The number 23 will always be linked to Michael Jordan because that was the one he wore for most of his legendary career with the Chicago Bulls . But MJ never really talked about why he chose to wear it on his back. People would always say that he wore that number because that had been his jersey number since high school.
Well, high school is where it began. Mike always looked up to his elder brother Larry and considered him better. Young MJ put his sibling so high on a pedestal that he thought he would be okay if he were half as good as him.
"45/2" nods to the number 23, which was chosen by MJ to signify that if he could be half as great as Larry - who wore 45 - he'd be alright," Nike wrote in the description on the Jordan Series. 01 shoe on its website.
Mike pays homage to his life influences
In 2021, MJ's Jordan Brand released a sneaker called Jordan Series .01. The shoe came in different colorways themed on Jordan's life influences. One of the first releases was 'Dear Larry,' a tribute to his older brother.
The shoe's markings had Larry's presence all over them. Embroidered on the lateral and written on the tongue are the words"Dear Larry." On its right insole is "Swing for the fence," a quote MJ always attributed to Larry. Meanwhile, the left gum outsole had the inscription "It went down in the backyard," and the right one had "There was never any doubt." The numbers 45/2 are then enclosed in a small yellow circle on both outsoles .
When Mike finally made the varsity at E. Laney High School, he chose to wear number 23. MJ also wore it when he played for the Tar Heels. When he got to the NBA, he took that number to Chicago and made it his own.
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MJ wore 45 during his first comeback
As expected, the Bulls retired Jordan's 23 jersey when he decided to quit the NBA and pursue a baseball career. But five months later, he announced that he was returning to the league. Jordan used his baseball number, 45, and Larry's prep number when he returned in 1995.
In one of the episodes of The Last Dance documentary, MJ said he didn't want to wear 23 because his father was no longer around and that he felt it was a new beginning. That did not last long, however.
After Orlando's Nick Anderson's infamous '45 isn't 23' taunt, Mike decided to put his old cape back on and shift back to the No. 23. Jordan and the Bulls went on to win three more championships from 1996 to 1998 and firmly establish himself as the greatest basketball player of all-time.
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