“Most Difficult Season I’ve Endured”: Michael Jordan was Devastated After Charlotte Bobcats Went 7-59 in LeBron James’ First Championship Season

In the midst of news that Michael Jordan is looking to sell off his stake in Charlotte’s NBA team, we take a sneak peek at his feelings after their worst season ever.

Michael Jordan had a sterling career in the NBA, beyond reproach except for his 2 untimely retirements. He achieved literally everything a player at his position could possibly have, leaving an unmatched legacy behind.

His ownership tenure at Charlotte and his GM tenure with the Wizards, however, serve as a reminder of how greatness on the court doesn’t necessarily translate to off-the-court scenarios.

Jordan acquired a majority stake in the Charlotte Bobcats mainly because he aimed to have a presence in his home state. His handling of the franchise, however, has seen appear in the playoffs just 2 times in the last 10 years.

This was preceded by the worst season posted by any NBA team in the league’s 76-season history.

Some Records set by the 7-59 Charlotte Bobcats

The 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats were historically putrid. I mean, there’s a reason they had the worst record in the league. They started AND finished the season in spectacularly terrible fashion.

The Bobcats started the season 0-18, which tied the record for the worst start in NBA history. During their 23-game losing streak, the Bobcats lost by an average of 17.4 points per game.

Worst team record:

.122 — 2015-16 Sixers
.110 — 1972-73 Sixers
.106 — 2011-12 Bobcats
.091 — 2021-22 Bulls vs top 8 teams pic.twitter.com/i7xGRdMXDi

— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 6, 2022

The team was led in scoring by guard Gerald Henderson, who averaged 15.1 points per game. No other player on the team averaged double figures in scoring.

The Bobcats lost 22 games in a row at one point, which was the longest losing streak within a single season in NBA history. They finished the season with a 23-game losing streak, which tied the record for the longest losing streak spanning multiple seasons in NBA history.

To rub salt onto Jordan’s wounds, one LeBron James broke through to win his first NBA championship. His Miami Heat trounced Kevin Durant’s OKC Thunder in 5 games and James began his reign atop the NBA hill.

Michael Jordan was livid with his team’s failures, but kept the core together

In an interview with ESPN, Jordan revealed his true feelings about the lost Bobcats season:

“Obviously, I’m a competitor, and I never want to be in the record books for failure.”

“At the end of the day, you have to understand it was a shortened season and we had a lot of injuries and we had a lot of young kids thrust into a starting scenario.”

OTD in NBA History (Mar 4, 2012)
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Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets scored a career-high 57 points (21-21 FT) in a 104-101 win over the Charlotte Bobcats.

It was the most points scored in a game during the 2011-12 season. pic.twitter.com/SGyhH0IEHo

— Extra StatMuse (@extrastatmuse) March 4, 2023

“Our record was a repercussion of those facts. As much people have tried to criticize, it was a down period for the franchise to be in that type of light, but we feel like we still have some good bases to build with and the young kids have a feel for what it’s like to be in the NBA.”