How and why?!
And why don’t we remember it?
I’m talking about Michael to the Wizards…we just have no recollection of this, its like we were all blackout drunk from 2001-2003…
Why?
Jordan became the team president of the Washington Wizards in 2000, shortly thereafter…9/11 happens…and perhaps as a gesture to the fans, or just because he missed the game that much, he decides to step on the floor.
Quote from MJ in 2001:
"I feel there is no better way of teaching young players than to be on the court with them as a fellow player, not just in practice, but in NBA games," Jordan said in a statement. "While nothing can take away from the past, I am firmly focused on the future and the competitive challenge ahead of me."
He was 38 years old, he had been retired for 3 seasons and his roster included the likes of…Popeye Jones, Ty Lue, Bryon Russell, Brendan Haywood, and others...
To return, Jordan agreed to step down as the Wizards' president of basketball operations and sell his 10 percent stake in the team to Ted Leonsis, who heads the Wizards' minority ownership group.
A multimillionaire from lucrative endorsement and player contracts, Jordan ranks 12th among 16 Wizards under contract after signing a two-year contract with a starting salary of $1 million. Jordan said he will donate his first year's salary to the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The Wizards immediately sold out season tickets…no surprise. They went from ZERO nationally televised games in 2000 to several in 2001…
Let’s talk about his coach…
He fired Leonard Hamilton (19-63 in one year) to hire his former Bulls coach Doug Collins…
"Michael Jordan will be one of the top 10 players in the league," said Coach Doug Collins, who coached Jordan from 1986 to 1989 in Chicago and was hired Feb. 19 to take over the Wizards. "My biggest thing is I hope and pray he can stay healthy."
"All that stuff about him jumping from the foul line is over," said former Georgetown coach John Thompson, an NBA commentator for TNT. "His game is going to be on the floor now. We're going to start calling him Floor Jordan," instead of Air Jordan.
We had Scott Allen from the Washington Post on the show yesterday, he remembers Jordan's time with the Wizards vividly. Listen below!