Sports fans around the country have been glued to the television during "The Last Dance" centered on Michael Jordan during the past several weeks. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is no different.
"Did I watch it? Are you kidding me. I had my ankles taped, my eye black on. I mean I was daggum ready, man," Swinney said during an interview with WCCP following the first two episodes last month. "It was like mandatory watching in the Swinney household. I sent the whole team a message saying, 'Hey, we end all debate tonight. Make sure you're tuned in.'"
Swinney has made his admiration for Jordan well known over the years, and last football season Swinney told the story of how he met Jordan while on his bachelor party.
Swinney revealed during his interview with WCCP that in his 20-plus years of coaching he has taken several lessons from Jordan and shared them with his team.
"One of the greatest quotes, and I've used it many times with my teams over the years ... (Jordan) was asked one time why he plays so hard on Game 49 on the road or whatever. And his response was, 'Because it may be somebody's first time ever seeing me play,'" Swinney recalled. "Obviously he was magical with his skills, but it was the mental part of it. How hard he worked when nobody was watching and just his love of winning ... I just always had such great respect for him, and to me he's just been such an ultimate competitor."
It helps to explain why Swinney's teams have been so good against lesser competition during his time as the head coach.
Swinney's program is known for treating every game the same and not looking ahead.
"I just think he set the tone for competition and for being a competitor," Swinney said, before reciting a quote from UNC basketball coach Roy Williams. "He said, '(Jordan) was one of those guys who could turn it on or turn it off, but he never turned it off.' And I love that. That right there to me is the ultimate competitor. I've been around guys that can turn it on and turn it off and still be pretty good. But he never turned it off."
'The Last Dance' has reignited the "Greatest of all Time" debate, and Swinney weighed in on that as well.
While some argue that LeBron James has passed Jordan as the greatest basketball player ever, Swinney believes that title still belongs to Jordan.
"LeBron, this kid goes right out of high school into that world, and LeBron James has really been a model guy his whole career. Just has handled his business. He's a freak of an athlete and all of those things," Swinney said. "But just growing up in that era and the way the game was and how physical it was and the way the rules were, Michael was just... I would have to give him the nod even to this day. Probably the freakiest athlete is certainly LeBron, but as far as overall best player, I would have to go with MJ for sure."
