Washington Wizards comeback (20012003) Jordan as a member of the Washington Wizards on April 14 2003 !

n "eptember 2# 2001 Jordan anno$nced his ret$rn to the %&A to pla' for the Washington Wizards indicating his intention to donate his salar' as a pla'er to a relief effort for the (ictims of the "eptember 11 2001 attacks)*+0,*+1, -n an in.$r'/plag$ed 200102 season he led the team in scoring (22)+ ppg) assists (#)2 apg) and steals (1)42 spg))*2, 0o1e(er torn cartilage in his right knee ended Jordan2s season after onl' 30 games the fe1est he had pla'ed in a reg$lar season since pla'ing 14 games after ret$rning from his first retirement d$ring the 1++4+# season)*14, 5la'ing in his 14th and final %&A All/"tar 6ame in 2003 Jordan passed 7areem Abd$l/Jabbar as the all/ time leading scorer in All/"tar game histor' (a record since broken b' 7obe &r'ant))*+2, 8hat 'ear Jordan 1as the onl' Washington pla'er to pla' in all 92 games starting in 34 of them) 0e a(eraged 20)0 points 3)1 rebo$nds 3)9 assists and 1)# steals per game)*2, 0e also shot 4#: from the field and 92: from the free thro1 line)*2, ;(en tho$gh he t$rned 40 d$ring the season he scored 20 or more points 42 times 30 or more points nine times and 40 or more points three times)*2#, !n <ebr$ar' 21 2003 Jordan became the first 40/'ear/old to tall' 43 points in an %&A game)*+3, =$ring his stint 1ith the Wizards all of Jordan2s home games at the >?- ?enter 1ere sold o$t and the Wizards 1ere the second most/1atched team in the %&A a(eraging 20 142 fans a game at home and 1+ 311 on the road)*+4, 0o1e(er neither of Jordan2s final t1o seasons res$lted in a pla'off appearance for the Wizards and Jordan 1as often $nsatisfied 1ith the pla' of those aro$nd him)*+#,*+3, At se(eral points he openl' criticized his teammates to the media citing their lack of foc$s and intensit' notabl' that of the n$mber one draft pick in the 2001 %&A =raft 71ame &ro1n)*+#,*+3, With the recognition that 200203 1o$ld be Jordan2s final season trib$tes 1ere paid to him thro$gho$t the %&A) -n his final game at his old home co$rt the @nited ?enter in ?hicago Jordan recei(ed a fo$r/min$te standing o(ation)*+4, 8he >iami 0eat retired the n$mber 23 .erse' on April 11 2003 e(en tho$gh Jordan had ne(er pla'ed for the team)*+9, At the 2003 All/"tar 6ame Jordan 1as offered a starting spot from 8rac' >c6rad' and Allen -(erson *++, b$t ref$sed both) -n the end he accepted the spot of Aince ?arter 1ho decided to gi(e it $p $nder great p$blic press$re)*100, Jordan2s final %&A game 1as on April 13 2003 in 5hiladelphia) After scoring onl' 13 points in the game Jordan 1ent to the bench 1ith 4 min$tes and 13 seconds remaining in the third B$arter and 1ith his team trailing the 5hiladelphia 43ers 4##3) J$st after the start of the fo$rth B$arter the <irst @nion ?enter cro1d began chanting CWe 1ant >ikeDC) After m$ch enco$ragement from coach =o$g ?ollins Jordan finall' rose from the bench and re/entered the game for Earr' 0$ghes 1ith 2F3# remaining) At 1F4# Jordan 1as intentionall' fo$led b' the 43ers2 ;ric "no1 and stepped to the line to make both free thro1s) After the second fo$l shot the 43ers in/bo$nded the ball to rookie John "almons 1ho in t$rn 1as intentionall' fo$led b' &obb' "immons one second later stopping time so that Jordan co$ld ret$rn to the bench) Jordan recei(ed a three/min$te standing o(ation from his teammates his opponents the officials and a cro1d of 21 2#4 fans)*101,