Georgia Tech QB Haynes King Drawing Motivation From The Last Dance and Michael Jordan Ahead Of Fall Camp

“Are they gonna fight back or not?  Are they gonna compete?. I'm telling you, it's not just one day, I'm feeling good. No, I don't care if I'm feeling bad or not, and it's not just for them. Sometimes it's like, I'm tired, I might be feeling sick. I get to talking to somebody, and like, okay, he's competing. It's like, all right, I gotta go now. So it pushes me as well. So that's some of the stuff that I picked up. And it's just finding what motivates and what triggers people. It doesn't just help them, it helps me out as well.”

King has continued to be an impressive leader for the Yellow Jackets, putting his body on the line to help lead the team to victories. He revealed earlier in the week that he played with a torn labrum during the 2024 season.

“It was a torn labrum. It was a little different. You know the strength in the shoulder and everything around it to support it, whether it is the rotator cuff. Right now, I have entered the stage of maintaining it. If I maintain the strength and the feel good state, and there is a line where it is a strength test based off numbers and stuff like that. If it stays at that line, I should be good because that is what the shoulder is telling them. It’s a lot of maintenance, pre-hab, and just keeping it strong,” said King.

When motivating guys and finding triggers as King alluded to above, when your teammates see that you are willing to be selfless and do whatever it takes, you gain the respect of the room. Guys are more willing to listen when you speak and have something to say. That is crucial, especially when adversity strikes and you need a strong leader to lead you through. The Yellow Jackets have that and somebody who is not just going to work when it is great and it’s going well, but in those dog days when your body is tired and you're physically and mentally drained to be able to come out on the other side every time.

It is just the stats on the field, but the intangibles that King possesses. It is what will take the Yellow Jackets to the next level and be a key piece to their success as the 2025 season approaches. King is finally starting to get his due from national media who sees the value he can bring to the table. As his final season on the Flats approaches, he has something in common with Michael Jordan. He demands excellence and is a selfless leader that only very few have.