Globally renowned influencer Michael Jordan continues to make a huge impact. His prowess and business acumen through the Jordan Brand have left a lasting legacy for generations to come.
It’s no surprise that fans around the world hold MJ in high regard and eagerly seek out opportunities to meet or catch a glimpse of the iconic superstar.
Michael Jordan ended his historic tenure with the Bulls in 1998 before becoming president of basketball operations and co-owner of the Wizards in 2000.
However, he proved to be less than stellar in the front office, making controversial decisions, including the potentially controversial selection of Kwame Brown, the first overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft.
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Wizards’ struggles: Jordan’s second act and organizational impact
Jordan made a big decision before the 2001-02 season and chose to return to the court and play for the Wizards. Yet the fight in Washington continues.
Despite Jordan’s presence, the Wizards were 37-45 in each of his two seasons, with the Wizards going 19-63 in 2000-01 and failing to make the playoffs in those years.
In 2003, Jordan decided to retire and planned to continue in a management role.
However, the organization chose to sever ties with him entirely, citing player disagreements, the team’s decline under Jordan and deteriorating relationships within the organization, according to the Associated Press CBS News.
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Jordan refuses $10 million: Principled exit from Wizards
Gilbert Arenas said in a revealing interview that Jordan turned down a $10 million compensation check when he left the Wizards in 2003.
According to Wizards owner Abe Pollin, he gave Jordan a $10 million check as a parting gift when his term as president of basketball operations ended.
However, Jordan rejected the offer out of dissatisfaction and discarded the check as he left the team’s facility.
Arenas told the story of his conversation with Pauline, saying, “I wrote Jordan a check for $10 million as a thank you for your service.” Jordan threw the check away and said, “Get out of here.” , and then drove away from the arena. ”
The fact that Jordan refused to accept such a large check shows that money was not his primary concern.
Despite understanding this, it still seems difficult to understand why people would throw away such large sums of money.
For Jordan, it was a matter of sticking to his principles. He was dissatisfied with the Wizards’ actions and decided to reject the Wizards’ monetary apology.
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