Michael Jordan is in a class of his own when it comes to legacy, and iconic rappers like Jay-Z have always made sure to pay homage to the NBA GOAT.
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The Bulls legend has accomplished what NBA players dream of doing in his career. Six championships, six Finals MVP’s, five NBA MVP’s, an obvious Hall of Fame induction, and much more has cemented Jordan’s legacy as the greatest NBA player of all time.
So, why was his career so confusing? Well, he retired thrice in his career, to give you some context. If that sounds weird to you, that’s because it is. His first retirement was by far the most surprising as it came only nine years into his career, and he had just started to win at the highest level, coming off of his first threepeat.
Michael Jordan’s playoff run in 1993
• 1st round: 34.3p, 6.7r, 4.3a, 1.7s
• 2nd round: 31.0p, 5.0r, 5.3a, 2.3s
• 3rd round: 32.2p, 6.2r, 7.0a, 2.5s
• NBA Finals: 41.0p, 8.5r, 6.3a, 1.7s pic.twitter.com/kd0QWH4tEE
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 2, 2019
Michael Jordan received a special shout-out in Jay-Z’s hit song
As if Jordan’s first ‘un-retirement’ wasn’t enough, the Bulls legend decided to do it once more before the 2001-02 season. His second stint was wildly confusing.
He first became the Washington Wizards president of basketball operations and part owner in 2000. Washington was worth $278 million at the time.
However, it wasn’t enough for him to just manage the team, he still had that competitive drive which carried him to six titles. He returned to the court for the Wizards while still being their owner.
Jordan didn’t have a bad run with the Wizards personally. He finished both seasons averaging over 20ppg, and he was named to the All Star game in both years.
However, Washington wasn’t a very competitive team. They finished 37-45 both years, missing the playoffs. Jordan retired for good after the 2002-03 season. He showed he could still show up and play, and people took notice even if he wasn’t the Jordan of the old.
Rapping icon Jay-Z dropped ‘The Best of Both Worlds’ with R. Kelly in 2002 featuring the song, ‘The Best of Both Worlds’ which included an MJ name-drop.
The song goes, ‘It’s not even close, just leave it alone. I’m Michael Jordan, I play for the team I own.’ Even Jay-Z knew the kind of legacy Jordan had, even when he wasn’t titles.
Michael Jordan’s mid-range game with the Wizards🔥🐐
Age 38: 51 PTS (24 1st Quarter)
Age 39: 45 PTS
Age 40: 43 PTS, 10 REB, 60% FG
Age 40: 22.4 PTS, 7.2 REB, 1.3 STL while playing 39.9 MINSHe also played all 82 GMS in his final season
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) August 11, 2022
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