The one thing Michael Jordan guaranteed to everybody when he made his epic NBA return in 2001 wasn't that he would still be the GOAT but that he came to win. Indeed, Jordan competed at a high level early in his comeback season and led the Washington Wizards to their first victory against the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 1, 2001.
MJ dropped a game-high 31 points to lift Washington to a 98-88 win over Atlanta. Growing in confidence, he made it clear to everybody that they'd be wrong to write the Wizards off with him at the helm.
"We don't want to be the doormats of everybody in the league," Jordan said after tasting his first win since leading the Chicago Bulls to their second three-peat in 1998. "It's going to continue to get better as long as everybody understands the passion it takes."
MJ turned doubters into believers
As expected, everybody in the arena, including the Hawks , was thrilled to see Jordan back in the game. Though some may have doubted the aging MJ's skills, they had a change of heart after the game as they found themselves in awe of the 38-year-old's impressive performance.
Right there and then, some Hawks players realized that Jordan had not come back to have fun and kill his boredom. They knew that he had come to win.
"He looked good," Hawks power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim said of Jordan. "I mean, I think everybody knows he can play."
"Michael gets a lot of attention," Hawks guard Jason Terry said. "You have to guard him. You have to send a guy at him. I think what the Wizards did was their role players tonight made the shot when they needed to. When they were open, they nailed it."
"If they can play like that the rest of the season," he assessed, "they'll be a good team."
Sending a message
As soon as he joined the Wizards, Jordan brought with him a wealth of experience and wisdom from his years of dominating the game. Known for his fierce competitive spirit and relentless drive to win, MJ was eager to instill a winning mindset in his teammates early on.
As the leader of the young squad, Jordan wanted them to learn that the NBA was not just about personal success or fame, and certainly not just about the glitz and glamor of being on television or having a large fan following. At 38 years old, the six-time NBA champion was willing to sacrifice his body while demanding every player on the team to be dedicated to the same goal: winning and becoming playoff contenders.
"I don't know if I can play 40 minutes every night," Jordan said. "But these guys have to know what it's about. It's not about getting on TV and getting tickets for your relatives."
MJ's championship hopes
Though the 2002 Wizards didn't appear as playoff contenders on paper, Jordan's self-belief remained strong. His leadership, both on and off the court, was aimed at inspiring his teammates to strive for victory and achieve the ultimate success in the league. Michael was even determined to elevate the Wizards from one of the worst teams in the league to a championship-contending team.
Unfortunately, the Wizards fell short and finished the 2001-02 season as the 10th team in the Eastern Conference with a 37-45 record. According to then-Wizards rookie Kwame Brown, MJ didn't succumb to dejection after that season. Instead, "His Airness" hoped the Wizards could win an NBA title .
"You had a coach in Doug Collins who didn't believe in playing young players, and Michael didn't either," Brown revealed . "Michael's last hoorah, he wanted to win a championship. In his mind, he felt that if he could get to the playoffs at 39 years old, he could win a championship."
Underwhelming Wizards stint
Despite not making it to the playoffs, Jordan and the Wizards carried on and even made some changes to their roster. However, they still failed to secure a spot in the 2003 postseason. After discussing what's next with his Wizards co-executives, MJ decided to leave the game for good.
In retrospect, Michael's time with the Wizards wasn't an additional milestone to his legendary NBA career. However, it showcased his indomitable spirit and unwavering passion for the game. With the odds against him, Jordan's work ethic and commitment to excellence remained intact throughout that stretch, making him a very impactful figure on the franchise.
Related: "Michael is not coming back to play basketball" - Julius Erving wasn't a fan of Jordan returning in 1995
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