early in his career where he rolled his ankle and was told by a veteran on the Bulls that he should take a seat on the bench. Determined to make a name for himself, Jordan taped up the ankle and continued to play through the injury.
The NBA legend was careful not to call out specific players by name when discussing the issue of load management. The practice, in which players will occasionally miss games or not play in back-to-back games due to rest, rose to prominence in recent seasons.
A number of NBA stars engaged in the tactic, including LeBron James, Luka Dončić and Kawhi Leonard. It reached a point where the NBA had to step in and introduce new rules to prevent teams from resting players as frequently.
Coincidentally, Jordan’s former teammate and current Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was asked about load management following his team’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday. Kerr explained that everything is measured today, including the distance players run and the speed at which they are zooming around the court. He added, “Compared to 25 years ago, 20 years ago, it’s dramatically different. So the stress on these guys’ bodies, I think is way more than what it was in the past.”
Kerr said that while the NBA was more physical in the era in which he played, he believed it was harder for players to constantly be in movement today and play full-court basketball. Because of that, Kerr said he believed depth was a major key to success in today’s game.
Despite not playing in the modern game, Jordan is more than qualified to talk about the issue. In addition to having a sterling resume as a player, he rarely missed games. During his first eight seasons in the NBA, Jordan played in no fewer than 78 games in just one season, and that one season he broke his foot.
Jordan was limited to just 17 games in 1995-96, when he returned at the end of the regular season following his first retirement. In his final five seasons in the NBA — including the two that came with the Washington Wizards after his second retirement — Jordan played in all 82 games four times. His only missed time over that period came during the 2001-02 NBA season, when Jordan dealt with a knee injury.
Due to his multiple retirements, Jordan is tied for 113th with 1,072 games played. A handful of modern players, including Kevin Durant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and James, sit above Jordan on that list, and there’s an argument load management helped them reach that point. (Yahoo Sports)