Michael Jordan’s years as a Washington Wizards shooting guard have almost disappeared from our collective memory. ESPN’s 10-hour documentary, Last danceEnds with his sixth and final championship at the Bulls, as if his tenure at Wizards never happened. The ESPN series was about the champions who led their teammates to victory, and sometimes the champions who punched. In that story, Jordan’s commitment and competitiveness were less secretive factors for him and their success. But Jordan’s post-Chicago story is not about winning. It’s not a fairy tale that ends a fairy tale. In Washington, Jordan’s strengths became his weaknesses. And as a wizard, the ultimate champion turned his back on his teammates — and they turned his back on him.
In this special episode of Hang Up and Listen, Joel Anderson tells the story of the days of Michael Jordan and the Washington Wizards. How did Michael Jordan get to Washington, DC? Why couldn’t he make Wizards the winner? And what does the last chapter of Jordan’s career reveal about him as a player and as a person?
To answer these questions and explore Jordan’s era in Washington Wizards, Anderson interviewed a former Wizards player, first as president of the team’s basketball operations and then as a player. Brendan Haywood, Hahidi White When Etan ThomasFormer Washington Brett player and broadcaster Phil ChenierA journalist who covered Jordan’s time with Wizards, Rachel Nichols, Steve Weish, Mike Wise, Jack McCallumSon of former Wizards owner Abe Pollin Robert Pollin Details of this special episode of the slate sports podcast Hang Up and Listen.
Steve Wyche, Mike Wise, and Robert Pollin, the son of Wizards owner Abe Pollin, talk about Wizards executive Michael Jordan and Paulin’s decision to dismiss Jordan: Stated.
Mike Wise: “His work ethic as a GM was questionable. He was often out of town. He wasn’t the one who was calling. He was still the head of Michael Jordan. This was almost a Michael Jordan moonlight gig. “
Steve Weish: “Everyone expected him to return to the front office when MJ’s play period was over … and Abe would let him go within a day or two of Michael’s last match. I could feel Abe being despised … because, you know, I’m not going to lie. Michael sometimes didn’t have an organization in front of him. I treated it like this. “
Robert Pollin: “Michael felt like he was promised something, and my dad said you were never promised to get your job back. In fact, doing that is a league. So, yes, it wasn’t something Michael Jordan was used to getting fired. Naturally, he was very bitter … you See what he did in Charlotte: he’s not a good team president or owner. He doesn’t know how to build a champion that doesn’t include him. That’s just a fact. “
