Michael Jordan retired from the NBA for the first time after winning his third straight title in 1993 with the Chicago Bulls. It was a rather surprising move considering he was only 29 and considered the best basketball player in the world.

However, as Jordan revealed in The Last Dance, he was never fully committed to having his basketball career end in 1993. He just needed some time off.

“The word retired means you can do whatever you want from this day on,” Michael Jordan said. “So if I desire to come back and play again, maybe that’s what I want to do. Maybe that’s the challenge I may need someday down the road. I’m not going to close that door.”

MJ ended up coming back to the NBA in March of the 1994-95 season. He played in 17 games and averaged 26.9 points.

However, Jordan and the Bulls lost to the Orlando Magic in the second round of the 1995 playoffs. It is the only playoff series Jordan lost with the Bulls from 1991-98.

That loss to the Magic fueled Michael Jordan more than ever, though. His Airness came back stronger for the 1996 campaign and guided the Bulls to 72 wins. Jordan won the MVP award by averaging 30.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists.

It’s still incredible how he was able to play at such an elite level after being away from the sport and playing baseball for a year.

“Don’t Mean A Thing Without The Ring” was the Bulls’ slogan once the '96 playoffs began. The team didn’t care that they had won a record 72 games. Jordan and Co. were motivated to finish the season right by capturing a title.

MJ averaged 30.7 points in the 1996 playoffs. The Bulls went on to defeat the Seattle SuperSonics in the Finals in six games.