It started with a cigar, a glass of tequila, and a leather armchair. In the spring of 2020, while the rest of the world was locked inside, ESPN dropped The Last Dance. It was supposed to be a documentary about the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls. Instead, it became a cultural autopsy of the most competitive human being to ever lace up a pair of Nikes. We all saw the footage. Michael Jordan, leaning back, shaking his head at a tablet, and uttering the words that would launch a billion tweets: "And I took that personally."
Funny thing is, Jordan didn't actually say that exact phrase in the way the meme suggests.
Language is weird like that. He said things like it. He described situations where he fabricated slights to fuel his dominance. But the internet, in its infinite ability to condense complex human emotion into a single punchline, birthed Jordan and I took that personally as a shorthand for "I am about to destroy you because you mildly inconvenienced me."
It’s hilarious. It’s also deeply revealing about how the "Greatest of All Time" actually functioned.
The Psychology of the Fabricated Slight
Most people need a reason to work hard. They have a mortgage, or they want a promotion, or they just don't want to get fired. Michael Jordan didn't operate on that frequency. He needed an enemy. If he didn't have one? He’d just make one up.
Take the LaBradford Smith incident. This is the gold standard for the Jordan and I took that personally ethos. In 1993, Smith, a relatively obscure player for the Washington Bullets, had a career night against the Bulls, scoring 37 points. Afterward, Jordan claimed Smith put his arm around him and said, "Nice game, Mike."
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Jordan was incensed. He promised to score 37 points—Smith's total—in the first half of their next meeting. He nearly did, dropping 36 by halftime and finishing with 47.
Years later, it came out that Smith never actually said "Nice game, Mike." Jordan admitted he made the whole thing up just to get himself "up" for a regular-season game against a mediocre team. That is the definition of taking it personally. It wasn't about the reality of the situation; it was about the utility of the anger.
Why the Meme Exploded in 2020
Context matters. When The Last Dance aired, the sports world was dark. No live games. No playoffs. Just us and our screens. When we saw a billionaire, six-time champion still holding grudges from 1985, it resonated.
- Relatability through absurdity: We’ve all felt slighted by a coworker or a sibling. We just don't usually respond by winning three straight championships.
- The Visuals: The way MJ looked at that iPad—the squint, the subtle nod of "okay, I see you"—was a masterclass in non-verbal communication.
- The "Main Character" Energy: In 2026, we call this "main character energy." Jordan lived his entire life as the protagonist in a revenge thriller.
The meme isn't just about sports anymore. It’s used when a Starbucks barista gets your name wrong, or when a video game boss kills you for the tenth time. It’s the universal signal for: "The stakes were low, but now they are everything."
The B.J. Armstrong and George Karl Chapters
If you want to understand the depth of this mindset, you have to look at the 1998 playoffs against the Charlotte Hornets. B.J. Armstrong, a former teammate of Jordan’s, hit a big shot and celebrated a bit too much for Michael's liking.
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Jordan’s reaction? He didn't scream. He didn't get a technical. He just decided that B.J. Armstrong no longer deserved to have a good day. He hunted him on the court.
Then there was George Karl. The legendary coach famously didn't say hello to Jordan at a restaurant before the 1996 NBA Finals. Karl was just trying to keep his focus and avoid being "charmed" by MJ before the series. Jordan took it as a monumental sign of disrespect. He used that perceived snub to fuel a 4-2 series win.
Honestly, it sounds exhausting. Living your life constantly scanning for insults seems like a recipe for high blood pressure. But for Jordan, it was high-octane fuel. He didn't want peace; he wanted a reason to be a tyrant.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Meme
There is a misconception that taking things personally made Jordan "petty." Well, he was petty. But that’s a simplification.
In sports psychology, there’s a concept called "achievement motivation." Most elite athletes are "task-oriented." They want to master the skill. Jordan was "ego-oriented." He wanted to be better than you. The Jordan and I took that personally phenomenon is actually a study in externalizing internal motivation.
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He couldn't just want to win because winning is good. He had to win because you thought he couldn't, or because you didn't invite him to dinner, or because you won a trophy he thought belonged to him.
- He took it personally when Clyde Drexler was compared to him.
- He took it personally when Dan Majerle was assigned to guard him (because he thought Majerle was too slow).
- He took it personally when Isiah Thomas allegedly led a "freeze-out" at the 1985 All-Star game.
The Cultural Legacy: From 1998 to 2026
It’s rare for a sports moment to survive this long in the digital zeitgeist. Usually, memes have the shelf life of an open avocado. But this one stuck. Why? Because it describes a specific type of pettiness that is actually productive.
Most people take things personally and shrink. They get sad. They complain on Reddit. Jordan took things personally and expanded. He became a god of the hardwood.
It’s also worth noting the "I" in Jordan and I took that personally. The meme is almost always used in the first person. We are projecting Jordan's psychopathic competitiveness onto our own mundane lives. It’s a way of saying, "I am choosing to be great out of spite."
How to Apply the Jordan Mindset (Without Being a Jerk)
You don't have to be a six-foot-six shooting guard to use this. There is a practical side to this level of obsession. If you’re struggling with a project or a fitness goal, sometimes "taking it personally" is the only way to get over the hump.
- Identify a "rival": It doesn't have to be a person. It can be a deadline. It can be your own past performance.
- Create a narrative: Tell yourself that the challenge is "disrespecting" your potential.
- Execute with silence: Jordan rarely talked trash until the job was done. The "taking it personally" part happens internally.
- Let it go afterward: One thing the documentary showed was that once the goal was met, Jordan could (sometimes) turn it off.
Practical Steps for Channeling Competitive Spite
- Filter your focus: Don't take everything personally. If you do, you'll burn out by noon. Save that energy for the one thing that actually moves the needle in your career or life.
- Use "Pre-emptive Motivation": If no one is doubting you, find a critic. Read a bad review of your industry. Look at someone doing better than you and decide they are "challenging" your spot.
- Verify the cost: Jordan’s competitiveness cost him relationships. It made him a difficult teammate. Understand that taking things personally is a high-cost strategy. It works, but it isn't free.
The reality of Michael Jordan and I took that personally is that it wasn't a joke to him. It was a survival mechanism. He used the world’s perceived slights as bricks to build a fortress of greatness. We use the meme to laugh at our own small frustrations, but deep down, there's a part of everyone that wishes they could turn a "nice game" into a championship-winning performance.
Next Steps for Mastering Your Drive:
- Audit your "enemies": List three challenges you're currently facing. Instead of seeing them as obstacles, reframe them as personal insults to your capability.
- Watch the source material: Re-watch Episode 8 of The Last Dance. Pay attention to Jordan’s eyes when he talks about his rivals. That’s where the real "content" is.
- Set a "spite goal": Pick one task you’ve been procrastinating on. Decide that the task thinks you aren't good enough to finish it. Finish it today just to prove it wrong.