Michael Jordan Had No Interest In Starting Over Without Phil Jackson

Shandel Richardson | Dec 31, 2024

June 14, 1998; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan holds the MVP trophy and coach Phil Jackson holds the championship trophy after the Bulls beat the Utah Jazz to win their 6th NBA title. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY / Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY via Imagn Content Services, LLC

By 1998, Michael Jordan was already in for the long haul.

The Chicago Bulls had to accept Jordan and coach Phil Jackson as a package deal. So when rumblings began of the Bulls parting ways with Jackson at season's end, Jordan spoke up.

He made his feeling clear an interview at the NBA All-Star game that season. Jordan said he would rather retire than play in Chicago without Jackson.

"It very well can be," Jordan said of it possibly being his last All-Star game as a member of the Bulls. "I think right now in Chicago, they're looking to make a change to go a different direction with the coach staff, which I think affects me a lot. They really don't leave me with many choices. So right now, in my mind, I'm thinking that's it."

Michael Jordan was different, the man played in an All-star sick with the flu. Today guys sit out of playoff games with...

Posted by Mike Rossanotra on Monday, December 9, 2024

Jordan made good on his threat. The Bulls won a sixth title with Jordan, but hired Tim Floyd as coach in the offseason. It led to Jordan's second retirement because he was unwilling to have a fresh start.

"To ask me to start all over again with a coach with a new philosophy, a whole new system, with an unknown system, I'm pretty much aware of what Phil does and the way that he respects the players and we respect him," Jordan said. "Now, to make that change at this stage in my career, I'm not ready to step into an unknown."

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

Follow our updates on Facebook

X: @BackInTheDayNBA