Washington Wizards: 30 greatest players in franchise history
Michael Jordan. 28. player. 142. . SF. (2001-03)
It’s hard to not consider one of the best players in franchise history when discussing the Wizards. He had quite the decorated career with the Chicago Bulls, winning six rings in the process. He retired for three seasons before returning to the league in 2001. Michael Jordan‘s stint with the Wizards was short, but memorable nonetheless, as he finished up his NBA career in Washington.
Jordan averaged 19.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game through 142 contests (120 starts) with Washington. It wasn’t just a walk in the park for MJ either, as he managed to make two more All-Star appearances in a Wizards uniform. He shot at volume when in the rotation, averaging 20.1 shot attempts across his final two seasons in the league.
In his first season back, he put up 51 points on 21-of-38 (55.3 percent) shooting against the Charlotte Hornets back on Dec. 29 in a victory. His field goals made and attempted were both season-highs. During that season, Jordan put also put up 40, 41, 44 and 45 points, as Washington went 3-1 across that span.
In his final season in the league, he didn’t eclipse the 50-point plateau again, but he did manage to score at least 30 points or more in nine contests. At 39 years of age, Jordan was averaging 37.0 minutes per game. He ranks 15th all-time in minutes per game (38.3 mpg) for his career, showing his longevity as a five-time NBA MVP.