He was a legend who had ended his career on the perfect note — a game-winning jumper to win the 1998 NBA Finals. He was an icon who helped carry the NBA into the limelight.
Is there any way Michael Jordan’s return to play for the NBA’s Washington Wizards could increase his already legendary status or improve his image? Though some say Jordan shouldn’t return to the NBA, several basketball experts, including University of Memphis head coach John Calipari, said Jordan’s comeback will be nothing but a positive for the NBA.
“It’s good for the entire league,” Calipari said. “It means 41 sellouts for the Wizards, and 41 sellouts on the road that the other teams might not get.”
Jordan, regarded by many as the best player to ever pick up a basketball, won six NBA titles during his career with the Chicago Bulls. The five-time NBA Most Valuable Player won the first of his titles in 1991 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Earlier that year, Jordan’s Bulls swept the Detroit Pistons, 4-0, in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pistons were coached by Chuck Daly, who now works as a special consultant for the Memphis Grizzlies. Daly said Jordan’s comeback will be momentous for all basketball fans.
“The whole world is waiting to see Michael come back,” Daly said.
Though the Wizards have had a couple of sub-par seasons with a combined record of 48-116 over the last two years, Daly said he feels the team will be competitive with Jordan on the roster.
“With Michael back, I think they definitely have a shot at making the playoffs,” Daly said. “He’s going to drive that team. I don’t think a lot of people remember, but he didn’t have great teams around him when he won some of those championships in Chicago.”
After Jordan retired from the Bulls the first time, before the 1994 season, the league he helped carry experienced a lull. Attendance dropped in many NBA arenas and television ratings suffered. Jordan’s return revitalized the struggling league and returned to it its poster child.
At 39 years of age, it’s reasonable to wonder how well Jordan will hold up now. Daly said how well MJ will fare physically is one thing he can’t predict.
“One never knows what’s going to happen, and you don’t know the injury factor,” Daly said. “I think it’s one thing to talk 82 games, but it’s another thing to do 82 games.”
After his last retirement, players like Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant and other up-and-coming players gave the NBA new life. Some critics feel Jordan may hurt the game by slowing the new crop of stars from re-defining the league, but Daly doesn’t agree.
“He won’t hinder those guys,” Daly said. “It will be like one of those old Westerns where the young guns try to challenge the old sheriff. Those young guns are going to have their best suit on when it’s time to play Michael. He’s going to enhance them and give them a chance to prove themselves.”
One guy who will have a chance to prove himself against His Airness is Grizzly swingman Shane Battier. Battier will face Jordan twice in the regular season.
“Jordan’s coming back is a thrill for me,” Battier said. “It’s a thrill to watch him play. I’m more concerned with how I do than how he does. I hope he has a good 80 games (instead of 82). It won’t hurt if he’s off for two games.”
