The Bounce: Remembering when Michael Jordan became a Wizard, 25 years ago

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RIP to Hall of Famer Bob Pettit, who was the first recipient of the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award, and to longtime Lakers public address announcer Lawrence Tanter.

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Wizarding world

Remembering MJ’s D.C. era

On this date 25 years ago, a 38-year-old Michael Jordan announced his return as a player with the Wizards. “I’m doing it for the love of the game,” he said at the time. “Nothing else. For the love of the game.” The Wizards sold out every home game in his two seasons there but never made the playoffs. 

I asked a few of my colleagues to share some thoughts about Jordan’s final un-retirement.

Sam Amick: As a kid who was a maniacal MJ fan despite growing up in the San Francisco Bay during the Warriors’ Run TMC era, his choice to put that Wizards jersey on hurt almost as bad as those Golden State years before Timmy, Mitch and Mully arrived. He had some good moments, but you just knew that nothing would compare to the (last) Bulls chapter that should have been his swan song.

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Mirin Fader: I can’t get over that he was still a pretty productive player. That was truly remarkable, all things considered. But him in that blue jersey just looked wrong to me.

Jason Jones: I’m glad he eventually had his farewell tour, even as a Wizard. Things ended so abruptly in 1998 for someone of his stature; it was good the NBA could thank Jordan properly.

Law Murray: I still have mixed feelings about this comeback. I’m focusing on how it started, not how it ended. I know, hindsight is 50-50. But it is certainly one of the greatest flexes ever by a GOAT candidate. The man was the part owner and basketball president and decided to wear THAT uniform, for the love of the game!

Marcus Thompson II: All I even remember about the Michael Jordan era with the Wizards was Mariah Carey’s Wizards dress at the All-Star Game.

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Joe Vardon: It was April 8, 2003. I was a young reporter covering Cleveland sports. The now-Guardians had their home opener during the day, and MJ and the Wizards were in town that night. I was late to the basketball game. I walked through the tunnel and behind the hoop close to the Wizards’ basket, on my way to my media seat.

There was a stoppage in play. Michael was at the elbow, with his hands on his shorts. He glanced up and looked right at me, right into my eyes, and held his gaze for a few seconds. It felt like an eternity. It was the only time I ever saw Michael play in person. He scored 26 points that night, and the Wizards won.

It was one of the few times in my career I was actually star-struck — the greatest player ever stared directly into my soul.

The last 24

📈 Upside. Which teams will exceed their projected win totals this season? John Hollinger has his picks — including the rebuilt Bucks.

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📺 Ready for prime time? Jalen Brunson hosts the season debut of “Saturday Night Live” tomorrow. What should we expect from the Knicks star?

⏰ Dame Time again? Damian Lillard is back for the Trail Blazers this season after sitting out with a torn Achilles tendon. Early reports are that he’s looking like his old self.

🏀 New-look Lakers. How will the pieces mesh in L.A. this year? Coach JJ Redick says Walker Kessler is the perfect fit next to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

Stream the NBA on Fubo (try it for free!) and catch out-of-market games on League Pass.

One sweet day

Speaking of that jersey dress …

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Mariah Carey’s famous jersey dress was actually more of a jersey gown, and man, was it glorious!

Carey wore the floor-length, fitted, blue Wizards jersey to honor Jordan at his final All-Star Game in Atlanta in 2003.The diva’s dress — OK, maybe it was her performance — made the GOAT emotional; Jordan looked like he was holding back tears.

But Carey’s isn’t the only iconic jersey dress. Singer Mya actually wore a powder blue North Carolina Tar Heels jersey dress (No. 23, of course!) in her video for “Best of Me, Part 2” with Jay-Z three years earlier, and it is the earliest instance of the dresses that I remember. Stylist June Ambrose tailored the dress, and it remains one of the style’s greatest moments. (The video was also considered really fly for that era.)

Here’s a little history: Jersey dresses were the result of one of the (in hindsight!) funniest eras of fashion. During the early 2000s, the trend for men was to wear oversized clothing. And I mean, extremely oversized. People were buying the largest sizes possible!

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According to the New York Times in 2003, the dress style was created when Mitchell & Ness, the sporting goods brand, decided to use smaller jerseys that were sitting in the warehouse and turn them into dresses. And of course, due to its lack of sleeves and lower neckline, the basketball jersey is the best option of all sports for something like this.

So while Joe Vardon may have a moment where Michael Jordan looked into his eyes to remember the early 2000s, I’ve got the jersey dress.

WNBA playoffs

The field is set

It’s one of the best times of the sports calendar! (Yes, I will say this multiple times a year, and I am always right.)

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The WNBA playoffs start Sunday, and I’ve got to be honest, y’all: I’m pretty pumped. This season has been so interesting, and the games have been good. There’s something for everyone. You’ve got young players — generational talents! — helping turn organizations into winners. A former soccer player turned basketball player putting on a show. (They don’t call her The Spectacle for nothing.) A team and an M’VP trying to repeat. A really tough expansion team (Golden State) in the playoffs for the second time in just their second season. Two bona fide MVP candidates who can give you 30 apiece on a good night, and 20-plus on a normal one. I couldn’t hit everybody, but this is all really riveting stuff!

And yet, everybody can’t win.

The first round starts Monday. Here are the matchups: