Michael Jordan announces his first retirement from professional basketball in a historic press conference.
It was October 1993 and the basketball world stopped. Michael Jordanthe man who had dominated the courts for almost a decade, the franchise player and figure of the Chicago Bullsannounced his retirement. He was 30 years old and had won it all: three consecutive NBA titles, multiple MVP awards and global fame. that transcended sport. Why, then, did he decide to walk away from the game that had made him a legend?
The decision of MJ It was as surprising as it was shocking. At a press conference at the Bulls’ training facility, The Berto Center, the most famous man in basketball said goodbye.
Sitting next to his then wife Juanita, the commissioner of the NBA, David Sternthe owner of the Bulls, Jerry Reinsdorfhis coach, Phil Jackson and some of his teammates, Jordan explained that he had lost the desire to continue playing. A reason that few understood and that gave rise to all kinds of speculation and conspiracy theories.
The conference where Michael Jordan, surrounded by close figures, announced his first retirement from the NBA in 1993
In 1993, Jordan was more than a basketball player. His image was everywhere, from Nike commercials to energy drink ads. He had taken the Bulls to the top of the NBA, made them an international brand, and made himself a global icon. However, behind that success, there was a more complex story, one that mixed personal tragedy, media pressure and dark rumors.
The NBA In 1993 it was a territory conquered by the Chicago Bulls. The league was experiencing one of its moments of greatest media exposure, and MJ was the main reason. His team had just defeated the Phoenix Suns of Charles Barkley in the finals, obtaining his third consecutive championship, something that had not been seen since the era of the Boston Celtics of Bill Russell in the 60s. The hunger for victory in the 23rd was incomparable. He had stopped being a simple dominant player and had become an unstoppable force: had become the king of basketball and the face of the league.
However, that same greatness that had led him to conquer the league also brought with it shadows. At the peak of his career, Jordan faced constant scrutiny. The media not only followed him for his prowess on the court, but also for his activities off it. His addiction to competition extended beyond basketball; His passion for betting and gambling was an open secret, and little by little he began to attract negative attention from the press.
In a golden era for the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan retired at the peak of his fame and success (Photo: AFP)
That same year, rumors arose about his love for the game. Michael had to testify at the trial James Bowlera convicted drug dealer who possessed a check $57,000 signed by the player. At first, Jordan claimed it was a business loan, but ended up admitting that the check was payment for a gambling debt. It would not be the last time that the world would find out about his bets: months later, a San Diego businessman published a book in which he revealed that he had won $900,000 to Jordan playing golf.
Although the game and the constant media scrutiny weighed on the best basketball player in history, the greatest tragedy came with the death of his father, James Jordan. On July 23, 1993, Michael’s father was killed while sleeping in his car on a North Carolina highway. Two teenagers shot him to death and then dumped his body in a South Carolina creek. The news devastated MJ.
The bond between father and son was extremely close. James was his confidant, the man who had been present at all the important moments of his career, from his beginnings in basketball to his greatest triumphs. At each championship celebration, James was at his side. Even the famous image of Jordan crying while hugging the championship trophy in 1991 shows his father at his side, as always. His loss was a blow that left Michael aimless, immersed in deep grief.
James Jordan’s death was a devastating event for Michael Jordan, deeply affecting his career (AP)
MJ, worn down by media pressure, the pain of losing his father and the intense burden of being the face of the league, decided to leave the sport that had made him famous. As he said during his retirement press conference: “It’s not because I don’t love the game. I will always love him. But I feel like I’ve reached the pinnacle of my career and I have nothing more to prove.”
Despite the clarity of his words, Jordan’s resignation gave rise to numerous theories and speculations. One of the most recurrent theories was that of a possible secret suspension by the NBA due to his gambling problems.
Commissioner David Stern was said to have asked Jordan to temporarily step down to avoid the scandal of an official suspension. Some details fueled this theory, such as the fact that the NBA dropped its investigation into Jordan’s gambling shortly after his retirement, declaring that the player had done nothing wrong.
After his retirement, the NBA declared the end of its investigation into Michael Jordan’s betting (REUTERS)
The question that was left hanging in the air was this: why would a figure as competitive and dominant as Jordan, at the peak of his career, leave the sport that had made him a legend? His subsequent move to baseball, a sport in which he knew he didn’t have a great future, only fueled suspicions that it was all part of a deal with the league.
Jordan never closed the door on a possible return. In his retirement announcement, he hinted that he might return one day if he felt the desire to compete again.
Despite the uncertainties, Michael Jordan eventually returned to continue his legacy with the Chicago Bulls
“The word ‘retire’ means you can do whatever you want. If at some point I feel the desire to play again, maybe that’s what I want to do.”he told the press. Two years later, he kept his promise and returned to the NBA with the Chicago Bullsachieving a second “three-peat” and consolidating his legacy as one of the best players of all time.
But that first retirement, in October 1993, remains an unforgettable moment in the history of the sport. It was the point at which the best basketball player in the world decided to leave the gamean event as unexpected as it is moving. What followed was a pause, a respite in the career of a tireless competitor who, after overcoming pain and controversy, would return to demonstrate, once again, why he is considered the best of all time.
