How many games did michael jordan play before retiring

At the age of 30, Michael Jordan retired after winning three titles. The next year he played for the Birmingham Barons, the White Sox affiliate, and led that league in stolen bases as a 31-year-old rookie. At 32 he wasn't playing either—until he came back.

What if Jordan's whole career started at age 32 and ended at age 40? He would have still been the greatest ever because he was so old, yet so good, and the leader of the team with an all-time NBA best 72-10 record and three straight titles. 

Pretend Jordan is a rookie at age 32.

Age 32

MJ started the season with only 17 games left. The Bulls were on the verge of missing the playoffs (34-31), but finished 13-4 with him in the lineup. They made the playoffs, barely, but lost in the second round to Orlando and Shaq. 

Regular season plus playoffs: 27 games, 772 points, 28.6 pts per game, which is more than what he actually averaged as a rookie (28.2). He also averaged 6.7 rpg, 5 apg, 2.0 spg, and 1.0 bpg.

Age 33

Mike completed an amazing season in 1995-96 by leading the Bulls to an all-time record 72-10, 25 wins more than the previous season. He also led the league in scoring for a record eighth time and was named NBA MVP. They won in the Finals over Seattle 4-2.

Regular season plus playoffs: 100 games played, 3,043 points, 30.4 ppg. He also averaged 6.3 rpg, 4.3 apg, and 2.1 spg.  

Age 34 

Jordan led the league in scoring for the ninth time and beat NBA MVP Karl Malone in the Finals 4-2 under Phil, and he was named Finals MVP for the fifth time in 1996-97. They went an amazing 69-13. Kobe averaged 7.6 points in this season as a rookie.

Regular season plus playoffs: 101 games, 3,910 minutes, 3,021 points, 29.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.4 apg, and 1.7 spg.

Age 35

Michael became a 10-time scoring champion, five-time MVP, and six-time Finals MVP in 1997-98. He was the oldest ever player to do any of that. The Bulls went 62-20 under Phil and beat the Jazz again 4-2. Jordan was 6-0 in the Finals.

Regular season plus playoffs: 103 games, 3,037 points, 29.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.5 apg, and 1.7 spg. 

Age 36

He retired again after second three-peat. The year was 1999.

Age 37 - retired

Age 38 - retired

Age 39  

Jordan came out of retirement again and amazingly led Washington in scoring at age 39. The year before, the Wizards were 19-63, and in 2001-02 they finished 37-45, an 18-game improvement. Jordan was the only new guy on the team.

Regular season: 22.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 5.2 apg, and 1.4 spg.

Age 40

He became the oldest player ever to score 40 points in a game and average over 20 points per game—an amazing feat for a guy who was the only player on the Wizards that year to play in all 82 games, and he was 40! They went 37-45 again, but the next year with Jordan gone they were back at 25-57. Wow, even at 40, MJ was a bad man, schooling little kids half his age.

Regular season: 20.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.8 apg, and 1.5 spg.

Summary

From age 32 to 40 Jordan played in 473 games. He scored 12,888 pts for an average of 27.2 points per game and won three NBA titles with three Finals MVPs, two regular season MVPs, and three scoring titles in only five full seasons. At an old age, Jordan shot 46.3% from the field.

This year, at age 31, Kobe averaged 27 pts (less than Jordan from age 32-40) and has shot for his career 45.5% from the field (less than Jordan from age 32-40)

Even if Jordan had ONLY played from age 32-40, he'd be the greatest single individual talent of all time. 

Michael Jordan, American basketball player, the greatest player in NBA history

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Michael Jordan

Two-time Olympic champion with the US basketball team, six-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, six-time winner of the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award. Jordan received the title of the most valuable player of the regular season five times, for many years he was the most productive player in the NBA, became a member of the All-Star Game 14 times, and is included in the list of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. Jordan is a basketball legend who played an important role in popularizing the sport around the world in the 80s and 90 years, he was recognized as the best basketball player in history according to ESPN experts, in 2009 he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Jordan was fond of baseball since childhood and dreamed of becoming a professional pitcher, but in middle school he became seriously interested in basketball. Jordan was not distinguished by high growth and powerful physique, therefore, in order to compensate for this, he trained the jump, in the future he received the nicknames “Air Jordan” and “His Air” for his phenomenal jumping ability.

After high school, Jordan entered the University of North Carolina and became a player in one of the strongest student teams, the Tar Heels. In addition to Michael, the team included future NBA stars Sam Perkins and James Worthy . Jordan helped the varsity team to an NCAA (National Collegiate Basketball Association) championship title, won the Naismith rookie award in the NCAA championship, and was named Player of the Year.

With the US national team, Jordan won the 1983 Pan American Games champion in Caracas. The American team won a ticket to the 1984 Olympics, Michael was recognized as the most productive player. nine0003

Jordan made his Olympic debut in 1984. Together with Patrick Ewing they were team captains. The US team won all the matches of the Olympic tournament, won gold, Jordan became the Olympic champion for the first time and was recognized as the best player in the 1984 Olympic Games.

In June 1984, Jordan was selected third overall by the Chicago Bulls in the NBA draft. Michael quickly won the love of the public, striking his game, after only a month of his professional career, appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the headline "A Star Is Born." In the same year, Michael Jordan signed a contract to advertise basketball shoes with Nike. Especially for him, the Air Jordan line was developed, which is still popular all over the world. Jordan, playing for the Chicago Bulls since 1984 through 1993, led the team to an NBA championship three years in a row, in 1991, 1992 and 1993. At the same time, Michael himself became the first player in NBA history to win the Playoff Finals MVP title for three consecutive years. In addition, for seven consecutive seasons, Jordan topped the list of the most productive players in the League.

In 1992, Jordan took part in his second Olympic Games, held in Barcelona. went to the games with Michael Jordan Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Chris Mullin, Patrick Ewing, Clyde Drexler, John Stockton and other NBA stars. The US Olympic team was named the Dream Team. The Americans did not take a single time-out for the entire tournament and confidently won gold medals. Jordan became a two-time Olympic champion.

In 1993, Michael Jordan's father was killed, with whom he had a very warm and close relationship. Jordan's trademark protruding tongue when attacking the ring, which became the hallmark of a basketball player, was nothing more than an imitation of his father. After the death of his father, Jordan announced his retirement from basketball and decided to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a baseball player. At 19In '94, he signed with the Chicago White Sox. However, in March 1995, Jordan returned to basketball with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan again managed to triumphantly lead the team to the title of champions for three years in a row. The 1998 NBA Finals, featuring Jordan, is still considered the highest-rated television event to this day. During his time with Chicago, Michael set nearly 200 club records and appeared in 92 of the 100 highest-scoring games in club history.

In January 1999, Jordan announced his retirement from playing for the second time. In 2000, Jordan returned to the NBA, but as co-owner and general manager of the Washington Wizards for basketball operations. However, in 2001, Jordan again decided to return as a basketball player. The entire salary that Michael received while playing for the Washington Wizards in the 2001/2002 season, he transferred to charity, helping the victims of the September 11 attacks. nine0003

In 2003, Jordan competed in his 14th All-Star Game, beating Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for All-Star Game points. The 2002/2003 season was the last in Jordan's career. The last game of his career, Jordan played against the "Philadelphia-76". He was seen off with a standing ovation for three minutes by teammates, opponents and almost 22,000 fans.

Michael Jordan has been a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame since 2009 and a member of the FIBA ​​Hall of Fame since 2015. Jordan is named #1 of the 50 Greatest Players of All Time by SLAM Magazine's and #1 of the 100 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century by ESPN. nine0003

After his playing career ended, Jordan concentrated on managerial work. Michael leads the Charlotte Hornets basketball team. Jordan is into motorsports. In 2004, he became the owner of the Michael Jordan Motorsports team.

In 1994, the semi-documentary films "Michael Jordan`s Playground" and "Come fly with me" were released. In 1996, the film "Space Jam" was released, where Jordan played himself.

Michael Jordan has been married twice and has five children. He has two sons and a daughter from his first marriage to Juanita Vana, in 2014, in a marriage with his second wife, Cuban model Yvette Prieto, Jordan had twin girls. nine0003

“When you are on your way to a goal, there is an obstacle in your way. I faced them, everyone faced. But obstacles should not stop you. When you hit a wall, don't turn back, don't retreat. Find a way to overcome this barrier, work on it.”

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Biography

Michael Jordan - the legendary American basketball player from the NBA, for a long time, from 1984 to 1998 (with a short break), who played as an attacking guard for the Chicago Bulls team. Despite the fact that the parquet king ended his sports career long ago, his biography still arouses genuine interest among sports fans. nine0003

Childhood and youth

An outstanding athlete was born in New York on February 17, 1963. The parents of the future sports star were ordinary people by no means of basketball growth. In addition to the boy, the family raised four children: older brothers Larry and James Jr., sisters Deloris and Roslyn.

As a child, Michael was fond of baseball and at the age of 12 with the school team got into the finals of the minor league championship. Later he was recognized as the champion of the state of North Carolina, where the family moved. Another achievement in baseball was the recognition of the young man as the most valuable player in the league. nine0003

Then it was time for the teenager to get involved in basketball. The father even built a playground for the youngest son in the backyard of the house. The growth of a novice basketball player at the age of 15 reached 175 centimeters, so he perfected the jump. Later, the athlete reached a height of 198 cm with a weight of 98 kg.

The young man had high speed and practiced diligently, but these qualities were not enough to become a player on the high school team. The failure upset the guy, and he decided to prove to the coach that he was wrong. Michael gave all the best in the games, getting 28 points in each match. At the same time, he was involved in baseball and athletics, and became a member of the school's American football team. nine0003

Perseverance paid off. In the 11th grade, the guy finally got into the basketball team, in which his older brother already played at number 45. The young man stopped his choice at number 23, explaining that he would try to become as good a player as Larry, or at least half. Jordan remained true to these figures until the end of his career.

Success spurred on the ambitious boy, and he continued to work on himself. In the summer of 1980, the applicant entered the training camp at the University of North Carolina. He made such an indelible impression on the coaches that he was invited to train. At 19In 81 he became a student of this university.

Simultaneously with his studies, the guy began training in the local basketball club. He managed to show himself as an indispensable player, although the coach set higher goals for him than others. This plan worked, and in the first year the young talent entered the starting five.

Basketball

In his first three seasons, Jordan rose to the Naismith award. Also, the young player took part in the Pan American Games, showing the best result in the national team. Entering the main team of the country, he participated in the Summer Olympics 1984 years old, where he also performed most successfully of all.

The New York native dropped out of university to take part in the NBA draft. Chosen by the Chicago Bulls. The lack of discipline in the team and the low level of equipment disappointed the guy. However, despite such conditions, he continued to train intensively and entered the starting five, consistently gaining about 30 points per game. Even the fans of rivals fell in love with the future celebrity. nine0003

Just a month into his professional career, the athlete landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the ambitious caption "A Star Is Born". 1984 was the year of the first advertising contract with Nike. For the basketball player, Air Jordan sneakers were released in the traditional black and red colors of the Chicago Bulls club.

This shoe was banned by the Pro League for its aggressive color scheme and lack of white. However, the rebel continued to wear these sneakers to the site, and Nike management paid fines of $ 5 thousand, using this fact to advertise their product. nine0003

The team's debutant became a member of the starting five in the NBA All-Star Game. This fact provoked the discontent of the veterans. As a result, the players refused to assist a teammate. But even under such pressure, he managed to win the title of the best rookie of the association in the regular season finals. At the same time, the guy was declared third in performance in the NBA and got into the second top five players in the league. Thanks to Michael, the team managed to reach the playoffs for the first time in the last 3 years.

Almost the entire second season, the athlete was recovering from a leg injury. But by the time the Chicago Bulls made the playoffs, the American had already returned to the court and managed to score 63 points in the elimination games. Since then, no one has been able to break this record. In the 3rd season, the basketball player recovered, becoming the second scoring player in the association. nine0003 Michael Jordan's Jumpman logo / @jordanfactorybasketball

In the 1989/1990 season, Michael captained a club filled with young progressive players. The new coach, Phil Jackson, practiced the system of collective play, and the New Yorker defended the freedom of his actions. However, a compromise was found, and the team was transformed.

May 7, 1989 in the last seconds of the game against Cleveland, Jordan made the famous shot (The Shot), thanks to which Chicago for the first time overcame the debut round of the playoffs. nine0003

The following season brought the floor star his second MVP title in the regular season. The athlete was building up his muscles and already instilled fear in the former offenders on the site. Interestingly, while taking the ring, the athlete stuck out his tongue. The champion inherited this manner from his father, and he, in turn, from his grandfather.

Michael managed to turn big basketball into a real art. The tricks that he showed on the playing field attracted the interest of the public in the game with the orange ball. Largely due to the spectacular performance of Jordan, investment in this sport has grown. nine0003

So, in a November 1991 game against Denver, he took a closed-eyed free throw, dedicating it to rivals center Dikemba Mutombo, who was 20 cm taller but could never score through Jordan.

The 1991/1992 season brought the basketball player his third MVP title in a row. In addition, as part of the national team, he participated in the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, where the Americans won gold.

In October of the same year, Michael announced that he was leaving the sport, as he had lost interest in it. At that time, the athlete was experiencing a personal loss that knocked him down - his father died. nine0003

In honor of the end of the basketball player's career, the Chicago Bulls decided to erect a monument to an outstanding player at the entrance to the United Center stadium. The sculpture is a figure of a champion floating in the air before the signature throw.

Over time, the player signed a contract with the Chicago White Sox baseball team, explaining his decision by the fact that his late father wanted to see him as a baseball player. During a short career, he played for the Birmingham Barons, then with the Scottsdale Scorpions. nine0003 Michael Jackson and Michael Jordan / @DailyMJ_

In March 1995, Michael decided to return to the NBA as a Chicago Bulls player. However, this season ended for the team with a playoff defeat. The failure was an incentive to seriously prepare for the next season. In it, the athlete won the final MVP title for the fourth time, in 1997/1998 - for the fifth, and then for the sixth. These victories were some of the best moments of his career.

In the future, Jordan for the second time announced his farewell to professional sports. A year later, he returned to the NBA again, but in a different incarnation - co-owner and general manager of the Washington Wizards club. And he began to play for the same team since September 2001. After spending two seasons here, Michael has improved its performance. nine0003

Returning to the professional league, the American became the best 40-year-old player in all of basketball history and managed to fill stadiums during Wizards matches.

Retirement

The last appearance of the champion on the playing field took place in 2003 during a competition against the Philadelphia-76 team, at the end of the match the victor received a three-minute standing ovation from the public. After his third retirement from the sport, Jordan intended to return to the position of manager, but he was fired by the owner of the club. Michael regarded this as a betrayal. nine0003

To keep fit, the basketball player participated in celebrity charity golf tournaments. Then his hobby included motorcycling. Since 2004, the star has owned a professional team called Michael Jordan Motorsports. He also promoted his own brand of clothing.

According to ESPN, Jordan was considered the best basketball player of all time, LeBron James was only in third place. The basketball player himself said in an interview that he would not refuse to go on the court with him. Michael considered Kobe Bryant one of the greatest players in the NBA and considered his great friend, despite the fact that he stole all the movements from him. nine0003

Fans called the favorite “the god of basketball”, and Roland Lazenby published the book “Michael Jordan. His Air", dedicated to the biography of the athlete and the history of his success. In 2009, the player's name was among the top basketball players in the Hall of Fame.

Personal life

The sportsman's personal life was stormy due to many hobbies. He has always been considered the favorite of women. The first chosen one of the famous basketball player was Juanita Vanoy.

In 1989, the young were legally married, and at 19On the 91st, the husband purchased for the family a luxurious estate of 17 hectares in Highland Park. The couple had three children: two sons, Jeffrey Michael and Marcus James, and a daughter, Jasmine. In early 2002, Juanita announced that she had filed for divorce. She called irreconcilable contradictions the basis, but the couple managed to agree and did not divorce.

But in 2006 it became known that Michael had a secret mistress, whom he paid for silence. The court rejected the claim of Carla Knaifel to pay her compensation in the amount of $ 5 million. The player allegedly promised her this money because she did not announce her pregnancy from him at 1991 year.

DNA analysis has proven that the former athlete was not the father of the child. However, this finally spoiled the relationship of the spouses, and at the end of the year they divorced by mutual consent. At the same time, Juanita received a settlement of $ 168 million, which was a record at that time among famous people.

Five years later, Michael proposed to Cuban model Yvette Prieto. They dated for three years. The chosen one agreed, and soon the couple announced their engagement. On April 27, 2013, the lovers got married in Jupiter Island. nine0003

In 2012, the basketball player decided to sell the estate in Highland Park for $29 million. Later, he bought a house in Florida. In February 2014, Jordan's wife gave birth to two twin girls, who were given the names Isabelle and Victoria.

It is known that the athlete starred in the video of his namesake - Michael Jackson. The two stars played basketball in the video for Jam. Interestingly, the word "Jam" is interpreted in two ways - as an improvisation of a musical group and as a throw of the ball from above in basketball.

Notably, Michael Jordan portrayed himself in the sci-fi animated film Space Jam. Teaming up with the superstar in the battle against the aliens was the cartoon character Bugs Bunny the rabbit and world movie star actor Bill Murray.

Subsequently, the documentary series The Last Dance was released on Netflix. While watching the tape, fans discovered that their pet's eyes have an unhealthy yellow color. Fans were worried that it could be an illness - jaundice. nine0003

As of July 2022, Forbes estimated the celebrity's fortune at $1.7 billion. Michael earned capital not only from his Jordan Brand salary, but also through several profitable investment ventures. Due to reasonable investments and proper distribution of funds, the American has become one of the richest athletes on the planet.

Fan pages on Instagram (the social network is banned in the Russian Federation, it belongs to the Meta corporation, which is recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation) are devoted to the sports career of a celebrity, where photos and videos with the best moments from games with Jordan are displayed. nine0003

Michael Jordan now

Now the sports legend is trying not to fall out of the media field. In April 2022, work began on a film about the collaboration between Jordan and Nike, which turned the sports industry upside down. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon acted as writers and producers of the project.

Awards and achievements

• 1983 - gold medal at the Pan American Games in Caracas
• 1984 - gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics
• 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998 - NBA champion
• 1992 - gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics
• 1992 - gold medal at the American Championships in Portland

Interesting facts

1. legendary pose.

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