Ayrton Oneill
Michael Jordan is widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. During his illustrious career, Jordan played 15 seasons in the NBA, winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan was 40 years old when he retired from basketball for the third and final time in April 2003. However, this was not the first time Jordan had retired; he previously retired twice, once in 1993 at age 30 and again in 1999 at age 36.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 17 February 1963 |
| Age when drafted into the NBA | 21 |
| First retirement | 6 October 1993 (aged 30) |
| Second retirement | 13 January 1999 (aged 36) |
| Comeback announcement | 25 September 2001 (aged 38) |
| Third and final retirement | 16 April 2003 (aged 40) |
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What You'll Learn
Michael Jordan's first retirement
Michael Jordan is widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He played 15 seasons in the NBA between 1984 and 2003, winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan was 30 years old when he retired for the first time on October 6, 1993, after winning three consecutive NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls.
Jordan's first retirement from basketball came as a shock to the world. He was at the top of his game, having just won his third NBA Championship and third NBA Finals MVP award with the Bulls, and was arguably the most recognizable athlete in the world. Jordan himself cited a lack of desire to play as the reason for his early retirement. In his announcement, he stated, "I have always stressed that when I lose the sense of motivation and the sense to prove something as a basketball player, it's time to leave."
Jordan's decision to retire was also influenced by personal factors. In July 1993, Jordan's father, James, was murdered in North Carolina, which took a significant toll on him. Additionally, Jordan was facing negative media coverage due to allegations of a gambling addiction and criticism for his gambling activities. He was also upset about a column published during the Knicks series, which criticized him for gambling the night before Game 2.
Following his first retirement, Jordan pursued a brief career in minor league baseball, signing a contract with the Chicago White Sox in February 1994. However, he made a comeback to the NBA on March 18, 1995, with a succinct press release: "I'm back". He returned to the Chicago Bulls and led them to three more championships before retiring for the second time in January 1999 at the age of 36.
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Michael Jordan's second retirement
Michael Jordan is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He played 15 seasons in the NBA between 1984 and 2003, winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan's first retirement came in 1993, when he was 30 years old. He then made a comeback in March 1995, but retired for the second time in January 1999 at the age of 36.
Jordan's second retirement was prompted by bitter tension between General Manager Jerry Krause and Coach Jackson, which resulted in the latter's departure from Chicago. Despite earlier stating that he would not play for any coach other than Jackson, Jordan cited a loss of drive and desire as the reasons for his retirement. He also mentioned that he wanted to spend more time with his family. When asked if there was a chance he would return, Jordan said he was “99.9 percent” sure he wouldn't, but he ultimately did make another comeback in 2001 with the Washington Wizards.
During his time with the Wizards, Jordan played two seasons and was in control of all aspects of the team's basketball operations. He was responsible for purging the team of several highly paid, unpopular players, but he also selected high school student Kwame Brown as the number-one draft pick in the 2001 NBA draft, who did not meet expectations. Jordan's final two seasons with the Wizards did not result in a playoff appearance, and he often criticised his teammates to the media, citing their lack of focus and intensity.
Jordan's final game was played at his old home court in Chicago, where he received a four-minute standing ovation. He scored 15 points in a 107-87 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, and his final point came from a free throw with 1:45 left in the game. On April 16, 2003, Jordan retired for the third and final time at the age of 40, concluding an illustrious NBA career.
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Michael Jordan's third retirement
Michael Jordan, widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time, retired for the third and final time on April 16, 2003, at the age of 40. Jordan played his final NBA game on this date, against the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring 13 points.
Jordan's third retirement came after a two-year stint with the Washington Wizards, where he was also part-owner and president of basketball operations. Jordan's first retirement came in 1993, when he cited a lack of desire to play basketball, and his second in 1999, when he claimed to be 99.9% certain he was retired for good. However, Jordan returned to the NBA in 2001, inspired by the NHL comeback of his friend Mario Lemieux.
Across his 15 seasons in the NBA, Jordan played for the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards, winning six NBA championships and becoming the first player in NBA history to win three consecutive Finals MVP awards. Jordan was also the first former player to become a majority owner in the NBA when he purchased the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Hornets) in 2010.
Jordan's illustrious NBA career saw him achieve numerous accolades and records, including five regular-season MVPs, six Finals MVPs, and three NBA All-Star Game MVPs. He was also named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 and selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. In addition to his success in the NBA, Jordan also played minor league baseball for the Chicago White Sox organisation and is a co-owner of 23XI Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series.
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Michael Jordan's career
Michael Jordan is widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Jordan played 15 seasons in the NBA, from 1984 to 2003, winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan was a highly talented player, and his talent was clear from his first NBA season. By November 1984, he was being compared to the likes of Julius Erving. Jordan led the NBA in scoring in 10 seasons, a record he shares with Wilt Chamberlain, who has seven consecutive scoring titles. Jordan was also a fixture of the NBA All-Defensive First Team, making the roster nine times, which is an NBA record shared with Gary Payton, Kevin Garnett, and Kobe Bryant.
Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York City, and played college basketball with the North Carolina Tar Heels. He was a member of the Tar Heels' national championship team in 1982. Jordan was then selected by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 NBA draft, joining the team as the third overall draft pick. Jordan quickly emerged as a league star, entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring while also gaining a reputation as one of the best defensive players. Jordan won his first NBA title with the Bulls in 1991, followed by consecutive titles in 1992 and 1993.
Jordan abruptly retired from basketball before the 1993–94 NBA season, citing physical and mental exhaustion from the sport and superstardom. He pursued a brief career in baseball, signing a contract with the Chicago White Sox. However, Jordan made a comeback to the NBA in March 1995, returning to the Chicago Bulls and leading them to three more championship wins in 1996, 1997, and 1998. Jordan retired for the second time in January 1999, but returned once again in 2001, playing for the Washington Wizards from 2001 to 2003.
Jordan is one of only eight players in history to achieve the basketball Triple Crown, winning an NCAA championship, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal. He has also authored several books about his life, basketball career, and worldview. In addition to his illustrious basketball career, Jordan has had success in the business world. He became part-owner and head of basketball operations for the Charlotte Hornets (then the Bobcats) in 2006 and has also been involved in other business ventures, including co-owning a NASCAR team. Jordan became the first billionaire player in NBA history in 2014, and his net worth as of 2023 is estimated to be around $2 billion.
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Michael Jordan's post-retirement career
Michael Jordan, widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, retired from the NBA for the third and final time in April 2003 at the age of 40. However, his post-retirement career has been just as illustrious as his time on the court.
Jordan's first retirement came in 1993 when he was 30 years old. He cited a lack of desire to play as the reason for his early departure from the NBA. During this first retirement, Jordan signed a minor league baseball contract with the Chicago White Sox in 1994, pursuing a brief career in baseball. He made a comeback to the NBA in 1995, returning to the Chicago Bulls and leading them to three more championships.
In 1999, Jordan retired for the second time at the age of 36, claiming he was 99.9% certain he was retired for good. However, he returned to the NBA in 2001 as a player and part-owner of the Washington Wizards, playing two seasons with the team.
Following his final retirement in 2003, Jordan continued to be involved with basketball. He became part-owner and head of basketball operations for the Charlotte Hornets (then the Bobcats) in 2006 and bought a controlling interest in the team in 2010. In addition to his role with the Hornets, Jordan has also been a co-owner of a NASCAR team and has established himself as a successful businessman and investor. He has invested in various businesses, including an automotive group and several restaurants. Jordan has also earned significant wealth from brand endorsements with companies like Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Gatorade.
Jordan's post-retirement career has been financially lucrative, with Forbes estimating his net worth at $3.5 billion in 2025, making him one of the richest celebrities and the richest NBA player in the world. In addition to his business ventures, Jordan has also received several honours, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which was awarded to him by President Barack Obama in 2014.
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Frequently asked questions
Michael Jordan was 30 when he retired from basketball for the first time on October 6, 1993.
Jordan stated that a “lack of desire to play basketball” along with his father's untimely death in July 1993 influenced his decision to retire.
Yes, Jordan retired from basketball three times. The second time was in January 1999, when he was almost 37 years old. The third and final retirement was in April 2003, when he was 40.
