NBA All-Star Explains How Michael Jordan's First Retirement Affected Nightlife

Shandel Richardson | Dec 17, 2024

Phil Jackson entered the 1997-98 season knowing it would be his last with the Bulls. Michael Jordan insisted he wouldn't play for any other coach. 2020-04-19 Michael Phil / Anne Ryan, USA TODAY, USA TODAY via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Michael Jordan dominated the NBA during the early 1990s.

At that time, he was one of the most feared players in the league. That changed when he retired for the first time after the 1993 season. By then, Jordan had won three straight titles from 1991-93.

Four-time All-Star Penny Hardaway said he noticed a difference in player's habits after this. The opponents of the Bulls took games at Chicago less serious.

"I remember going to Chicago when MJ had retired," Hardaway said on a podcast appearance. "They had Ron Harper and Scottie Pippen. We out in the club at three in the morning and them cats from the CHI were like, `You can come out now that the Black Jesus gone."' When Mike was playing we went to bed. We didn't go to no clubs. What's crazy is they blew us out the next day any way."


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When Penny had to face Kobe and MJ @outthemud.podcast  #shorts#pennyhardaway#mj#kobe#michaeljordan

Posted by Notyouraverage_nba on Friday, December 6, 2024

The worst part about Jordan's first retirement is the Bulls still won 55 games that season without him. They lost to the New York Knicks in seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals despite Scottie Pippen having an MVP-caliber season.

Hardaway's story just shows how much Jordan terrified the opposition during those peak years. He returned in the spring of the 1995 season only to lose to Hardaway and the Orlando Magic in the playoffs. The next season Jordan led the Bulls to the first of another three straight titles.

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

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