Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan shocked the world when he retired from the NBA after winning his third straight title in 1993. However, it could have happened in 1992 if it wasn't for Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
In the latest installment of the thrilling The Last Dance docu-series, it was revealed that Jordan told author Mark Vancil back in the summer of 1992 that he wanted to quit basketball and play baseball. Nonetheless, he couldn't do so because he was playing in the Olympics and needed to win his third straight NBA ring in 1993.
And why did Jordan need to win his third straight title so badly? Because it was a feat neither Johnson nor Bird accomplished during their legendary careers with the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, respectively.
“I’m going to shock the world. I’m going to quit and play baseball,” Michael Jordan said during the 1992 summer. “Well, I’d do it now except Bird and Magic never won 3 in-a-row. And I got to do the Olympics. But if it wasn’t for that, I’d be playing [baseball] this summer.”
Jordan and the Bulls wound up winning their third straight title in 1993 over Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns. The Bulls legend then played one year of minor league baseball before coming back to the NBA in March of 1995.
MJ and Chicago lost to the Orlando Magic in the second round of the 1995 playoffs. That defeat turned out to be just what Jordan needed to get his edge back.
After losing to Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal, Jordan and the Bulls went on to win three straight titles. His Airness and Chicago defeated the Seattle SuperSonics and Utah Jazz twice.
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