Michael Jordan revealed Chicago Bulls never recruited him back before he joined the Wizards: “I never was offered this situation in Chicago” originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Many are still wondering why Michael Jordan didn’t choose to reunite with the Chicago Bulls when he decided to return in 2001. As it turns out, it was the other way around. In fact, MJ himself disclosed it before he joined the Washington Wizards as a player.
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During a press conference in 2000, Jordan announced that he had officially joined the Wizards’ front office. While revealing how things ended up the way they did, MJ also revealed that the Bulls did not show interest in having him back, even as an executive.
“Quite honestly, I never was offered this situation in Chicago,” the six-time champion divulged in front of the media. “That’s not to blame Jerry (Reinsdorf). When I retired I wasn’t looking for this platform. It just evolved.”
What pushed Jordan to play for the Wizards
Taking a quick trip down memory lane, what transpired shortly after Jordan joined the Wizards front office was something that abruptly changed the NBA landscape. At 38 years old, MJ scratched an itch that apparently had been bugging him for quite some time.
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To everybody’s surprise, Jordan returned and officially became a Wizards player. MJ emphasized that his love for the game pushed him to make a shocking NBA comeback. However, he also noted that he would like to seize the moment and make an impact on the game while he still could.
“The opportunity to teach our young players and help them elevate their game to a higher level … strongly influenced my decision,” Jordan explained.
Jordan’s first game in Chicago as a Wizard
After a year of serving as a Wizards executive, Jordan, all of a sudden, is now a Wizards player. Everybody in the league, including the Bulls, has already pinched themselves and realized that MJ indeed has returned.
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As expected, the Bulls faithful anticipated Jordan’s first game in Chicago since 1998. The moment finally came on January 19, 2002, when the Wizards visited the Bulls.
Contrary to what many had expected at the time, Jordan didn’t dominate the game like he used to. In fact, he had an awful shooting night, having gone 7 out of 21 from the field. He also had a career-high nine turnovers.
Admittedly, MJ felt strange showing up and playing against his former team. Nevertheless, it was still nothing short of a memorable night for Jordan.
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“I have too many memories,” Jordan said during his first visit to United Center as a player since ’98. “It’s important for me not to come back and try to live up to that situation because that’s tough. I may have a good game maybe the next time I come here. But to try to compare the two eras or the two situations, it’s very, very tough.”
“When the crowd started that whole thing, it made it tough for me to play,” he added. “I had a tough time playing against Chicago. It’s like playing a relative, in a sense. It’s not as intense, you’re not quite as motivated.”
Jordan played two seasons with the Wizards before officially retiring for good in 2003. In retrospect, nobody expected Jordan to return to playing at nearly 40 years old. Knowing what they know now, the Bulls surely wouldn’t have let the opportunity to have their former star player back slip away.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 29, 2025, where it first appeared.