Chicago Bulls legend, the great Michael Jordan, was not just great on the basketball court. Back in September 2001, Jordan announced his second and final return from retirement. Signing for the Washington Wizards, Jordan was paid $1,000,000 for the season. The 6-time champion ended up donating all of his salary to the families of the victims of the 9/11 attack. Out of respect for those who were affected by the tragedy, MJ decided to cancel media interviews until the start of the training camp. According to SBNation, Jordan claimed in a statement that he made the decision out of respect for the victims.
Advertisement
The 9/11 tragedy brought forth a permanent change in American culture. The aftermath saw a stunned nation respond with utmost regret and respect for the victims. A range of NBA players, including Michael Jordan, personally helped those who were affected and their families.
Michael Jordan’s return to the NBA was initially scheduled for September 11
Initially, Jordan was set to announce his return to the NBA publicly on September 11th. However, the WTO Center tragedy meant he instead sent in a statement via his management.
MJ also announced that he would not participate in any media interviews until the start of training camp. Like every American, MJ was deeply stunned due to the terror attack, and released the following statement:
“Although I am energized by my impending return to the court, I am deeply saddened by the recent tragic events and my heart goes out to the victims and their families. Out of deep respect for them, I will not participate in media interviews before the start of training camp.”
He decided to donate his entire salary to the families of the victims and hoped that other stars would follow. In what became a regular habit, Jordan showed first evidence of his philanthropic nature, via the donation, and his statements.
David Robinson described his reaction to the 9/11 tragedy
San Antonio Spurs legend and minority owner David Robinson also aired his thoughts on the 9/11 tragedy. Speaking to NBA.com’s Brian Martin, Robinson said that even the thought of a wartime situation was horrific to imagine.
The 1995 MVP claimed that he was playing on the day, and couldn’t help but think of all the people he had served with and knew would be in harm’s way. The Admiral himself served two years in the Navy and knew exactly what he was talking about.
Robinson said that the tragedy was almost surreal for him. He had never expected such an event to rock the nation and was sobered by the prospect of the damage it caused, and would cause in the future.
