Michael Jordan Made His 2nd Return to the NBA with a $1,000,000 Gesture 22 Years Ago

Satagni Sikder | 26/09/2023
Michael Jordan Made His 2nd Return to the NBA with a $1,000,000 Gesture 22 Years Ago

On this day, 22 years ago, Michael Jordan officially announced that he would be returning to the NBA as a Washington Wizard. The six-time NBA Champion delayed his announcement after the September 11 attacks stunned the entire nation in 2001. While the nation was still recovering from the impact of the tragedy, Jordan decided to adorn his second return to the league with a thoughtful gesture. His Airness declared that he would be donating the entirety of his annual $1,000,000 salary for the upcoming season to aid the victims of 9/11.

After the Chicago Bulls decided to opt for a rebuild, Michael Jordan retired from basketball for a second time in early 1999, after leading the Chicago side to their second three-peat the previous year. At the time, the Bulls legend made the claim that he was ‘99.9% certain’ that he would not be making a comeback to the NBA. However, the ‘0.1%’ chance started to look really good after the turn of the century.

Michael Jordan made a return to the NBA with a grand gesture

On January, 2000, Michael Jordan would officially return to the NBA as part-owner and President of Basketball Operations for the Washington Wizards. The following year he would organize a specialized training camp with NBA players during the summer to shake off the rust in his body. He would also hire his former Bulls coach Doug Collins as the new head coach for the Wizards.

If it wasn’t already obvious, MJ would finally announce his return to the league as a Wizards player on this day, 22 years ago. According to a CNN report published at the time, Jordan promised to donate $100,000 from his $1 million salary to help the children who lost their parents in the tragedy. The rest of his salary went to other concerted efforts for 9/11 relief.

“Obviously our country has changed forever, but nothing has changed more than the lives of the families of the victims of this tragedy,” the CNN report quoted Jordan. “This fund is one of several wonderful efforts that will benefit the victims of the September 11th attacks.”

Jordan postponed media interactions

In another gesture to show his sensitivity to the 9/11 attacks, Jordan decided to postpone his media interviews and press conferences till training camp. The move was intended to show respect to the families of the victims.

After his return to NBA action that year, Jordan averaged 22.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists. However, he was restricted to playing only 60 games due to a knee injury.

Post Edited By: Satagni Sikder
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Satagni Sikder

Satagni Sikder, the Lead NBA Editor at The SportsRush, has written over 600 articles on basketball for different websites. His pieces have struck a chord not just with the readers but the stars as well. Shaquille O’Neal, no less, had shared one of his articles on Instagram. A Mavericks fan, Satagni’s love for the Dallas side began when Dirk Nowitzki led them to the title in 2011. Luka Doncic’s entry into the league and his insane game-ending buzzer-beater against the Clippers in the Orlando bubble ensured he is hitched for life. Satagni, who holds a Master's degree in English, writes analytical pieces, breaking down contracts, trade rumors, and player endorsement deals. In 2022, he extensively covered WNBA star Brittney Griner's exile in a Russian penal colony. One of the first to cover Shaq's Big Chicken restaurant chain, his article is cited in its Wikipedia page. In his free time, he watches political documentaries and debates.

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