As spectacular as Michael Jordan was on offense, his work on the defensive end of the floor was just as amazing. A former Defensive of the Year award winner in 1988, as well as a three-time steals champion and a nine-time All-Defensive team member, Jordan was equally feared on both ends of the floor. Kendall Gill, a 15-year veteran who crossed paths with Jordan and the Chicago Bulls all throughout the 90s, shared one tell that Jordan had when playing defense.
Jumped to his right
Gill, who was the league's steals champion in 1999, did enough film work to pick up a tell that Jordan had when attacking defensive possessions. According to Gill, Jordan had a tendency to jump hard to his left in order to either force the opposing player into a turnover or get them off balance and allow him the opportunity to snatch the ball away.
"He would always jump to the left — his right, my left — if you dribbled that way. You can see him do it — he tried to do it against me in the video that I posted, and then I spun on him. I knew he was going to do that," Gill said.
The Playoffs were a different story
The NBA Playoffs serve as a defining moment, separating the exceptional from the mediocre. As the pressure mounts, some players crumble in the spotlight, while others—like Jordan—seize the opportunity. Gill shared that, with Jordan, it wasn't just his offense that shined—but also his defense.
"He will always ramp his defense up in the playoffs," Gill added. "You could tell a distinct difference in him, regular season and playoffs. His defense went up about three or four notches."
"His intensity. He's going harder at you, his shuffles are harder, a lot quicker. His hands are a lot more active. You can see it on his face. This is game time. He's not playing around," Gill concluded.
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