How good was Michael Jordan for the Washington Wizards?
It's been 20 years since basketball GOAT Michael Jordan finally hung up his sneakers after finishing his career with the Washington Wizards.
Jordan came out of retirement to play for the Washington Wizards in 2001, moving from general manager of the franchise to try and help The Wizards on the court.
After a three-year absence from the game, basketball fans knew Jordan wouldn't be the same player he was for the Chicago Bulls, where he made his name the greatest of all time.
Jordan would dominate the 90s with the Chicago Bulls franchise, winning six NBA Championships in six finals appearances and winning six NBA Finals MVPs.
Jordan announced his return to the sport just a few weeks after the 9/11 attacks, believing he still had more left in the tank.
According to slamonline.com, Jordan said: "It's an itch (Playing basketball) that still needs to be scratched here, and I want to make sure this scratch doesn't bother me for the rest of my life."
Under coach Doug Collins, one of his previous coaches from his time in Chicago, Jordan started the regular season on fire, delivering six 30+ point games before the calendar hit December.
In back-to-back games in December, Jordan dropped 51 points on the Charlotte Hornets and then 45 on the New Jersey Nets, becoming the oldest player in NBA history to score over 50 points.
Jordan then dropped 40 and 41 in January against Cleveland and Phoenix, keeping Washington above .500 before injuring his knee and missing the rest of the season.
In 60 games for the Washington Wizards in the 2001/2002 season, Jordan averaged 22.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists, helping him make the Eastern Conference All-Star team.
The Wizards added Jerry Stackhouse and Larry Hughes to their roster in the Summer of 2002, with Jordan hoping the changes could help Washington clinch a playoff berth.
Aged 40, Jordan scored 40 or more points on three occasions, becoming the first 40-year-old to score 40 points in NBA history.
With a busted knee and aged 40, Michael Jordan played every game of the 02/03 regular season, averaging 20 points and six rebounds, earning another all-star appearance. The Wizards still failed to make the playoffs.
Jordan's return to basketball may have halted Washington's overall team progression and failed rebuild, but at 40, Jordan proved he could still play with the big boys and capped off the most legendary basketball career.
Despite the failed rebuild, 'Jordan Mania' helped Washington off the court with merchandise sales and not an empty seat in the arena every night.
A lot of fans said it was a poor ending to an iconic career in Chicago, but by his numbers, it only showed no matter the age, Michael Jordan is and was a killer on the basketball court.