"I'm not saying that I can take Bryant or McGrady" - Michael Jordan lowered the expectations during his second comeback
Everyone was in shock when Michael Jordan announced his return to basketball in 2001. Mike signed with the Washington Wizards even though he was almost 40. Sports fans were curious to see how he'd guide a young Wizards squad after retiring in 1999.
Another intriguing thing everyone wanted to see was Michael matching up against the league's superstars. Would Jordan's IQ and experience be enough to move past taller, younger, and more athletic players? There was perhaps never a bigger competitor than MJ, but he knew his limits after not playing NBA basketball for almost three years.
Jordan against Kobe and McGrady
Mike warned the media that he still possessed the competitive fire that powered the Bulls to six NBA Championships. At the same time, he knew he was no longer the athletic freak he once was due to injuries and age. He vowed to do his best against the likes of Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady, the NBA's superstars at the time, but he couldn't promise he would dominate them.
"I'm not running from nobody," Jordan said, per ESPN. "If anything, it'll be a great challenge. I'm not saying that I can take Kobe Bryant, that I can take Tracy McGrady. You guys are the only ones saying that they can take me. All good and fine. I'm pretty sure they're sitting back, welcoming the challenge. Guess what? I'm sitting back, welcoming the challenge, too."
Some may say that his words are not so Jordan-like. After all, the GOAT captivated fans all over the world for his undying desire to win. This relentless attitude propelled him to win six titles in six Finals appearances. If MJ wasn't obsessed with winning, the Bulls would not have won those titles and achieved basketball immortality.
However, Mike knew that fearlessness was not enough. One needs a certain level of self-awareness to succeed in his professional life. At that point in his career, Michael was aware that there was a chance he could fall flat in his face when he met the NBA's hottest superstars, but it was a risk he was willing to take.
Necessary adjustments
The North Carolina standout was right. His first game back was nowhere near vintage MJ. He scored 19 points on a horrendous 33.3% shooting in a loss to the New York Knicks. After the game, the Wizards guard reflected on his subpar performance and his biggest takeaways.
"I guess the biggest difference is I'm a little bit older than I was the last time I shot the ball," Jordan said. "My game's a little bit different. My teammates are a little bit different. Obviously, the outcome tonight was a little different than I wanted," he added.
Mike was disappointed. But like he had done repeatedly, the old he picked himself up. In the next game, the GOAT lighted the Atlanta Hawks up by 31 points on a decent 43.3 field goal percentage.
Jordan quickly found his stride and cruised to a string of 20-30-point outputs. And before the midseason, MJ exploded for 51 points in a win over the Charlotte Hornets.
In the end, his Airness played two seasons with the Wizards. He had multiple injuries and couldn't lift the team to the playoffs, but Jordan proved he could still hang with the best players in the league despite his age.
