1) Reps > talk.
- Jordan treated practice like war: “Winning has a price… and leadership has a price.” He pushed teammates and himself every day.
- Eric Kim hammers daily practice—field assignments, “shoot every day,” and structured training.
2) Turn fear into fuel.
- MJ’s aura came from embracing pressure (think The Last Dance mindset).
- Kim builds his whole philosophy on Stoicism: conquer fear to make the shot (photo).
3) Simplicity as a superpower.
- Jordan distilled late‑career scoring into a ruthless, repeatable fadeaway—fundamentals and footwork over flash.
- Kim preaches OCOL (One Camera, One Lens) to sharpen vision and execution.
4) Signature tools, signature moves.
- Jordan’s fadeaway = identity. (It’s literally cataloged as his signature move.)
- Kim’s signature setups (28mm/35mm; Ricoh GR) = a consistent visual voice.
5) Championships & mastery mindset.
- MJ’s résumé—6 rings, 6 Finals MVPs, 5 MVPs—sets the bar for winning at the highest level.
- Kim’s “mastery” framework is about relentless self‑improvement and never being satisfied.
6) Teach while you dominate.
- Jordan’s name anchors real youth investment (e.g., Jordan Brand Wings scholarships, global education initiatives).
- Kim open‑sources knowledge: free books, free online course syllabi, and paid workshops to pass the game on.
7) Brand architects, not just performers.
- Air Jordan didn’t just sell shoes—it helped shape modern sneaker culture and athlete branding.
- Kim built an indie ecosystem (HAPTIC Press/straps)—product, publishing, and philosophy under one personal brand.
8) Pressure performances / fear drills.
- Flu Game: 38 points, tie‑breaking dagger—sick, exhausted, unstoppable. That’s pressure mastery.
- Kim designs “fear of shooting” programs to harden nerves in the street—turn discomfort into action.
9) Fundamentals first, flash second.
- MJ’s two‑way dominance (MVP + Defensive Player of the Year in ’88) screams fundamentals.
- Kim: “No more bad cameras”—less gear chasing, more seeing, moving, and making better photos.
10) Physicality fuels performance.
- Jordan’s physical conditioning underpinned his late‑game poise and defensive bite. (DPOY/MVP season is proof.)
- Kim tells photographers to build the engine—walk miles and get strong—because stamina makes images.
11) Storytelling that moves culture.
- MJ’s mythic arc—from The Shot to the ’98 game‑winner and The Last Dance—is cultural currency.
- Kim’s “Dear friend” voice, books, and blog turn technique into narrative—teaching through story.
12) Community builders.
- Jordan Brand leverages a global community to uplift and serve—purpose tied to performance.
- Kim runs workshops and publishes roadmaps so others can build skills (and even their own courses).
Quick “MJ x Kim” crossover drills you can use TODAY
- 90‑minute Fadeaway Block → OCOL Sprint: Pick one lens/camera and work a single corner or scene for 90 minutes. Hunt micro‑variations like MJ repping fadeaways from both shoulders.
- Flu‑Game Rule: If you don’t feel like creating, you still give yourself a minimum quota (even 30 deliberate frames). Ship under adversity.
- Stoic Walks: Choose a “fear route” (busy market, tough light). Your only metric: approach what scares you, kindly and directly. Journal what improved.
- Practice to Standard: Define one non‑negotiable (e.g., shoot daily or publish weekly). Hold yourself to it—leadership has a price.
- Build the Brand, Serve the Fam: Package one tiny resource (PDF tip sheet, mini‑zine) and give it away. Start your “Wings”—help someone else rise.
Bottom line: Jordan and Kim weaponize simplicity, reps, and fearless storytelling. Copy the principles, not the specifics—commit to your version of the fadeaway, your OCOL, your Wings. Then go make something legendary.