“Do it For the Love of Michael Jordan”: How SI Urged The NBA to Move Away From MJ’s Legacy After His 1999 Retirement

The Michael Jordan era was a thing of beauty. From 1984 all the way to 1998, the NBA was His Airness’ domain. The man was a dominant force, turning the Chicago Bulls into a dynasty with six NBA Championships.

However, Jordan wasn’t just the heart and soul of the Bulls. He also played a similar role for the league itself. He was the poster boy, the one who put a**es in seats. It was almost like he was irreplaceable and for a time, the league felt the same way.

So, in 1999, when MJ announced his retirement for a second time, the league had to deal with the fact that this could be permanent. He wasn’t going to play baseball for two years and return. No, he had made up his mind. As a result, the search for the next Jordan began, a search that Sports Illustrated attempted to discourage.

Sports Illustrated discouraged the NBA from looking for the next Michael Jordan

The loss of a player of Michael Jordan’s caliber is an understandable concern. A concern that can leave anyone racking their brains. Much like the NBA did when His Airness left the league for a second time in 1999.

So, with its greatest star departing, the NBA began the hunt for the next Jordan. A task that many would consider impossible. Nevertheless, in the transition period from the 20th to the 21st century, all the league was focused on was finding the next MJ.

As a result, several bright young talents found their potential stifled thanks to the weight of expectation. This prompted Sports Illustrated to step in. And, step in they did, releasing a feature piece in their magazine, urging the NBA to move away from Jordan. Not just for the sake of its future, but also for the sake of Jordan’s legacy.

“The NBA can’t manufacture another Jordan anymore than it could the original, but it has more than enough young stars. Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and Stephon Marbury among them. On which to build the future. The best thing the NBA publicity machine can do for those players is not to promote them as anything resembling the next Jordan, but to protect them from such hype.”

A straightforward and important message from SI. One that the NBA seemingly heard. After all, thanks to their patience, they found their Jordan replacement. A man of his own, named LeBron James.

The NBA found their next MJ four years later in an 18-year-old LeBron James

For the most part, the NBA took Sports Illustrated’s advice. The league focused on preserving Michael Jordan’s legacy and allowing its younger talents to bloom. However, the void that MJ left was still felt. That was until the league found his replacement in 2003 when a certain LeBron James entered the league.

At the end of the day, it is safe to say that all things worked out well. Sure, the league felt the pinch of the loss of a legend, but another one was born just a few years later.