When Michael Jordan ignored an open teammate to secure MVP honors in a charity game

Another story of how far Michael Jordan would go to be the best at everything.

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Michael Jordan's mastery of basketball fundamentals is beyond legendary. For all his aerial artistry, his game was rooted in sound technique, cultivated from hours upon hours of practice. At the same time, His Airness' competitiveness is just as well-known.

This is why it came as no surprise that Michael Jordan was willing to break the unwritten rules of basketball when it mattered most; with the game on the line and a teammate open for an easy shot, Jordan chose to score himself to secure the game's MVP honors.

Exhibition game

Former NBA player Chris Washburn is known in basketball circles for all the wrong reasons. The third overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors played 72 games in the Association in a career that spanned three years. He was eventually handed a permanent ban by the NBA after failing three drug tests in three years.

Although Washburn didn't get to play long in the NBA, he still managed to rub shoulders with greatness. During the offseason after his rookie year, Washburn played alongside the GOAT in a charity game for Athletes Against Crime.

According to Washburn, he and Jordan both played well and had 38 points apiece near the end of the match. What happened next was quintessential Jordan.

"In the second half, we both ended up with 38 and 38. I'm on a fast break on the wing, Mike has the ball, and there are only like 20 seconds left in the game. I'm sprinting, and I'm under the basket in three or four steps. Nobody was in front of me. I got my hand up," said Washburn.

"Mike comes down, scores the last two points, and he had 40, and I had 38. He got MVP of the game simply because he didn't pass me the ball," Chris added.

Jordan knew when to pass

It's not as if this is a habit of His Airness either; Jordan knew when to pass just as well as he knew when to shoot. 

In his prime, Jordan wasn't just the league's best scorer but also one of its finest playmakers. One of the best examples is his famous pass to reserve guard Steve Kerr in the 1997-98 NBA Finals, which sealed Chicago's fifth championship.

"It was actually a very easy shot under normal circumstances," Kerr said. "But one of those things you dream of as a kid, and so when the ball went in, there were two thoughts. No. 1, it's like, 'Oh my god, this is incredible.' And No. 2, 'Oh man, they got four seconds left and they could still tie or win the game. So, it's not over yet.'"