Don't hate the player, hate the...

Across all professional sports, contract negotiations, player-coach relationships, retirement, and player-player conflicts result in athletes changing their uniforms. The popularity of the player is positively correlated with the outrage of the old team and the excitement of the new team. Switching teams is not, by any means, a new sensation. Usually, a trade makes a small wave within the organization that ripples out into the public for a week at the most. When great players are traded, however, it is a different story. Over the course of five weeks, we are taking a look at five significant cases. The first was Brett Favre, the second was Wayne Gretzky, and the third was Patrick Ewing. The fourth is Michael Jordan.

1984-1993, 1995-1998: Chicago Bulls
2001-2003: Washington Wizards

Michael Jordan was a star from the start, being named to the NBA All-Star Team during his first season and receiving the Rookie of the Year Award as well. Since joining the Chicago Bulls in 1984, “His Airness” has received a plethora of accolades and has achieved a multitude of statistical accomplishments. However, what on the surface appears to be a smooth career was in fact marred by two retirements.

Jordan and the Bulls won their first Championship together in 1991, and went on to win two more in 1992 and 1993, giving the Bulls three consecutive titles. Excitement soon led to despair when Jordan announced his retirement from basketball on October 6, 1993 at age 30. Spurred by his father’s death and claiming a lack of desire, Jordan told the press, “I just feel that I don’t have anything else to prove.”

During his hiatus, Jordan joined the baseball team the Birmingham Barons, which are part of the Chicago White Sox minor league system. Less than successful, on March 18, 1995, Jordan announced that he was returning to the NBA and would rejoin the Chicago Bulls. Although the Bulls made it to the playoffs, Jordan did not win a title upon his return. In better condition for the 1995-1996 season, Jordan, supported by teammates Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, led the Bulls to three more consecutive championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998.

The three-peat high did not last too long, however, when Jordan announced a second retirement in 1999. Unable to stay away from basketball, in 2000, Jordan took on a professional position as President of Basketball Operations for the Washington Wizards. Watching his team fail and feeling inspired by his friend Mario Lemieux’s NHL comeback, Jordan was anxious to get back on the court. He signed a two-year contract with his new team, the Washington Wizards, and he hired former Bulls’ coach Doug Collins. Unfortunately, Jordan’s return did not revive the Wizards in the way he had hoped—they never made the playoffs. However, he did score 40 points at age 40 during the 2002-2003 season, after which he retired for a third and final time.

Air Jordan is still a household name and will forever remain the childhood hero of millions. He is one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century, ranked number one above Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali. His retirements were possibly the least controversial of those discussed in this series. However, they will forever taint an otherwise stunning and incredible tenure of one of the best, if not the best, players in NBA history.