This better be the end, Mike. On Oct. 30, 2001, the unthinkable happened. The greatest player in basketball history made his return to the NBA for the third time, sporting a Washington Wizards jersey in front of a sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden. Most fans were critical of his decision, in fear he would ruin his legacy. I was one of those doubters.
In 1998, Michael Jordan \finished"" his basketball career the same way it began. While only a freshman at North Carolina, he sank a 17-foot jumper that won the 1982 NCAA Championship. The way it ended a decade -and-a-half later couldn't have been scripted any better.
Jordan faked Utah guard Byron Russell with a smooth crossover and made a 17-foot jumper that touched nothing but net. After the shot, Jordan posed for a second with his extended wrist, almost as if he knew it would be the last shot of his storybook career.
That final shot seemed to hang in the air forever. As did the pose after the shot fell through. It should have been his last.
Just how much of an impact has Jordan made? It's about more than the six NBA championship titles, five league MVPs or the 10 All-NBA first-team selections. Jordan was one of the pioneers of endorsement deals. From Hanes to McDonald's to setting the foundation for the Nike empire, Jordan has set the standard for future athletes. Don't forget about the record 51 (and counting) ""Sports Illustrated"" cover appearances.
Last Sunday, Jordan created more memories for his fans to remember. But this time they wouldn't come during the game. The All-Star game halftime ceremonies put a final stamp on a legendary career.
Standing on a podium to a standing ovation with tears in his eyes would have satisfied NBA fans across the globe. But to have Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and the rest of the NBA All-Stars leading the cheers was something special and a sight to cherish for a lifetime. He didn't need to win the MVP award. He didn't even have to play in the second half.
Nobody can predict the events that will surround Jordan's third and final farewell. But whether it occurs on the last day of the regular season or the first round of the playoffs, the 2003 NBA All-Star game will be remembered in the same light as both 17-foot jump shots. Let's just hope he doesn't do it all over again.
