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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Michael Jordan retired from the NBA three times: he left the Chicago Bulls in 1993 to pursue minor league baseball, returned to Chicago in 1995, retired again in January 1999, then came back as a Washington Wizard in 2001 before retiring for good in 2003. The breaks were distinct transitions—not one continuous farewell.
How many times did Michael Jordan retire?
Three times. Jordan’s first retirement came in 1993, after the Bulls’ first three-peat. He returned in 1995, then announced a second retirement in January 1999 after Chicago’s second three-peat. He later resumed playing for Washington and made his third and final retirement announcement in 2003.
| Retirement | Context and stated reason | What followed |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | After three consecutive Bulls championships, Jordan left the NBA to play minor league baseball. The Hall of Fame’s account establishes the move but does not give a fuller explanation from Jordan. | He returned to the Bulls in March 1995. |
| January 1999 | After Chicago’s second three-peat, Jordan said he had lost the desire to play at that level and was “99.9 percent” confident he would not return, according to NBA.com. | He joined Washington in a management role in 2000, then returned as a player in 2001. |
| April 2003 | Jordan retired for the final time after two seasons with Washington. The cited NBA retrospective records the date, but does not establish a more specific stated reason. | No further NBA comeback followed. |
Sources: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, “Michael Jordan”; NBA.com, March 19, 2019; NBA.com, January 13, 2018.
Why did Jordan retire in 1993?
The clearest documented distinction is that Jordan left basketball to pursue baseball. The Hall of Fame says he abruptly retired from the Bulls after their third straight championship to play minor league baseball. That account does not, by itself, settle every motive behind his decision. The available institutional retrospectives do not provide a complete transcript of his 1993 announcement, so a more definite explanation would go beyond what they establish.
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When did Jordan come back to the Bulls?
Jordan announced his return on March 18, 1995. NBA.com reports that his fax contained the two words “I’m back.” He played the next day against Indiana, wearing No. 45 because Chicago had retired his No. 23 after his departure. He scored 19 points, had six rebounds and six assists in 43 minutes, and the Bulls lost 103–96 in overtime.
NBA.com’s 2019 retrospective calls the Indiana game the most-watched game in NBA history and estimates its audience at 35 million viewers. The article does not explain how that audience estimate was measured, so the figure should be read as NBA.com’s reported estimate, not as a measurement with a stated methodology.
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Jordan’s return led into another championship run: Chicago won three consecutive titles from 1996 through 1998, and the Hall of Fame notes that Jordan was Finals MVP in each of those three seasons.
What changed between the 1999 retirement and the Wizards return?
Jordan’s second retirement followed the Bulls’ second three-peat. NBA.com dates his announcement to January 13, 1999, and says he had lost the desire to compete at that level. His “99.9 percent” remark conveyed that he did not expect to return, but the phrase was not an absolute promise that he would never play again.
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His Washington years began in a different capacity. He joined the Wizards in a management role in 2000, then signed as a player on September 25, 2001. That was a return to the NBA with Washington, not a return to Chicago. Across his two Wizards seasons, the NBA retrospective reports averages of 21.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When did Jordan retire for the final time?
Jordan announced his final retirement on April 16, 2003, after Washington’s season. The NBA’s retrospective, published in 2018, listed his career totals and honors at that point as six NBA championships, six Finals MVP awards, five NBA MVP awards, 14 All-Star selections, 10 scoring titles and two Olympic gold medals. Those are the figures listed by that NBA retrospective.
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