'I wanted that feeling of success and relaxation' - Michael Jordan on how important of a role cigars played in his career

While Michael Jordan is often associated with the pursuit of excellence and winning at all costs, many might assume this meant following a strictly regimented lifestyle with a balanced diet and avoiding all vices to maintain his A-Game every night. 

However, contrary to those beliefs, the five-time MVP's relationship with cigars wasn't limited to post-championship celebrations or retirement, but by the latter phase of his career, he developed a tendency to smoke cigars before every home game.

"His Airness" on smoking cigars

In an interview with Marvin R. Shaken in 2005, the six-time Finals MVP revealed how his first cigar came as a gift from Jerry Reinsdorf after the Chicago Bulls won their first championship in 1991. 

However, what started as a celebratory gesture soon evolved into a regular ritual. Mike developed such an affinity for cigars that they became an integral part of his pre-game routine for home games over the next few seasons.

"In Chicago, I tell people this, and they have to understand the context of what happened," Mike said. "We had to be to the stadium at 6 o'clock for home games, and traffic was so bad it would take us an hour and 15 or an hour and 30 minutes to drive. So now I'm sitting in a car for almost an hour and a half, and I'm very tense. I'm worried about the traffic. So I started smoking a cigar going to the games. In 1993. It became a ritual for every home game."

Cigars used to provide relaxation to Jordan

There's no denying that smoking a cigar might be counterintuitive before engaging in intense physical activity, but Mike realized that it served a crucial purpose for him. The 6'6" shooting guard had immense pressure to be in his best form, and the ritual of smoking a cigar provided him with a sense of relaxation before he exhausted himself on the hardwood.

"I never rushed. It became such a relaxing thing to do. Not many people know about it. When they read this, they'll know that each and every day for a home game, I smoked a cigar," Jordan added. "I wanted that feeling of success and relaxation. It's the most relaxing thing."

That being said, this unexpected pre-game ritual perfectly exemplifies what we later saw in the "The Last Dance" documentary—Jordan's tendency to defy convention. Whether it was his competitive approach to the game or his methods of preparation, he carved his own unique path to success.