I've said it so many times that Michael Jordan's athletic ability was absolutely incredible. BUT the thing that set him apart from everyone else was his desire to be the best.
He worked harder than anyone else to become the best player in the NBA and then he worked even harder to stay there.
His Chicago Bulls championship teams were great ensembles of talent, with players put in place to compliment MJ's skills. However, if you take him out of the equation and replace him with another NBA star at that time, the Bulls don't win six NBA titles.
His desire to get to the top, both as a player and a team, made everyone around him pick their game up that much more. A perfect example of this would be Scottie Pippen. Playing with Michael Jordan made Pippen elevate his game to the highest level possible.
When you have the athletic talent and ability combined with an amazing desire to be the best...you get a player like Michael Jordan. That's why it doesn't happen that often. Great, truly great players, are far and few between.
