Michael Jordan in the ’80s and ’90s left a legacy that couldn’t be tarnished with his incredible personal achievements and proven winning record with 6 championships with 0 Finals losses. Jordan became the biggest superstar in the history of the league and changed how the NBA would be marketed forever.
Due to his massive personal stature, the league was worried when MJ returned to the NBA in 2001 after his 1998 retirement. Jordan felt he had to address how his return could affect young stars in the league when he returned and gave a very insightful answer reiterating his commitment to seeing young talent grow.
October 1, 2001: Washington’s Michael Jordan discusses how his return to the NBA after a three-season hiatus could affect league growth and marketing. pic.twitter.com/8BhE4C4SFI
— NBA Cobwebs (@NBACobwebs) October 1, 2022
“I don’t want to overshadow the young players. A lot of people were very nervous about me stopping the growth of the NBA because of my participation in the NBA. I wanted to add, I’m here to aid and help. At the same time, get that itch scratched. I don’t want to steal the thunder from Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady and those types of people because I think it’s the point where they have to continue to grow and they have. They have continued to grow,” Jordan said.
“The most unfortunate thing is that if I decide to do anything, everybody is going to make the comparison and competition between myself and the players that have been growing. That’s an unforeseen situation that I just couldn’t do this and try to get away from or try to avoid. It is all depending on how you guys perceive this whole process, how you write it, and the marketing aspect,” MJ added.
“I am not asking the league to market me. I am not asking them to put me on TV. I just wanna play the game of basketball. Everybody is looking at it as an opportunity to make money. Mr. Stern has to do a job in terms of making sure he doesn’t promote an old guy. I’d rather he market the young guys.”
Jordan was incredibly considerate of the current and future generations of players when he returned to the league, which shows that MJ’s intention was to just be on the court. At that point, he didn’t need the league’s spotlight anyway, so that should have never been the outlook behind the return.
Michael Jordan’s Final NBA Stint
Jordan’s decision to return was conflicting for the league. People understood he won’t be contending as part of the Washington Wizards and this is a larger ploy to get involved in the front office and eventually become an NBA owner. Despite that, Jordan committed to the Wizards and played 142 games over 2 seasons with the squad. He later expressed regret over his decision to return.
Even at that stage in his career, Jordan was able to demonstrate his scoring prowess. He averaged 21.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists during his run. The Wizards never made the playoffs, but Jordan put on a show in what was basically a 2-year retirement tour that brought fans to the arenas to ensure they could get one last look at Michael Jordan before he walked into the sunset for good.
