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SPORTS ZONE 1: His Airness Returns for Another Season

Ending months of speculation by the media and fans, Michael Jordan announced last week that he will return for another NBA season with the Washington Wizards.

In a statement released by the Wizards, Jordan said his love for the game was the deciding factor in his decision to return. Despite knee surgery this past February, Jordan said, "Physically, I am feeling very strong, and feel the steps I took in the off-season have allowed me to return to the game in great condition."

This will be Jordan's last season as an NBA player. When asked at last year's All Star game if he would play more than two seasons for the Wizards, Jordan answered "no."

At this point, it is unclear what role Jordan will play for the Wizards. Coach Doug Collins has indicated that Jordan, now 40 years old, would come off the bench as a sixth-man shooting guard. Collins and the Wizards have been busy this off-season, acquiring Larry Hughes, Byron Russell, and Jerry Stackhouse. With these new players it seems likely the only role Jordan can fill will be to provide relief off the bench.

Last year, in his first season with the Wizards, Jordan played 60 of the 82 games, starting 53, all the while hiding the pain he felt in both knees. He had his knees drained several times during last season and had surgery on his right knee this past winter.

Jordan has kept both the fans and media in suspense, giving mixed signals as to whether or not he would return. The Wizards were marketing season tickets assuming Jordan would play, but his summer workouts were reported by fellow players to be less strenuous than in years past. In early September, Jordan was fitted with a shoe insert to relieve pain in his right knee, fueling speculation that the pain would be too severe to allow another season.

While not displaying the brilliance that allowed him to become the most dominant player of the 1990's with the Chicago Bulls, Jordan still managed to put up respectable numbers last season. He averaged 22.9 points, 5.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, and he scored 51 and 45 points in back-to-back games in December. However, he also suffered through some very uncharacteristic moments, scoring a career-low two points in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers and led the team in turnovers with 2.7 per game.

Jordan also steps back into what was sometimes an uncomfortable front-office role with the Wizards. Jordan was part owner of the Wizards until he decided to make his comeback, but he kept the title of president of basketball operations once he had surrendered ownership of the team. This made for a tense locker room dynamic, as Jordan drafted or signed many of the players who are now his teammates.

-Written by David Francis

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