Michael Jordan, during his playing days, appeared timeless. At his peak, the Chicago Bulls legend dominated the league, staking his claim as the undisputed GOAT. Even in his late 30s with the Washington Wizards, MJ remained among the best. Sadly, lower body injuries forced him to retire at 40. After hanging up his boots, Jordan became the owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, a team he wanted to take to the top of the NBA.
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And although he was not quite the “His Airness” that had captivated global audiences anymore, a 47-year-old Jordan, even as an owner, was still good enough in scrimmages to embarrass players half his age.
In a recent interview on the Dan Patrick Show, former Charlotte player Stephen “Stack” Jackson reminisced about his time with the Bobcats. During the sit-down, he recounted a time when a frustrated and ultra-competitive Jordan led the second unit during a team scrimmage—and dominated.
Jordan had been a Bobcats minority owner since 2006, but by 2010, he had bought majority stakes. The team finished 44-38, qualifying for the playoffs as the seventh seed in the East.
It was an improvement from their 10th-place finish in 2009, but Jordan was not satisfied and grew increasingly annoyed with the squad’s complacency.
“One day, he came to practice and wanted to make a statement to the team because we [were] kind of feeling ourselves. He showed up in practice one day and destroyed us,” Jackson said.
Initially, he didn’t think Jordan was serious about joining the boys, but that changed when they saw MJ arrive in his branded practice gear.
“When he showed up with a practice uniform on, that’s when I knew he was serious. He showed up with some Jordan shorts, and he had a second-team practice jersey on. That’s when I knew it was a problem, and that’s when I knew he was mad,” he added.
In elite professional sports, it’s often said that “Father Time is undefeated.”
Yet, there are always exceptions to the rule. In the NFL, we have 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers; in the UFC, there was 43-year-old Randy Couture; in NASCAR, 66-year-old Mark Thompson; and today in the NBA, a 40-year-old Lebron James.
That said, despite being a self-proclaimed Jordan fan, Jackson rejected the idea that a 47-year-old Hall of Famer could still have played in the NBA.
“No! [We played] half-court, and the way we were practicing, we stayed on half-court, we [only] went to eight points. It was better for him because he didn’t have to get back up and down [the court]. I don’t think he could,” Jackson said, answering whether an older MJ could play at the highest level.
However, just under ten years before his time with the Bobcats, during the early 2000s NBA era, a 38-year-old Michael Jordan was still playing at a high level for the Wizards, surpassing expectations by leading the team in both points and assists per game.
During his two-year run with the team, Jordan averaged 21.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 142 games, including a notable 43-point performance against the New Jersey Nets at age 40.
It’s important to note that MJ wasn’t the only legend in his late thirties still active in the league. Stars like Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, and John Stockton—each a year older than Jordan—were also still playing. However, none of these Hall of Famers delivered the same level of production as MJ.
Today, LeBron James stands as the league’s elder statesman. While players like Kevin Willis (44), Robert Parish, and Vince Carter (both 43) played into their 40s, LeBron’s unique longevity suggests he may be the only one capable of maintaining elite performance into his mid-40s.
But “Father Time is undefeated,” and with multiple leg and hip injuries over the past two years, most recently in April 2025, LeBron may not feel the need to continue, having already achieved so much in his illustrious career.
