Rasheed Wallace spoke on his ‘Sheed X Tyler’ show about Michael Jordan. He noted that while Jordan had lost the signature athleticism by the time he was with the Wizards, his veteran wisdom and ability to defend made him a better player than he was on the Bulls.
“Phenomenal player then, but I think he was a little more dangerous when he was with the Wizards. He didn’t have the athleticism that we were used to seeing MJ have… His angles were a little bit more sharp, he wasn’t going to move but he was a strong two-guard, he wasn’t just going to move up lightly. His shot became more dangerous, he became more solid as that veteran player when his years in Washington (ended).”
Rasheed Wallace believes that Wizards MJ was more dangerous than Bulls MJ 👀
(🎥 @SheedXTylerShow / https://t.co/RXSDXc7Db8) pic.twitter.com/IdrhAE6sPM
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 20, 2024
This is certainly a hot take from Rasheed Wallace. Michael Jordan’s years with the Bulls are looked at with a great deal of reverence. Many consider his stint with the Bulls to be what put him at the top of the mountain as the greatest player in NBA history. However, his stint with the Wizards is actually looked at quite poorly.
Jordan played for the Bulls from 1984 to 1998, with a brief stint away from them when he first retired to pursue a career in baseball. During this tenure, he won several accolades, including six NBA championships and Finals MVPs, five MVPs, a Defensive Player of the Year award, made 14 All-Star teams, 11 All-NBA teams, and 10 All-Defensive Teams.
Jordan Struggled On The Wizards
Jordan joined the Bulls in 2001, signing as a player first, with hopes of becoming an executive for the franchise later. With Jordan in the franchise, the Wizards still weren’t able to make the playoffs.
His two-year run with the Wizards was not much more than a glorified retirement tour, one Jordan had definitely earned, but never really gotten the chance, as there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding his future prior to both of his previous retirement efforts.
During his time with the Wizards, Michael Jordan averaged 21.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists. It was clear that Jordan, who was in his late 30s during the stint, was past his physical peak, and was no longer the unanimous best player in the NBA like he had been in the past.
Jordan’s final season in the NBA allowed fans across the league to show their respect for the player who put the NBA on the map and helped make basketball a global sport. At the 2003 NBA All-Star game, pop icon Mariah Carey even wore a dress resembling Jordan’s Wizards jersey and performed ‘Hero’, which brought MJ to tears.
Michael Jordan didn’t return to the Wizards in any capacity after 2003. Gilbert Arenas claimed in the past that it was because the players in the locker room didn’t want MJ back. He even added that Jordan tore up his $10 million severance check from the Wizards, feeling frustrated, disrespected, and betrayed by the organization after the treatment he received.
Jordan’s stint with the Wizards is more remembered for the bizarre sight of MJ in a jersey that wasn’t the Bulls. But at least it gave fans a chance to say goodbye to the greatest ever.
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