Ken Griffey Jr. Reveals He's Underwent 20 Surgeries, Reflects on Michael Jordan

Injuries prevented Ken Griffey Jr. from aging gracefully over the back half of his career, and the Hall of Famer spoke about his numerous surgeries in an appearance on Showtime Sports' All the Smoke.

Griffey elaborated on how other sports can exact a different kind of physical toll compared to baseball.

"I don't take anything away from anybody's other sport, whether it be football or basketball, because that's a whole lot of pounding that y'all do that people don't see," Griffey told retired NBA veterans Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. "They don't see the elbows to the ribs, the shots that you guys take going to the hole, the guys tackling and things like that."

Griffey added his baseball career placed a heavy burden on him as well, which he continues to deal with in retirement. The 50-year-old said he had shoulder surgery 12 weeks ago, which was his 20th procedure.

The conversation started on the topic of Michael Jordan, who conquered the hardwood before attempting to enjoy similar success on the diamond.

Griffey told Barnes and Jackson he had watched The Last Dance, which not only showcased Jordan's on-court exploits but also provided numerous examples of his almost unmatched competitiveness.

Griffey said his wife thought the clips of Jordan reminded her of the 10-time Gold Glove-winning outfielder when he was an active player. He noted he feels he has mellowed after retiring, which he noticed a bit in Jordan as well.

"I've known Mike for 20-plus years—actually 25-plus—but you always heard about the intensity and how he was," Griffey said. "Now you're seeing a little bit of it now, but the thing is, you start laughing because you see him now after playing, owning a team, he still got that competitive edge. But he's just not as fiery."