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How old was Michael Jordan when he retired?

Image Credits: Essentially Sports
Image Credits: Essentially Sports

Michael Jordan is widely recognized as the greatest basketball player to have lived. He won a total of six championships while playing for the Chicago Bulls, and played in a total of 15 seasons in the NBA. Moreover, he also won the Olympic gold medal twice with the US National team, once in 1984 and the second time during the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Michael Jordan made his NBA debut in the 1984-85 season with the Chicago Bulls. He managed to complete a 3-peat of NBA titles before announcing his first retirement from the game, along with plans to play in the minor-league baseball. During a glittering, trophy-laden career that lasted a total of 15 seasons, Michael Jordan announced publically retired from the game a total of 3 times, with the final one coming at the end of 2002-03 NBA season.

13th Annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational Gala At ARIA Resort & Casino
13th Annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational Gala At ARIA Resort & Casino

Also read: All about Michael Jordan’s wife, Yvette Prieto?

What was Michael Jordan’s age when he retired?

Born on 17th February 1963, Michael Jordan made his NBA debut at the age of 21 during the 1984-85 NBA season. After ten successful seasons with Chicago Bulls where he won the NBA championship a total of three times, Michal Jordan announced his retirement from basketball on 6th October, 1993, at the age of 32.

Jordan stated that a “lack of desire to play basketball” along with his father’s untimely death in July 1993 had much to do with his decision. He went on to stun the sporting world by signing a minor league baseball contract with the Chicago White Sox in February 1994.

However, Chicago Bulls had an average 1993-94 season where they lost to the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs. Next season didn't start that great even, a stuttering start eventually prompted Michael Jordan to come out of his retirement. On 18th March 1995, MJ announced his return with a two-word press conference in which he stated “I’m back.”

Michael Jordan went on to win three more consecutive championships, before announcing his second retirement from the game in January 1999. He was now almost 37 years old, and returned to the NBA as part owner and president of basketball operations for the Washington Wizards.

After expressing interest to make another return as a player, Michael Jordan came back to the NBA to play for Washington Wizards. However, both of his final seasons failed to result in a playoff berth for the Wizards, with the Greatest ever playing his final NBA game on 16th April 2003 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

A player who had dominated the league, Michael Jordan was now 40 years old, and he rightly received a 3-minute long standing ovation from everyone who had showed up for that historic game. Needless to say, Michael Jordan’s career was legendary. It lasted almost 20 years, and had innumerable memorable moments as he went around revolutionizing the game.


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