Michael Jordan took on a new role in 2000 when he became part owner and team president of the Washington Wizards. With six NBA titles under his belt, MJ felt he could still lead a team even if he was not actively playing.
Unsurprisingly, Jordan held the Wizards players to a high standard. To ensure they were up to the task, Michael took it upon himself to check them personally in practice. Despite being 38, he showed why most considered him the greatest player of all time.
"Still got the same game"
It was Jordan's first time as an active participant in scrimmage since joining the Wizards as an executive. Tracy Murray had the privilege of guarding him, and according to the UCLA product, the Chicago Bulls legend proved he could still play if he wanted to.
"He's definitely moving the same way," Murray said via the New York Times. "Dunking the ball, shooting a jump shot, fade-away. Still got the same game, hasn't gone anywhere."
Laron Profit, then a rookie, took turns with Tracy defending Jordan during the Wizards' scrimmage. Although he saw Michael enjoying himself, the 6'5" guard felt that MJ was waiting for someone to try to show him up.
"He was having fun, but I'm sure he was evaluating. He was competing, and he was going to see who was going to compete with him," Profit said.
MJ's two-year Washington stint
In September 2001, Jordan announced he would make his second NBA return to suit up for the Wizards. Although his decision garnered many negative reactions, Michael didn't care . After all, his legacy as an all-time great was written at that point, and Jordan knew no one could take that away from him.
"I'm not walking into this scenario thinking I'm failing. I'm walking in thinking I'm confident and I'm pretty sure that I can make it work. If I sit here and listened to everyone else tell me that I can't do it, then obviously I wouldn't be here," Jordan said .
Even though he was nearing his 39th birthday, Jordan showed he could could still make a big impact as an all-around player. Unfortunately, injuries got in the way, allowing Mike to only play in 60 games. He finished the season averaging 22.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists.
The following year, MJ played in all 82 regular-season games. However, he once again failed to lead his squad to the playoffs—Washington finished ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 37-45 record.
Still, Jordan did his part, averaging 20.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per contest. He retired at the age of 40 for the third and final time.
Related: “Everyone thinks I did such a terrible job in Washington” - Michael Jordan was ‘driven nuts’ after many derived his stint with the Wizards as a failure
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