Playing alongside Michael Jordan was almost every NBA player’s dream. However, building chemistry with the GOAT was easier said than done. That’s what former Washington Wizards big man Jahidi White realized when he had the opportunity to be teammates with MJ.

White knew early on that Jordan was a special player, and a deep understanding of his playing style, preferences, and tendencies was a must. Despite the challenge, Jahidi and the Wizards dedicated themselves to studying how to work in sync with the six-time NBA champ.

By aligning their own styles with Jordan’s approach, White said the Wizards finally found their rhythm, and once they were on a roll, nobody messed up. Among all of them, the former big man said point guard Chris Whitney turned out to be Jordan’s most effective teammate.

“It took us a while to learn how to play with MJ,” White told WTOP News in 2020. “Once we learned to play with him, you knew exactly what to do and I remember no one went outside of their role. Chris (Whitney) became one of the most efficient shooters at that time. He was like the [John] Paxson, pretty much.”

MJ led by example

The fact that Jordan made an epic NBA return despite being already in his late 30s speaks volumes about his undying passion for the game. As expected, MJ picked up where he left off in Washington in terms of inspiring those around him with his dedication and unwavering commitment to excellence.

In line with that, White reminisced about how “His Airness” led by example both on and off the court. As he described it, Jordan’s work ethic was nothing short of incredible despite his age. He practiced relentlessly and was always striving to improve his skills and push himself to new heights.

To this day, the former Wizard still remembers how the Hall of Fame guard tried to defy the laws of time and physics in practice. Knowing the team was banking on him, Jordan sacrificed his body by spending countless hours working on his mid-range game. For White, it was one of the things that made MJ not only an unbelievable player but, more importantly, a true leader.

“I never saw him out of shape,” Jahidi raved about Jordan. “When it was time to physically run up and down the court, he was right there with us. Another thing amazing to me was how long he stayed after practice to get his mid-range game back. That was important to us because there were not a lot of threes that year.”

Jahidi could relate to The Last Dance

White’s NBA career only lasted seven years, two of which were with Jordan in Washington. It wasn’t long, but it was enough time for White to be deeply impacted by “His Airness.” That said, White is one of those who appreciated Jordan’s documentary, The Last Dance.