As all NBA fans are aware, Michael Jordan’s stardom heightened with the Chicago Bulls, he won three more championships with the Bulls before retiring a second time in 1998.
Less than two years later, after his second retirement, Jordan announced he would join the Wizards as president of basketball operations in 2000.
Jordan’s 2001-02 season ended after a knee injury that limited him to 60 games, but averaged 22.9 points per game, 5.2 assists per game, and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Recalling, back then a 40-year-old Jordan dropping 30 points, Paul Pierce who was in the Boston Celtics at that time-shared his experience.
That first encounter between Pierce and Jordan was when he dropped 30-plus points on Pierce, who joined the NBA in 1998, the last year of Jordan and the Bulls.
In the Celtics’ November 2001, matchup against the Wizards, Jordan led the Wizards in scoring as he finished the game with 32 points, though the Celtics won in 104-95 final score.
Remember how good MJ was with the Wizards?@KevinGarnett5KG and @paulpierce34 reminisce on their first matchups with Michael Jordan after his second retirement.
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On the latest episode of the talk show, Ticket & The Truth, Kevin Garnett and Paul share their on playing MJ during his second run in the league.
They were asked, what was your reaction to hearing MJ’s retirement not the first one but the one after the 98 finals what was your guy’s reaction.
Garnett said,
“I always wanted to play against MJ and that’s the year I got drafted so man two things happened when I came in that I was sick about my dream was to play at the Forum.”
Pierce added,
“In the NBA game when he came back bro I um I wasn’t shocked, but I was like oh this G this going this gonna make the league you know what I’m saying the mic effect is a real effect but um I thought it was great for the league when he came back, and I thought that he wanted to see where he lined or aligned with some of these younger stars and um I thought it was just great overall.”
