Marc J. Spears recalls a story about Michael Jordan trying to dunk on Makhtar N’Diaye after the latter called Hakeem Olajuwon the GOAT: “He destroyed the first team, he destroyed the second team”

Michael Jordan's greatness, competitiveness and resilience are reflected in his 6-0 record in the NBA Finals. [Photo: Fadeaway World]

The Michael Jordan stories just keep on coming, particularly with the NBA honoring its top 75 players of all time. Most basketball review sites honored "His Airness" with the No. 1 spot when ranking the best of the best in the history of the league. The six-time champion achieved greatness behind his unrelenting competitiveness and inability to forget even the smallest slight.

Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated relayed a hilarious story of Jordan getting into it with Makhtar N’Diaye, who played for North Carolina from 1996-98. The unheralded college basketball player was a former teammate of future basketball stars Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison while playing for Jordan’s alma mater.

When the Senegalese national told Jordan that Hakeem Olajuwon was the best basketball player of all time, the NBA superstar wasted no time proving him wrong.

“Michael Jordan looks at him, looks a little upset and just rushes out the room," Spears said. "About 10 minutes later, Jordan comes back in practice gear to play. He tells (UNC coach) Dean Smith, 'Look, give me the worst guys, and I'm playing with the worst guys against your stars.'

"You have Michael Jordan with three walk-ons. He destroyed the first team. He destroyed the second team. Everybody was just passing the ball to Jordan, and Jordan was trying to dunk on Makhtar the whole time, do what he needed to do and then left.”

One of Jordan’s strategies to keep himself motivated over the years was to challenge the slightest notion of someone better than him in basketball. Taking it personally has become a meme, but it was an idea that allowed the five-time MVP to rise to the top of the basketball world.

Michael Jordan was a coldblooded competitor when it came down to it. Marc J. Spears tells one of MJ's little-known savage tales. #HoopStories 🏀 https://t.co/GWYnsSDrzR

Despite being generally considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time, Jordan never fails to try and prove that point right. On the recent All-Star weekend, when the NBA honored the league’s 75th Anniversary Team, the legendary Chicago Bulls icon challenged Magic Johnson to a one-on-one game.

59-year-old Michael Jordan challenges Magic Johnson to a game of 1-on-1 right now! #NBA75

Magic’s laugh 😂 https://t.co/o8H8OOrDLL

Although those around them were just laughing about it, there was still a hint of seriousness in Jordan’s challenge. His almost maniacal drive to take on the smallest issues to become a motivating factor has helped him conquer basketball’s challenges in his decorated career.

ESPN ranks Michael Jordan No.1, the greatest basketball player ever

ESPN ranks Michael Jordan as the best ever to lace up a pair of sneakers. [Photo: Fadeaway World]

To coincide with the NBA’s 75th season, ESPN evaluated, analyzed and made up their own top 75 players. Unsurprisingly, Michael Jordan was at the top of the list, holding off the hard-charging LeBron James and the iconic Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Jordan topped the list not simply because of his insane basketball skills and achievements. The G.O.A.T. also made it to the top because of how he changed basketball from a player’s business standpoint. He showed just how much an NBA player can have an impact on society through wise business undertakings.

ESPN’s Top 10 from the NBA 75 team:

1.) Michael Jordan
2.) LeBron James
3.) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
4.) Magic Johnson
5.) Wilt Chamberlain
6.) Bill Russell
7.) Larry Bird
8.) Tim Duncan
9.) Oscar Robertson
10.) Kobe Bryant

Full list: espn.com/nba/story/_/id…

Despite retiring years ago, his clout and influence in the NBA and the players are a testament to his unfading greatness.