David Aldrige reveals the most unique thing about Michael Jordan's personality: 'If he was 5'6' instead of 6'6', he would be the greatest serial killer'

Ruthless is a word that those who crossed paths with Michael Jordan often use to describe him. While the former North Carolina Tar Heel took great pleasure in getting wins, he also wouldn't hesitate to break an opponent's will if given the chance. For this reason, renowned journalist David Aldridge believes it's good that the man from Wilmington, North Carolina, became an all-time great in basketball, or else he would've become something far more sinister.

A crazy competitor

As gifted as "His Airness" was athletically and skills-wise, what truly set the 6'6" wingman apart from all the others was his mentality and approach to the sport. The man was relentless and driven to win at all costs. He would push himself and his teammates to the limit, never satisfied with anything less than perfection. This mentality often rubbed people the wrong way, but it was necessary to bring him and the Bulls over the top in an era of stacked competition.

"I've said this all over the years many times: if Michael Jordan were 5'6" instead of 6'6", he'd be the greatest serial killer in the history of serial killers," Aldridge declared on "The Rich Eisen Show."

"He's crazy. Like, he's crazy, and thank God he's tall," David continued, eliciting laughter from the show's host.

While today's superstars are typically content to win ballgames and then break bread with the enemy, Jordan was a different breed. His competitive fire was constantly burning, and he wasn't afraid to show it.

"He didn't want to just beat you; he wanted to destroy you. He wanted you to be crushed," Aldridge furthered. "I understand that we're in a different era maybe than we were 30 years ago, but 30 years ago, that's what you had to do to be a champion. You couldn't win an NBA championship being a nice guy."

Nice guys finished last

NBA basketball in the 1980s was played on a different plane than today's league. It was a time when physicality and toughness were celebrated, and MJ had to learn how to play hardball to thrive. While a pearly-white smile could sell shoes, it wouldn't help anyone win championships during that period.

As Aldridge pointed out, none of the all-time greats were considered nice guys back then. They may flash a smile occasionally, but deep down, they wanted to tear their opponents' hearts out.

"Larry Bird wasn't a nice guy. Magic wasn't a nice guy. Isaiah wasn't a nice guy," David remarked. "To beat those guys, you had to be ruthless. That's an incredible gauntlet to run, to have to run to win an NBA title. Those are all-timers. And Michael had to become that guy and became that guy—not only to win, but then to dominate in a way that none of them dominated for that long."

Beyond the boyish charm and charismatic smile, Mike was indeed a stone-cold killer who would stop at nothing to win. He may have seemed like a nice guy, but he was a hellacious competitor who wouldn't hesitate to do whatever it took to best his foes.