Michael Jordan’s 1995 was very interesting. After a less-than-stellar stint in baseball, Jordan walked away from the game he left the NBA to pursue. In March of 1995, Jordan announced that he would be returning to the Chicago Bulls, hoping to revive their championship aspirations that year.
The return didn’t have immediate success, as the Bulls lost to the Orlando Magic in the 1995 NBA playoffs, becoming the only team to defeat Michael Jordan in the playoffs since 1991, a fact Shaquille O’Neal was very proud of. Much of the failure to beat the Magic was attributed to Jordan trying to find his rhythm back after years of being in baseball shape.
During the offseason, MJ worked twice as hard to get back into basketball shape. And on top of that, he was working on the iconic ‘Space Jam’ movie in Los Angeles. As a condition of him starring in the movie, Jordan asked for a facility where he can work out and play basketball. Warner Brothers responded by creating the ‘Jordan Dome’, a pristine facility where Jordan could play full-court pick-up.
In an effort to get his groove back, Jordan invited several NBA players to come and play with him in LA. And a picture from one of these sessions surfaced thanks to Jordan’s trainer Tim Grover. In this picture, Jordan was photographed with Magic Johnson, Dennis Rodman, Reggie Miller, Cedric Ceballos, Lester Connor, Pooh Richardson, Reggie Theus, And Jack Haley.
These sessions were crucial for Jordan to find his rhythm back. The following season, Jordan had what many consider the most perfect season, as he won the MVP, lead the NBA in scoring, made an All-Defensive team, became an All-Star, and won the NBA championship and Finals MVP. Jordan is the only player to achieve all this in one season and did this 4 times in his career.
Jordan went on to win two more NBA championships the following seasons, before calling time on his career with the Bulls. Jordan would return for a stint with the Wizards, but his second stint in Chicago was the last time he was a solid contender for the NBA championship.
