The Scottsdale Scorpions are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League . They play their home games in Scottsdale, Arizona , at Scottsdale Stadium , which is also the spring training facility of the San Francisco Giants . The team was established in 1992 and has retained the Scorpions nickname through several location changes. The Scorpions have won three league championships, most recently in 2015.
155-657: In the fall of 1994, the team gained worldwide media attention, when Michael Jordan joined the Scorpions after playing his first minor league baseball season with the Double-A Birmingham Barons in Birmingham, Alabama . The Scorpions won their first championship in 1996, against the Mesa Saguaros . The Scorpions reached the championship game in 2002, 2004, and 2005 but failed to win it. For
310-470: A 42–40 record including four straight victories to end the season but just missed the playoffs. Highlights of the season included Chris Webber leading the team in scoring (21.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.5 rpg). Strickland led the league in assists (10.5 apg) before suffering an injury near the end of the season. He was also named on the All-NBA Second Team. Tracy Murray averaged 15.1 ppg off
465-590: A Double-A minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, batting .202 with three home runs , 51 runs batted in , 30 stolen bases , 114 strikeouts , 51 bases on balls , and 11 errors . His strikeout total led the team and his games played tied for the team lead. His 30 stolen bases were second on the team only to Doug Brady . Jordan also appeared for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the 1994 Arizona Fall League , batting .252 against
620-817: A replacement player during the Major League Baseball strike . During the 1994–95 season , Jordan returned to the Bulls midway through the season. On March 18, 1995, Jordan announced his comeback to the NBA in a two-word press release: "I'm back." The next day, Jordan took to the court with the Bulls to face the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis , scoring 19 points. The game had the highest Nielsen rating of any regular season NBA game since 1975. Although he could have worn his original number even though
775-507: A 25–57 record in the 1991–92 season. Pervis Ellison was named 1992 Most Improved Player of The Year , averaging 20.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game. Undrafted rookie Larry Stewart became the first undrafted player in NBA history to make an All-Rookie Team, being selected to the All-Rookie Second Team. The Bullets drafted Tom Gugliotta with their sixth overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft . They finished
930-792: A 47–35 record, and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, defeating the Cavaliers and New York Knicks along the way. The Cavaliers series included a career highlight for Jordan when he hit " The Shot " over Craig Ehlo at the buzzer in the fifth and final game of the series. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pistons again defeated the Bulls, this time in six games, by utilizing their " Jordan Rules " method of guarding Jordan, which consisted of double and triple teaming him every time he touched
1085-505: A Bachelor of Arts degree in geography. In 2002, Jordan was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team honoring the 50 greatest players in ACC history. The Chicago Bulls selected Jordan with the third overall pick of the 1984 NBA draft after Hakeem Olajuwon ( Houston Rockets ) and Sam Bowie ( Portland Trail Blazers ). One of the primary reasons why Jordan was not drafted sooner
1240-465: A Game 1 victory, Jordan scored a Finals-record 35 points in the first half, including a record-setting six three-point field goals . After the sixth three-pointer, he jogged down the court shrugging as he looked courtside. Marv Albert , who broadcast the game, later stated that it was as if Jordan was saying: "I can't believe I'm doing this." The Bulls went on to defeat the Blazers in six games. Jordan
1395-526: A career as a meteorologist . As a freshman in coach Dean Smith 's team-oriented system, Jordan was named ACC Freshman of the Year after averaging 13.4 ppg on 53.4% shooting ( field goal percentage ). He made the game-winning jump shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship game against Georgetown , which was led by future NBA rival Patrick Ewing . Jordan later described this shot as the major turning point in his basketball career. During his three seasons with
1550-406: A durable player, Jordan did not miss four or more games while active for a full season from 1986–87 to 2001–02, when he injured his right knee. Of the 15 seasons Jordan was in the NBA, he played all 82 regular season games nine times. Jordan has frequently cited David Thompson , Walter Davis , and Jerry West as influences. Confirmed at the start of his career, and possibly later on, Jordan had
1705-597: A four-game sweep. The Bulls advanced to the Finals for the first time in franchise history to face the Los Angeles Lakers . The Bulls won the series in five games, and compiled a 15–2 playoff record along the way. Perhaps the best-known moment of the series came in Game 2 when, attempting a dunk, Jordan avoided a potential Sam Perkins block by switching the ball from his right hand to his left in mid-air to lay
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#17327803174981860-644: A franchise record with 61 wins in the regular season. With Scottie Pippen developing into an All-Star, the Bulls had elevated their play. The Bulls defeated the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers in the opening two rounds of the playoffs . They advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals where their rival, the Detroit Pistons , awaited them; this time, the Bulls beat the Pistons in
2015-577: A game, third in the NBA and best in the East and clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive season for the first time since 1987. Their first-round match-up with Cleveland was widely seen as the most evenly matched series in the 2006 NBA playoffs . The teams exchanged wins during the first two games in Cleveland, with game two highlighted by the Wizards holding LeBron James to 7–25 shooting from
2170-610: A holiday video, "You da Man, You da Man, that's the reason I'm a Bullets Fan!" in 1994, which featured all 12 Bullets dancing in front of the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. In the Bullets' 1995–96 season Webber suffered a dislocated left shoulder in a preseason game against the Indiana Pacers on October 21, and opened the season on the injured list. He was activated on November 27, but strained his shoulder against
2325-534: A longshot to win the NBA Finals , but San Antonio journalist Dan Cook coined the famed phrase " It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings ". This became the rallying cry for the Bullets as they finished a playoff run that led to the NBA Finals , defeating the Seattle SuperSonics in seven games to bring a professional sports championship to Washington, D.C. for the first time in 36 years. It remains
2480-628: A physical seven-game series over the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs and finishing off the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Conference Finals in six games, the Bulls met Clyde Drexler and the Portland Trail Blazers in the Finals . The media, hoping to recreate a Magic–Bird rivalry , highlighted the similarities between "Air" Jordan and Clyde "The Glide" during the pre-Finals hype. In
2635-500: A season, averaging a league-high 37.1 ppg on 48.2% shooting. Jordan also demonstrated his defensive prowess, as he became the first player in NBA history to record 200 steals and 100 blocked shots in a season. Despite Jordan's success, Magic Johnson won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award . The Bulls reached 40 wins, and advanced to the playoffs for the third consecutive year but were again swept by
2790-551: A so-called "freeze-out" on Jordan, where players refused to pass the ball to him. The controversy left Jordan relatively unaffected when he returned to regular season play, and he would go on to be voted the NBA Rookie of the Year . The Bulls finished the season 38–44, and lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in four games in the first round of the playoffs . An often-cited moment was on August 26, 1985, when Jordan shook
2945-592: A special "Love of the Game Clause" written into his contract, which was unusual at the time, and allowed him to play basketball against anyone at any time, anywhere. Jordan had a versatile offensive game and was capable of aggressively driving to the basket as well as drawing fouls from his opponents at a high rate. His 8,772 free throw attempts are the 11th-highest total in NBA history. Early in Jordan's career, he weighed in at around 200 pounds (91 kg) and
3100-518: A team executive, the team stumbled to a 25–57 record in the 2003–04 season . In the off-season, the team traded Stackhouse, Christian Laettner , and the draft rights to Devin Harris to the Dallas Mavericks for Antawn Jamison . During the regular season, the scoring trio of Arenas, Jamison and Hughes was the highest in the NBA and earned the nickname of "The Big Three". Hughes led
3255-442: A third and final time after the season. After the season, majority owner Pollin fired Jordan as team president, much to the shock of players, associates, and the public. Jordan felt betrayed, thinking that he would get his ownership back after his playing days ended, but Pollin justified Jordan's dismissal by noting that Jordan had detrimental effects on the team, such as benching Hughes for Tyronn Lue , making poor trades, and using
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#17327803174983410-581: A three-game series victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers , the Bullets took a 2–1 series lead in the second round against the Houston Rockets . With a chance to take a 3–1 series lead at home, the Bullets lost 107–103, and the Rockets took the series in six games. Although they had future hall of famers Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld on the team, the Bullets finished the 1977–78 season 44–38 and were
3565-444: A ticket stub from the game sold at auction for $ 264,000, setting a record for a collectible ticket stub. During his rookie 1984–85 season with the Bulls, Jordan averaged 28.2 ppg on 51.5% shooting, . He helped the Bulls improve from 28–54 to 38–44 and turned them into playoff contenders. Jordan quickly became a fan favorite even in opposing arenas. Roy S. Johnson of The New York Times described Jordan as "the phenomenal rookie of
3720-419: A winning record, but in a highly competitive Atlantic Division they finished last and missed the playoffs. The next two years saw the Bullets continue to play mediocre basketball as they finished with losing records but they made the playoffs in the new expanded NBA Playoffs format that involved the 16 best teams to make the playoffs; the Bullets were eliminated in both years in the first round. In 1985 ,
3875-449: A younger sister named Roslyn. Jordan and his siblings were raised Methodist . In 1968, the family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina . Jordan attended Emsley A. Laney High School , where he played basketball, baseball, and football. He tried out for the basketball varsity team during his sophomore year, but at a height of 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m), he was deemed too short. Motivated to prove his worth, Jordan became
4030-572: Is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. He played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) between 1984 and 2003, winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls . He was integral in popularizing basketball and the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s, becoming a global cultural icon . His profile on the NBA website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan
4185-533: Is the greatest basketball player of all time." Jordan played college basketball with the North Carolina Tar Heels . As a freshman, he was a member of the Tar Heels' national championship team in 1982 . Jordan joined the Bulls in 1984 as the third overall draft pick and quickly emerged as a league star, entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring while gaining a reputation as one of
4340-457: Is the shortest player in NBA history. The Bullets would get off to a slow start as coach Kevin Loughery was fired 27 games into the season with the Bullets holding an 8–19 record. To replace Loughery, the Bullets hired former MVP Wes Unseld. Under Unseld, the Bullets improved as they were able to reach the playoffs again with a record of 38–44. After losing the first two games on the road in
4495-401: The 1967 draft , number two overall, and Wes Unseld , in the following year's draft , also number two overall. The team improved dramatically, from 36 wins the previous season to 57 in the 1968–69 season , and Unseld received both the rookie of the year and MVP awards. The Bullets hosted the 1969 NBA All-Star Game and reached the playoffs with high expectations, but they were eliminated by
4650-580: The 1993–94 NBA season to play Minor League Baseball in the Chicago White Sox organization. He returned to the Bulls in March 1995 and led them to three more championships in 1996 , 1997 , and 1998 , as well as a then-record 72 regular season wins in the 1995–96 NBA season . Jordan retired for the second time in January 1999, returning for two more NBA seasons from 2001 to 2003 as a member of
4805-448: The 1994–95 season . Jordan started 53 of his 60 games for the season, averaging 24.3 ppg, 5.4 apg, and 6.0 rpg, and shooting 41.9% from the field in his 53 starts. His last seven appearances were in a reserve role, in which he averaged just over 20 minutes per game. The Wizards finished the season with a 37–45 record, an 18-game improvement. Playing in his 14th and final NBA All-Star Game in 2003 , Jordan passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as
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4960-577: The 1996–97 season , the Bulls stood at a 69–11 record but ended the season by losing their final two games to finish the year 69–13, missing out on a second consecutive 70-win season. The Bulls again advanced to the Finals , where they faced the Utah Jazz . That team included Karl Malone , who had beaten Jordan for the NBA MVP award in a tight race (986–957). The series against the Jazz featured two of
5115-655: The Baltimore Bullets , taking their name from a 1940s–1950s Baltimore Bullets BAA/NBA franchise and playing their home games at the Baltimore Civic Center . The NBA returned to Chicago in 1966 when the Chicago Bulls began play. In their first year in Baltimore, the Bullets finished fourth in a five–team Western Division. Prior to the 1964–65 season the Bullets pulled off a blockbuster trade, sending Dischinger, Rod Thorn and Don Kojis to
5270-545: The Celtics . Jordan led the league in scoring during the 1987–88 season , averaging 35.0 ppg on 53.5% shooting, and won his first league MVP Award. He was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 1.6 blocks per game (bpg), a league-high 3.1 steals per game (spg), and leading the Bulls defense to the fewest points per game allowed in the league. The Bulls finished 50–32, and made it past
5425-540: The Dallas Mavericks . In return, Washington received Hubert Davis , Courtney Alexander , Christian Laettner , Loy Vaught and Etan Thomas along with $ 3 million. After retiring from the Chicago Bulls in early 1999, Michael Jordan became the Washington Wizards' vice president of basketball operations as well as a minority owner in January 2000. In September 2001, Jordan came out of retirement at age 38 to play for Washington. Jordan stated that he
5580-564: The Delta Center for Game 6 on June 14, 1998, leading the series 3–2. Jordan executed a series of plays, considered to be one of the greatest clutch performances in NBA Finals history. With 41.9 seconds remaining and the Bulls trailing 86–83, Phil Jackson called a timeout. When play resumed, Jordan received the inbound pass, drove to the basket, and sank a shot over several Jazz defenders, cutting Utah's lead to 86–85. The Jazz brought
5735-538: The Detroit Pistons for Bailey Howell , Don Ohl , Bob Ferry and Wali Jones . The trade worked out well; Howell proved to be a hustler and a fundamentally sound player. He helped the Bullets reach the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. In the 1965 NBA playoffs , the Bullets stunned the St. Louis Hawks 3–1, and advanced to the Western Conference finals. In the finals, Baltimore managed to split
5890-601: The FIBA Hall of Fame in 2015 and a "Dream Team" member in 2017. Jordan was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team in 1996 and to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. The trophy for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award is named in his honor. One of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation, Jordan made many product endorsements. He fueled the success of Nike 's Air Jordan sneakers, which were introduced in 1984 and remain popular. Jordan starred as himself in
6045-494: The Houston Rockets the following season. In 1981–82 , Washington played strong under the coaching of Gene Shue and Don Moran , finishing the regular season with a 43–39 record, and although they advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals in the playoffs, they had clearly lost the power of the late 1970s. The 1983 Bullets continued to play with the same talent they had in the previous year. They finished with
6200-747: The NASCAR Cup Series . In 2016, he became the first billionaire player in NBA history. That same year, President Barack Obama awarded Jordan the Presidential Medal of Freedom . As of November 2024, his net worth is estimated at $ 3.5 billion by Forbes . Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born at Cumberland Hospital in Brooklyn, New York City, on February 17, 1963, to bank employee Deloris (née Peoples) and equipment supervisor James R. Jordan Sr. He has two older brothers, James Jr. and Larry , as well as an older sister named Deloris and
6355-556: The NBA Finals . The Bullets were favorites to win the NBA championship, but were swept by the Al Attles-led Golden State Warriors in four games, losing games one and four at the Capital Centre. The loss at the NBA Finals lingered into the 1975–76 season , as they won 12 fewer games than last year, and in the playoffs they were eliminated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games. After
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6510-870: The National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference . The team plays its home games at Capital One Arena , in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. an arena they share with the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Georgetown University men's basketball team . The team is owned by Ted Leonsis through Monumental Sports & Entertainment . The franchise
6665-646: The New York Knicks in the first round. The next season the two teams met again in the first round, and although this one went to seven games, the Knicks emerged victorious again. In the 1970–71 season , the 42–40 Bullets again met the Knicks , this time though in the Eastern Conference finals. With the Knicks team captain Willis Reed injured in the finals, the injury-free Bullets took advantage of his absence, and in game seven, at New York's Madison Square Garden ,
6820-509: The New York Knicks on December 29. After hoping the injury would get better with rest, Webber finally underwent surgery on Feb 1 which sidelined him for the remainder of the season. The Bullets were 9–6 with Webber in the lineup as he averaged a team-high 23.7 points plus 7.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.80 steals in 37.2 minutes per game when he was able to play. Other players injured included Mark Price (who only played in seven games) and Robert Pack (31 games played out of 82). Bright spots of
6975-641: The Rookie of the Year award. The Wizards began playing as the Chicago Packers in 1961, as the NBA's first expansion team , an expansion prompted by Abe Saperstein 's American Basketball League . Rookie Walt Bellamy was the team's star, averaging 31.6 points per game, 19.0 rebounds per game, and leading the NBA in field goal percentage. During the All-Star Game, Bellamy represented the team while scoring 23 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. Bellamy
7130-763: The Tar Heels , Jordan averaged 17.7 ppg on 54.0% shooting and added 5.0 rpg and 1.8 apg. Jordan was selected by consensus to the NCAA All-American First Team in both his sophomore (1983) and junior (1984) seasons. After winning the Naismith and the Wooden College Player of the Year awards in 1984, Jordan left North Carolina a year before his scheduled graduation to enter the 1984 NBA draft . Jordan returned to North Carolina to complete his degree in 1986, when he graduated with
7285-840: The Washington Wizards . He was selected to play for the United States national team during his college and NBA careers, winning four gold medals —at the 1983 Pan American Games , 1984 Summer Olympics , 1992 Tournament of the Americas and 1992 Summer Olympics —while also being undefeated. Jordan's individual accolades include six NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards, ten NBA scoring titles (both all-time records), five NBA MVP awards, 10 All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game selections, three NBA All-Star Game MVP awards, three NBA steals titles , and
7440-469: The Washington Wizards . Jordan was known throughout his career as a strong clutch performer. With the Bulls, he decided 25 games with field goals or free throws in the last 30 seconds, including two NBA Finals games and five other playoff contests. His competitiveness was visible in his prolific trash talk and well-known work ethic. Jordan often used perceived slights to fuel his performances. Sportswriter Wright Thompson described him as "a killer, in
7595-543: The Wizards . The Wizards have played in four NBA Finals ; they won in 1978 . They have appeared in 28 playoffs, won four conference titles (1971, 1975, 1978, 1979), and won eight division titles (1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 2017). Their best season record, in 1975, was 60–22. Wes Unseld is the only player in franchise history to be named NBA MVP (1969) and Finals MVP (1978). Four players ( Walt Bellamy , Terry Dischinger , Earl Monroe , and Unseld) have won
7750-550: The "long-overdue" feeling was that game three was the first NBA playoff game to be held within Washington, D.C. city limits. In the Wizards' game five victory in Chicago, Arenas hit a buzzer-beater to win the game and the Wizards took their first lead in a playoff series since 1986. In game six, at the MCI Center, Jared Jeffries picked up a loose ball and went in for an uncontested tie-breaking dunk with 32 seconds left, giving
7905-441: The 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award . He holds the NBA records for career regular season scoring average (30.1 points per game) and career playoff scoring average (33.4 points per game). He is one of only eight players to achieve the basketball Triple Crown . In 1999, Jordan was named the 20th century's greatest North American athlete by ESPN and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press ' list of athletes of
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#17327803174988060-530: The 1990s, sacrificing some athleticism for added strength in the post. Despite media criticism by some as a selfish player early in his career, Jordan was willing to defer to this teammates, with a career average of 5.3 apg and a season-high of 8.0 apg. For a guard, Jordan was also a good rebounder, finishing with 6.2 rpg. Defensively, he averaged 2.3 spg and 0.8 bpg. Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in
8215-491: The 1992–93 season with a 22–60 record. Following the season, the Bullets traded Harvey Grant to the Portland Trail Blazers for former All-Star center Kevin Duckworth . In 1993, the Bullets did a rap music video of their version of Naughty by Nature 's rap single " Hip Hop Hooray ", featuring the rap trio themselves. Injuries continued as key players Rex Chapman and Calbert Cheaney (the club's first-round draft pick) missed significant stretches, and Ellison missed almost
8370-435: The 1995–96 season. Washington forward Juwan Howard sat on the committee that decided on the logo design. That same year the Wizards moved to the then MCI Center ( Capital One Arena ), also home to the Capitals and the Georgetown Hoyas men's college basketball team . In 1998, they became the brother team to the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association , and remained officially thus until 2005 when
8525-421: The 2005 season, the team played its games in Surprise, Arizona , due to renovations of Scottsdale Stadium. The team returned to Scottsdale Stadium the following year, renamed as the Grand Canyon Scorpions. The team changed their name back to Scottsdale Scorpions for the 2007 season. The Scorpions won the league championship in 2010, their first in 14 years. They also won the championship in 2015. The Stenson Award
8680-430: The All-Star Game MVP. The Bulls won the Eastern Conference Championship for a third straight season, including surviving a seven-game series with the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals; it was the first time Jordan had played in a Game 7 since the 1992 Eastern Conference Semifinals with the New York Knicks . After winning, they moved on for a rematch with the Jazz in the Finals . The Bulls returned to
8835-447: The Bullets acquired Manute Bol in the 1985 NBA draft , whose specialty was blocking shots. That year, he blocked 397 shots (a Bullets record), part of a team that blocked 716 shots (a Bullets team record). However, the Bullets finished with a disappointing 39–43 record, and were eliminated by the 76ers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. The Bullets acquired center Moses Malone from the Philadelphia 76ers for center Jeff Ruland
8990-449: The Bullets defeating the SuperSonics . The 60–22 Bullets made it back to the 1975 NBA playoffs . In the regular season , Washington posted a 36–5 home record at the Capital Centre. In the first round of the playoffs, they survived a seven-game series against the Buffalo Braves as both teams won all of their games at home. In the Eastern Conference finals, they beat the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics in six games to advance to
9145-486: The Bullets officially became the Wizards. The new name generated some controversy because " wizard " is a rank in the Ku Klux Klan , and Washington has a large African American population. A new logo was unveiled and the team colors were changed from the traditional red, white and blue to a lighter shade of blue, black and bronze, the same colors as the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL), also owned by Pollin and changed from red, white and blue before
9300-408: The Bullets when they won their only NBA championship in 1978, was called upon to resurrect his former team. The Bullets responded, winning 16 of their final 21 games to finish 44–38 , their best record since 1978–79. The late surge enabled the Bullets to climb within reach of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. In a win-or-go-home game with the Cavaliers on
9455-404: The Bullets' Gus Johnson made a critical basket late in the game to lift the Bullets over the Knicks 93–91 and advance to their first NBA Finals . They were swept in four games by the powerful Milwaukee Bucks led by future Hall of Fame members Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (known in 1971 as Lew Alcindor) and Oscar Robertson . Even after the trades of Earl Monroe (to the Knicks) and Gus Johnson (to
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#17327803174989610-411: The Bullets. In the 1979–80 season , they barely made the playoffs as they captured the sixth and final playoff spot via a tiebreaker despite posting a 39–43 record. In the playoffs, they were swept by the Philadelphia 76ers in a two-game playoff series. The following year the Bullets failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. Wes Unseld retired and Elvin Hayes was traded back to
9765-445: The Bulls met Barkley and his Phoenix Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals . The Bulls won their third NBA championship on a game-winning shot by John Paxson and a last-second block by Horace Grant , but Jordan was once again Chicago's leader. He averaged a Finals-record 41.0 ppg during the six-game series, and became the first player in NBA history to win three consecutive Finals MVP awards. Jordan scored more than 30 points in every game of
9920-406: The Bulls retired it, Jordan wore No. 45, his baseball number. Despite his 18-month hiatus from the NBA, Jordan played well, making a game-winning jump shot against Atlanta in his fourth game back. He scored 55 points in his next game, against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 28, 1995. Boosted by Jordan's comeback, the Bulls went 13–4 to make the playoffs and advanced to
10075-403: The Bulls to a 55–27 record. They again advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals after beating the Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers ; despite pushing the series to seven games, the Bulls lost to the Pistons for the third consecutive season. After their previous loss to the Pistons, Phil Jackson, along with assistant coach Tex Winter , focused on implementing the triangle offense to counteract
10230-404: The Bulls" in November, and he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the heading "A Star Is Born" in December. The fans voted in Jordan as an All-Star starter during his rookie season. Controversy arose before the 1985 NBA All-Star Game when word surfaced that several veteran players, led by Isiah Thomas , were upset by the amount of attention Jordan was receiving. This led to
10385-446: The Central Division title for the third straight year. The Bullets again faced the Knicks in the 1973 NBA playoffs , losing for the fourth time in five series against New York. In February 1973, the team announced its pending move 30 miles (50 km) southwest to the Capital Centre in Landover , a Washington, D.C. suburb, and became the Capital Bullets. After that 1973–74 season , they changed their geographic identifier name to
10540-530: The Darwinian sense of the word, immediately sensing and attacking someone's weakest spot". As the Bulls organization built the franchise around Jordan, management had to trade away players who were not "tough enough" to compete with him in practice. To improve his defense, Jordan spent hours studying film of opponents. On offense, he relied more upon instinct and improvization. Jordan's fierce competitiveness greatly impacted his teammates, sometimes motivating them but also leading to tension and alienation. Noted as
10695-406: The Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Orlando Magic . At the end of Game 1, Orlando's Nick Anderson stripped Jordan from behind, leading to the game-winning basket for the Magic; he later commented that Jordan "didn't look like the old Michael Jordan", and said, "No. 45 doesn't explode like No. 23 used to". Jordan responded by scoring 38 points in the next game, which Chicago won. Before
10850-420: The Eastern Conference finals, they trailed the San Antonio Spurs 3–1, but they mounted a comeback by winning two straight games to force a game seven at the Capital Centre. The Bullets rallied again, overcoming a fourth–quarter deficit to beat George Gervin and the Spurs 107–105 in one of the NBA's all-time greatest games and advance to the NBA Finals and a rematch with the Seattle SuperSonics . In Game 1 of
11005-443: The Knicks in the 1984–85 season to finish third in the NBA in scoring with a 28.4 points per game. In 1990, the team named Susan O'Malley as its president, the first female president of a franchise in the history of the NBA, who is the daughter of Peter O'Malley, the prominent lawyer from Maryland and former president of the Washington Capitals . The Bullets continued to struggle due to injuries and inconsistent play. They posted
11160-584: The Mystics were sold to Lincoln Holdings (headed by Ted Leonsis ), parent company of the Capitals. However, upon the purchase of the Wizards by Leonsis in 2010, the Wizards and Mystics again became sibling teams. The newly named Wizards began the 1997–98 season playing five home games at the Capital Centre before moving to the new MCI Center on December 2, 1997. The Wizards finished the season with
11315-478: The NBA in steals with 2.89 per game. Arenas and Jamison were both named to the 2005 Eastern Conference All-Star team, marking the first time Washington had two players in the All-Star game since Jeff Malone and Moses Malone represented the Bullets in the 1987 All-Star Game. The 2004–05 season saw the team (now in the new Southeast Division) post its best regular season record in 26 years ( 45–37 ) and marked
11470-623: The NBA. In his final game at the United Center in Chicago, which was his old home court, Jordan received a four-minute standing ovation. The Miami Heat retired the No. 23 jersey on April 11, 2003, even though Jordan never played for the team. At the 2003 All-Star Game, Jordan was offered a starting spot from Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson but refused both; he accepted the spot of Vince Carter . Jordan played in his final NBA game on April 16, 2003, in Philadelphia . After scoring 13 points in
11625-561: The Olympics. He averaged 14.9 ppg on 45% shooting from the field and 68% from the free-throw line, and was second on the team in scoring. He was undefeated in the four tournaments he played for the United States national team, and Jordan won all 30 games he took part in. Jordan was a shooting guard who could also play as a small forward , the position he would primarily play during his second return to professional basketball with
11780-417: The Pistons' defense and other teams that heavily targeted Michael Jordan. This system, however, required Jordan to adjust his playing style. In his book Eleven Rings , Jackson recalled, "I was planning to ask Michael to reduce the number of shots he took so that other members of the team could get more involved in the offense. I knew this would be a challenge for him." In The Last Dance , Jordan admitted he
11935-562: The Suns), the Bullets remained a playoff contender throughout the 1970s. Following a less than spectacular 1971–72 season , Baltimore acquired Elvin Hayes from the Houston Rockets and drafted Kevin Porter in the third round of the 1972 NBA draft , out of St. Francis . After a slow start in 1972–73 , Baltimore made their charge in December, posting a 10–4 record on the way to capturing
12090-749: The Washington Bullets. The Bullets would return to Baltimore to play a few home games per season during the late 1980s and 1990s. During November 1973, while waiting for the completion of their new arena in Landover, the Bullets played their home games at Cole Field House on the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park . The Capital Centre (later known as the US Airways Arena) opened on December 2, 1973, with
12245-475: The Wizards a 94–91 win and the team's first playoff series win in 23 years. They were only the 12th team in NBA history to win a playoff series after being down 0–2. This playoff series victory ended the second longest streak with no postseason series wins in NBA history. In the conference semifinals, the Wizards were swept by the Miami Heat , the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The 2005–06 season
12400-409: The Wizards concluded the season with a 37–45 record but could not make the Eastern Conference playoffs. Jordan announced he would return for the 2002–03 season , and this time he was determined to be equipped with reinforcements, as he traded for All-Star Jerry Stackhouse and signed budding star Larry Hughes . Jordan even accepted a sixth-man role on the bench in order for his knee to survive
12555-505: The Wizards heat up again, as Arenas scored 20 in the fourth quarter after claiming he changed his jersey, shorts, shoes and tights in the room and the Wizards won 106–96. Yet in games five and six, the Cavs took control of the series, both games decided by one point in overtime. In game five, despite the Wizards being down 107–100 with 1:18 to play, the team drove back and eventually tied the game on Butler's layup with 7.5 seconds remaining to send
12710-415: The all-time leading scorer in All-Star Game history, a record since broken by Kobe Bryant and LeBron James . That year, Jordan was the only Washington player to play in all 82 games, starting in 67 of them as he came off the bench in 15. Jordan averaged 20.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 spg per game. He also shot 45% from the field, and 82% from the free-throw line. Although Jordan turned 40 during
12865-517: The arena during a Nike exhibition game in Trieste , Italy, by shattering the glass of the backboard with a dunk. The moment was filmed and is often referred to as an important milestone in Jordan's rise. The shoes Jordan wore during the game were auctioned in August 2020 for $ 615,000, a record for a pair of sneakers. Jordan's 1985–86 season was cut short when he broke his foot in the third game of
13020-454: The ball upcourt and passed the ball to Malone, who was set up in the low post and was being guarded by Rodman. Malone jostled with Rodman and caught the pass, but Jordan cut behind him and stole the ball out of his hands. Jordan then dribbled down the court and paused, eyeing his defender, Jazz guard Bryon Russell . With 10 seconds remaining, Jordan started to dribble right, then crossed over to his left, possibly pushing off Russell, although
13175-487: The ball. The Bulls entered the 1989–90 season as a team on the rise, with their core group of Jordan and young improving players like Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant , and under the guidance of new coach Phil Jackson . On March 28, 1990, Jordan scored a career-high 69 points in a 117–113 road win over the Cavaliers. He averaged a league-leading 33.6 ppg on 52.6% shooting, to go with 6.9 rpg and 6.3 apg, in leading
13330-552: The bench including a 50-point game against Golden State. Off-court distractions led to the trade of Webber to the Sacramento Kings for Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe in May 1998. The Wizards finished the lockout-shortened season of 1998–99 with a record of 18–32 . Mitch Richmond led the team in scoring with a 19.7 ppg average. In the 1999–2000 season , the Wizards finished with a 29–53 record. Mitch Richmond led
13485-536: The best defensive players. His leaping ability, demonstrated by performing slam dunks from the free-throw line in Slam Dunk Contests , earned him the nicknames " Air Jordan " and " His Airness ". Jordan won his first NBA title with the Bulls in 1991 and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993 , securing a three-peat . Citing physical and mental exhaustion from basketball and superstardom, Jordan abruptly retired from basketball before
13640-649: The century. Jordan was twice inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame , once in 2009 for his individual career, and again in 2010 as part of the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team ("The Dream Team"). He became a member of the United States Olympic Hall of Fame in 2009, a member of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2010, and an individual member of
13795-589: The crowd of 21,257 fans. Jordan made his debut as a college player for the U.S. national basketball team at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas , Venezuela. He led the team in scoring with 17.3 ppg as the U.S., coached by Jack Hartman , won the gold medal . The following year, Jordan won another gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics . The 1984 U.S. team was coached by Bob Knight and featured young players such as Patrick Ewing , Sam Perkins , Chris Mullin , Steve Alford , and Wayman Tisdale . Jordan led
13950-479: The entire season. The result was a 24–58 record for the 1993–94 season. Don MacLean was named 1994 Most Improved Player of the season, leading the Bullets with 18.2 points per game (tied with Chapman). The Bullets selected Juwan Howard in the 1994 NBA draft and traded Gugliotta along with three first-round draft picks to the Golden State Warriors for the rights to Chris Webber . While
14105-483: The eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics , Jordan scored a playoff career-high 63 points, breaking Elgin Baylor 's single-game playoff scoring record . The Celtics team, though, swept the series in three games. Jordan completely recovered in time for the 1986–87 season , and had one of the most prolific scoring seasons in NBA history; he became the only player other than Wilt Chamberlain to score 3,000 points in
14260-433: The field, along with 8.0 rpg and 8.0 apg. During the season, Sam Vincent , Chicago's point guard , was having trouble running the offense, and Jordan expressed his frustration with head coach Doug Collins , who then put Jordan at point guard. In his time as a point guard, Jordan had 10 triple-doubles in 11 games, with averages of 33.6 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 10.8 apg, 2.9 spg, and 0.8 bpg on 51% shooting. The Bulls finished with
14415-559: The fifth time in as many Finals appearances, Jordan received the Finals MVP award. During the 1997 NBA All-Star Game , he posted the first triple-double in All-Star Game history in a victorious effort, but the MVP award went to Glen Rice . The Bulls compiled a 62–20 record in the 1997–98 season . Jordan led the league with 28.7 ppg, securing his fifth regular season MVP award, plus honors for All-NBA First Team, First Defensive Team, and
14570-446: The final say in all personnel matters; opinions of Jordan as a basketball executive were mixed. He managed to purge the team of several highly paid, unpopular players (like forward Juwan Howard and point guard Rod Strickland ) but used the first pick in the 2001 NBA draft to select high school student Kwame Brown , who did not live up to expectations and was traded away after four seasons. Despite his January 1999 claim that he
14725-601: The finals, the Bullets defeated the SuperSonics, 99–97, on two game-winning free throws. They lost the next four games, and the series, to Seattle. The Bullets were the only team to play in the NBA Finals four times during the 1970s. In August 1979, the Bullets became the first NBA team to visit China, where they defeated the Bayi Rockets and the Shanghai Sharks . Age and injuries finally caught up with
14880-433: The first four games with the Los Angeles Lakers before losing the series 4–2. Within the first two months of that season, the Bullets were purchased from original franchise managing partner Dave Trager by Abe Pollin , Earl Foreman and real estate investor and former NBA referee Arnold Heft for $ 1.1 million, on November 23, 1964. In the late 1960s, the Bullets drafted two future Hall of Fame members: Earl Monroe , in
15035-437: The first of 35 regular season "home" games the Bullets played in Baltimore from 1989 to 1997. They finished with a 31–51 record despite stellar seasons by Jeff Malone and Bernard King , who averaged 24.3 and 22.3 points per game respectively to lead the team. The lone highlight of the Bullets' 30-win 1990–91 season was the successful comeback effort by Bernard King as he recovered from knee surgery he suffered while playing for
15190-526: The first round of the playoffs for the first time in Jordan's career, as they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games. In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Bulls lost in five games to the more experienced Detroit Pistons , who were led by Isiah Thomas and a group of physical players known as the " Bad Boys ". In the 1988–89 season , Jordan again led the league in scoring, averaging 32.5 ppg on 53.8% shooting from
15345-603: The first round of the 1988 NBA playoffs to the Detroit Pistons , the Bullets fought back and forced a fifth game with two home wins. They would lose game 5 by 21 points. It would be nine seasons before Washington would return to the NBA Playoffs. The Bullets got off to a 5–1 start in 1988–89, but they lost 16 of 18 games from mid-December to mid-January. On January 6, 1989, the Bullets franchise played its first regular season game in Baltimore since 1973 ; this would be
15500-446: The first time the franchise had ever made the playoffs as the Wizards. With a 93–82 win over the Chicago Bulls on April 13, 2005, the Wizards clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 1996–97. Long-suffering fans celebrated by buying over 16,000 playoff tickets in two and a half hours the day tickets went on sale. In game three of the first round against the Bulls, the Wizards won their first playoff game since 1988. Adding to
15655-483: The floor while Brendan Haywood gave James a hard foul in the first quarter that many cited as the key to shaking up the rest of James's game. In game three at the Verizon Center, James hit a 4-footer on the way down with 5.7 seconds left to take the game and the series lead for the Cavs with a 97–96 win. Arenas missed a potential game-winning three-pointer on the other end to seal the win for the Cavs. Game 4 saw
15810-477: The following season for hope of improvement. Malone would lead the team in scoring with a 24.1 points per game as he would be joined by Jeff Malone who averaged 22.0 points per game. The Bullets' 42–40 record would be their last winning season until 1996–97 . Washington was eliminated by the Detroit Pistons in three games in the playoffs. Twelfth overall in the 1987 NBA draft , the Bullets selected Muggsy Bogues , who at 5 feet 3 inches (160 cm)
15965-470: The game to overtime, where James scored with 0.9 seconds left to send the Cavs to a 121–120 win. The series returned to the Verizon Center for game six, where the game went back and forth all night. The Wizards blew a 14-point first-quarter lead, then for 24 minutes, from early in the second quarter to early in the fourth, neither team led by more than five points at any time. The Wizards blew a seven-point lead with just under five to play and needed Arenas to hit
16120-400: The game, Jordan decided that he would immediately resume wearing his former No. 23. The Bulls were fined $ 25,000 for failing to report the impromptu number change to the NBA. Jordan was fined an additional $ 5,000 for opting to wear white sneakers when the rest of the Bulls wore black. He averaged 31 ppg in the playoffs, but Orlando won the series in six games. Jordan was freshly motivated by
16275-492: The game, Jordan went to the bench with 4 minutes and 13 seconds left in the third quarter and his team trailing the Philadelphia 76ers 75–56. Just after the start of the fourth quarter, the First Union Center crowd began chanting "We want Mike!" After much encouragement from coach Doug Collins , Jordan finally rose from the bench and re-entered the game, replacing Larry Hughes with 2:35 remaining. At 1:45, Jordan
16430-413: The latter stages of an owner-induced lockout of NBA players, Jordan retired for the second time on January 13, 1999. On January 19, 2000, Jordan returned to the NBA not as a player but as part owner and president of basketball operations for the Washington Wizards . Jordan's responsibilities with the Wizards were comprehensive, as he controlled all aspects of the Wizards' basketball operations, and had
16585-485: The league for gambling, but the rumor spread widely. In 2005, Jordan discussed his gambling with Ed Bradley of 60 Minutes and admitted that he made reckless decisions. Jordan stated: Yeah, I've gotten myself into situations where I would not walk away and I've pushed the envelope. Is that compulsive? Yeah, it depends on how you look at it. If you're willing to jeopardize your livelihood and your family, then yeah. When Bradley asked him if his gambling ever got to
16740-404: The league in assists with 8.9 per game. Mureşan dominated the middle and led the NBA in field goal percentage (.599). Washington received contributions from Calbert Cheaney (10.6 ppg) and Tracy Murray (10.0 ppg). In November 1995, owner Abe Pollin announced he was changing the team's nickname, because Bullets had acquired violent overtones that had made him increasingly uncomfortable over
16895-402: The league's regular season and All-Star Game MVP awards. In the playoffs , the Bulls lost only three games in four series ( Miami Heat 3–0, New York Knicks 4–1, and Orlando Magic 4–0), as they defeated the Seattle SuperSonics 4–2 in the NBA Finals to win their fourth championship. The series was one of the tougher ones for Jordan as he shot 41%, 32%, and 26% from the field in three of
17050-457: The level where it jeopardized his livelihood or family, Jordan replied: "No." In 2010, Ron Shelton , director of Jordan Rides the Bus , said that he began working on the documentary believing that the NBA had suspended him, but that research "convinced [him it] was nonsense". On October 6, 1993, Jordan announced his retirement, saying that he lost his desire to play basketball. He later said that
17205-572: The live-action/animation hybrid film Space Jam (1996) and was the central focus of the Emmy -winning documentary series The Last Dance (2020). He became part-owner and head of basketball operations for the Charlotte Hornets (then named the Bobcats) in 2006 and bought a controlling interest in 2010, before selling his majority stake in 2023. Jordan is also a co-owner of 23XI Racing in
17360-428: The more memorable clutch moments of Jordan's career. He won Game 1 for the Bulls with a buzzer-beating jump shot. In Game 5, with the series tied 2–2, Jordan played despite being feverish and dehydrated from a stomach virus. In what is known as " The Flu Game ", Jordan scored 38 points, including the game-winning three-pointer with 25 seconds remaining. The Bulls won 90–88 and went on to win the series in six games. For
17515-718: The murder of his father three months earlier helped shape his decision. James R. Jordan Sr. was murdered on July 23, 1993, at a highway rest area in Lumberton, North Carolina , by two teenagers, Daniel Green and Larry Martin Demery, who carjacked his Lexus . His body, dumped in a South Carolina swamp, was not discovered until August 3. Green and Demery were sentenced to life imprisonment. However, in The Last Dance , Jordan stated that he retired due to physical and mental exhaustion from basketball and superstardom. Jordan
17670-417: The night before Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks . The previous year, he admitted that he had to cover $ 57,000 in gambling losses, and author Richard Esquinas wrote a book in 1993 claiming he had won $ 1.25 million from Jordan on the golf course. David Stern , the commissioner of the NBA , denied in 1995 and 2006 that Jordan's 1993 retirement was a secret suspension by
17825-420: The officials did not call a foul . With 5.2 seconds left, Jordan made the climactic shot of his Bulls career, a top-key jumper over a stumbling Russell to give Chicago an 87–86 lead. Afterwards, the Jazz' John Stockton narrowly missed a game-winning three-pointer, and the buzzer sounded as Jordan and the Bulls won their sixth NBA championship, achieving a second three-peat in the decade. Once again, Jordan
17980-607: The only NBA title won by the team as of 2024. In the 1978–79 season the Bullets moved to the Atlantic Division, capturing the title in their first season there. They entered the 1979 NBA playoffs having lost eight of the final 11 games to finish the regular season at 54–28. In the playoffs the Bullets nearly blew a 3–1 series lead against the Atlanta Hawks , but managed to hold off the Hawks in seven games. In
18135-649: The organization changed its name to the Chicago Zephyrs and played its home games at the Chicago Coliseum (Saperstein's ABL Majors prevented the team from playing in the larger Chicago Stadium ). In their only season as the Zephyrs, former Purdue star Terry Dischinger was on the roster, and went on to win Rookie of the Year honors. In 1963 the franchise moved to Baltimore , Maryland, and became
18290-433: The playoff defeat, and he trained aggressively for the 1995–96 season . The Bulls were strengthened by the addition of rebound specialist Dennis Rodman , and the team dominated the league, starting the season at 41–3. The Bulls finished with the best regular season record in NBA history, 72–10, a mark broken two decades later by the 2015–16 Golden State Warriors . Jordan led the league in scoring with 30.4 ppg, and he won
18445-417: The playoffs for the eighth consecutive season. Washington, boasting the league's tallest player (Mureșan, whose height is 7 feet 7 inches or 231 centimetres), two very athletic forwards (Howard and Webber) and one of the league's top point guards ( Rod Strickland ), started the 1996–97 season at 22–24. That led to the dismissal of head coach Jim Lynam . Bernie Bickerstaff , an assistant coach with
18600-495: The rigors of an 82-game season. A combination of numerous team injuries and uninspired play led to Jordan's return to the starting lineup , where he tried to rebound the franchise from its early-season struggles. By the end of the season, the Wizards finished with a 37–45 record once again. Jordan ended the season as the only Wizard to play in all 82 games, as he averaged 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals in 37.0 minutes per game. Jordan retired from playing for
18755-464: The road. Jordan's final two seasons did not result in a playoff appearance for the Wizards, and he was often unsatisfied with the play of those around him. At several points, Jordan openly criticized his teammates to the media, citing their lack of focus and intensity, notably that of Kwame Brown , the number-one draft pick in the 2001 NBA draft . With the recognition that 2002–03 would be Jordan's final season, tributes were paid to him throughout
18910-409: The season included the selection of Rasheed Wallace in the 1995 NBA draft and the All-Star play of Howard. Howard averaged a career-best 22.1 ppg and 8.1 rpg and kept the Bullets slim playoff hopes alive until the end of the season. Center Gheorghe Mureșan was named Most Improved Player of The Year, averaging 14.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks. The Bullets improved to 39–43 but just missed
19065-478: The season started out with promise, a shoulder injury to Chris Webber (ironically against the Warriors) caused him to miss 19 games, and the Bullets struggled through the rest of the season finishing a then franchise-worst (percentage-wise) 21–61. Webber averaged 20.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, but declined surgery for his dislocated shoulder. This would prove costly for the next season. The Bullets released
19220-486: The season's final day, the Bullets squeezed past Cleveland 85–81 to end the franchise's longest playoff drought. Whilst the Bullets were swept by the Bulls in the first round, they lost the three games by a total of 18 points. Webber led the way in scoring (20.1 ppg), rebounding (10.3) and blocks (1.9) and shot 51.8 percent from the floor to make his first All-Star team. Howard averaged 19.1 ppg and 8.0 rpg, while Strickland averaged 17.2 ppg and 1.74 spg and finished fifth in
19375-476: The season, he scored 20 or more points 42 times, 30 or more points nine times, and 40 or more points three times. On February 21, 2003, Jordan became the first 40-year-old to tally 43 points in an NBA game. During his stint with the Wizards, all of Jordan's home games at the MCI Center were sold out and the Wizards were the second most-watched team in the NBA, averaging 20,172 fans a game at home and 19,311 on
19530-468: The season, the Bullets fired head coach K.C. Jones , despite having a career 62 percent winning percentage as the Bullets head coach. In 1976–77 , under new head coach Dick Motta , the Bullets again fell short of the Central Division title for the second straight year. Elvin Hayes finished sixth in the league in rebounds with 12.5 rebounds per game. After opening the 1977 NBA playoffs with
19685-409: The season. Jordan was recruited by numerous college basketball programs, including Duke , North Carolina , South Carolina , Syracuse , and Virginia . In 1981, he accepted a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , where Jordan majored in cultural geography . He chose this field of study because of its relationship to meteorology , as Jordan was interested in
19840-471: The series, including 40 or more points in four consecutive games. With his third Finals triumph, Jordan capped off a seven-year run where he attained seven scoring titles and three championships, but there were signs that Jordan was tiring of his massive celebrity and all of the non-basketball hassles in his life. During the 1993 NBA playoffs , Jordan was seen gambling in Atlantic City, New Jersey ,
19995-527: The shot into the basket. In his first Finals appearance, Jordan had 31.2 ppg on 56% shooting from the field, 11.4 apg, 6.6 rpg, 2.8 spg, and 1.4 bpg. Jordan won his first NBA Finals MVP award and cried while holding the Finals trophy. Jordan and the Bulls continued their dominance in the 1991–92 season , establishing a 67–15 record, topping their franchise record from the 1990–91 campaign. Jordan won his second consecutive MVP award with averages of 30.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, and 6.1 apg on 52% shooting. After winning
20150-399: The six games. Nevertheless, Jordan was named Finals MVP for a record fourth time; he achieved only the second sweep of the MVP awards in the All-Star Game, regular season, and NBA Finals after Willis Reed in the 1969–70 season . Upon winning the championship, his first since his father's murder, Jordan reacted emotionally, clutching the game ball and crying on the locker room floor. In
20305-487: The star of Laney's junior varsity team and tallied some 40-point games. The following summer, he grew four inches (10 cm) and trained rigorously. Upon earning a spot on the varsity roster, Jordan averaged more than 25 points per game (ppg) over his final two seasons of high school play. As a senior, he was selected for the 1981 McDonald's All-American Game and scored 30 points , after averaging 26.8 ppg, 11.6 rebounds (rpg), and 10.1 assists per game (apg) for
20460-558: The summer of 1992. The added exhaustion due to the " Dream Team " run in the 1992 Summer Olympics solidified Jordan's feelings about the game and his celebrity status. Jordan's announcement sent shock waves throughout the NBA and appeared on the front pages of newspapers around the world. Jordan further surprised the sports world by signing a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) contract with the Chicago White Sox on February 7, 1994. He reported to spring training in Sarasota, Florida , and
20615-404: The team in scoring, averaging 17.1 ppg for the tournament. In 1992, Jordan, now an NBA player, was a member of the star-studded squad that was dubbed the " Dream Team ", which included Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. The team won two gold medals: the first in the 1992 Tournament of the Americas , and the second in the 1992 Summer Olympics . Jordan was the only player to start all eight games in
20770-422: The team was 39–35 and looking to close in on the 45-win mark achieved the previous year, until Butler suffered a thumb sprain and the Wizards lost all five games without him. Butler returned and the team pulled out their final three games, against the Pistons, Cavaliers and Bucks, all playoff-bound teams, to finish the year at 42–40 and clinch the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference . They averaged 101.7 points
20925-505: The team with 17.4 ppg. In the 2000–01 season , under newly hired coach Leonard Hamilton , 1999 NBA draft pick Richard Hamilton led the team in scoring with 18.1 ppg, but the team finished with a 19–63 record, the most losses the team had ever suffered in one season. On February 23, 2001, the Wizards were involved in a blockbuster trade days before the trading deadline. The team sent Juwan Howard , Obinna Ekezie and Calvin Booth to
21080-426: The team's first-round draft pick on high schooler Kwame Brown . The Wizards replaced Jordan's managerial role with general manager Ernie Grunfeld . Without Jordan in the fold the following year, the Washington Wizards were not expected to win, and they did not. Despite the signing of future All-Star point guard Gilbert Arenas , in a move that was ironically made possible by Jordan's prior cap-clearing maneuvers as
21235-439: The top prospects in baseball. On November 1, 1994, his No. 23 was retired by the Bulls in a ceremony that included the erection of a permanent sculpture known as The Spirit outside the new United Center . The Bulls went 55–27 in 1993–94 without Jordan in the lineup and lost to the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs . In March 1995, Jordan decided to quit baseball because he feared he might become
21390-497: The upcoming season, a decision that many saw as foreshadowing another Jordan return. On September 25, 2001, Jordan announced his return to the NBA to play for the Washington Wizards, indicating his intention to donate his salary as a player to a relief effort for the victims of the September 11 attacks . In an injury-plagued 2001–02 season , Jordan led the team in scoring (22.9 ppg), assists (5.2 apg), and steals (1.4 spg), and
21545-523: The year, causing him to miss 64 games. The Bulls made the playoffs despite Jordan's injury and a 30–52 record, at the time the fifth-worst record of any team to qualify for the playoffs in NBA history. Jordan recovered in time to participate in the postseason and performed well upon his return. On April 20 at the Boston Garden , in Game 2 of the First Round, a 135–131 double overtime loss to
21700-481: The years, particularly given the high homicide and crime rate in the early 1990s in Washington, D.C. The name change was widely and incorrectly believed to be related to the assassination of Pollin's longtime friend, Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin . A contest was held to choose a new name and the choices were narrowed to the Dragons , Express , Stallions , Sea Dogs , and the Wizards . On May 15, 1997,
21855-516: Was "99.9% certain" he would never play another NBA game, Jordan expressed interest in making another comeback in the summer of 2001, this time with his new team. Inspired by the NHL comeback of his friend Mario Lemieux the previous winter, Jordan spent much of the spring and summer of 2001 in training, holding several invitation-only camps for NBA players in Chicago. Jordan hired his old Chicago Bulls head coach, Doug Collins , as Washington's coach for
22010-429: Was an MVP candidate, as he led the Wizards to a winning record and playoff contention; Jordan would eventually finish 13th in the MVP ballot. After he suffered torn cartilage in his right knee, and subsequent knee soreness, the Wizards missed the playoffs, and Jordan's season ended after only 60 games, the fewest he had played in a regular season since playing 17 games after returning from his first retirement during
22165-484: Was assigned to the team's minor league system on March 31. Jordan said that this decision was made to pursue the dream of his late father, who always envisioned his son as a Major League Baseball (MLB) player. The White Sox were owned by Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf , who continued to honor Jordan's basketball contract during the years he played baseball. In 1994, Jordan played for the Birmingham Barons ,
22320-630: Was because the first two teams were in need of a center . Trail Blazers general manager Stu Inman contended that it was not a matter of drafting a center but more a matter of taking Bowie over Jordan, in part because Portland already had Clyde Drexler , who was a guard with similar skills to Jordan. Citing Bowie's injury-laden college career, ESPN named the Blazers' choice of Bowie as the worst draft pick in North American professional sports history. Jordan made his NBA debut at Chicago Stadium on October 26, 1984, and scored 16 points. In 2021,
22475-474: Was close to his father; as a child, Jordan imitated the way his father stuck out his tongue while absorbed in work. Jordan later adopted it as his own signature, often displaying it as he drove to the basket. In 1996, Jordan founded a Chicago-area Boys & Girls Club and dedicated it to his father. In his 1998 autobiography For the Love of the Game , Jordan wrote that he was preparing for retirement as early as
22630-755: Was created in 2004 by the Arizona Fall League, in memory of Dernell Stenson , a Scorpions outfielder (Cincinnati Reds), who was killed in a carjacking on November 5, 2003. Pitchers Catchers Infielders Outfielders Manager Coaches [REDACTED] 7-day injured list ~ Development list # Rehab assignment ∞ Reserve list ‡ Restricted list § Suspended list † Temporarily inactive list Roster updated October 9, 2023 → More rosters: MiLB • Arizona Fall League Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ ,
22785-658: Was established in 1961 as the Chicago Packers in Chicago , Illinois ; they were renamed the Chicago Zephyrs in the following season. In 1963, they moved to Baltimore, Maryland , and became the Baltimore Bullets , taking the name from a previous team of the same name . In 1973, the team moved to the Washington metropolitan area and changed its name first to the Capital Bullets , then the following season to Washington Bullets . In 1997, they rebranded themselves as
22940-440: Was filled with ups and downs. During the off-season, Washington acquired Caron Butler and Antonio Daniels . During the regular season, the Wizards again had the best scoring trio in the NBA, this time consisting of Arenas, Jamison and Butler as the "Big Three". The Wizards started the 2005–06 season at 5–1, but went on an 8–17 funk to go to 13–18 through 31 games. Then, they went 13–5 in the next eighteen games. On April 5, 2006,
23095-425: Was initially reluctant and even mocked the system as an "equal opportunity offense". Nevertheless, he eventually embraced the change, which led to tremendous success for the team. In the 1990–91 season , Jordan won his second MVP award after averaging 31.5 ppg on 53.9% shooting, 6.0 rpg, and 5.5 apg for the regular season. The Bulls finished in first place in their division for the first time in sixteen years and set
23250-413: Was intentionally fouled by the 76ers' Eric Snow , and stepped to the line to make both free throws. After the second foul shot, the 76ers in-bounded the ball to rookie John Salmons , who in turn was intentionally fouled by Bobby Simmons one second later, stopping time so that Jordan could return to the bench. He received a three-minute standing ovation from his teammates, his opponents, the officials, and
23405-436: Was more athletic in terms of play style. As his career progressed, Jordan also developed the ability to post up his opponents and score with his trademark fadeaway jump shot, using his leaping ability to avoid block attempts. According to Hubie Brown , this move alone made Jordan nearly unstoppable. Around this time, he bulked up to 215 pounds (98 kg) in order to adapt to the increased physicality of NBA defenses during
23560-506: Was named Finals MVP for the second year in a row, and finished the series averaging 35.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, and 6.5 apg, while shooting 52.6% from the floor. In the 1992–93 season , despite a 32.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, and 5.5 apg campaign, including a second-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting, Jordan's streak of consecutive MVP seasons ended, as he lost the award to his friend Charles Barkley , upsetting him. Jordan and
23715-694: Was named the league Rookie of the Year, but the team finished with the NBA's worst record at 18–62. The team's original name was a reference to Chicago's meatpacking industry; their home arena, the International Amphitheater , was next door to the Union Stock Yards . However, it was extremely unpopular since it was the same name used by the NFL's Green Bay Packers , bitter rivals of the Chicago Bears . After only one year,
23870-418: Was returning "for the love of the game". Because of NBA rules, he had to divest himself of any ownership of the team. Before the All-Star break, Jordan was one of only two players to average more than 25 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds as he led the Wizards to a 26–21 record. After the All-Star break, Jordan's knee could not handle the workload of a full-season as he ended the season on the injured list, and
24025-409: Was voted Finals MVP for a record sixth time, having led all scorers by averaging 33.5 ppg, including 45 in the deciding Game 6. The 1998 Finals holds the highest television rating of any Finals series, and Game 6 holds the highest television rating of any game in NBA history. With Phil Jackson 's contract expiring, the pending departures of Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman looming, and being in
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