Some of the best players in NBA history were lifers with one franchise for their whole careers. Guys like Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, John Stockton and others became synonymous with their teams and became legends in their cities.
Interestingly, while Michael Jordan is the undisputed symbol of the Chicago Bulls, he ruined his status as a Chi-Town lifer when he came back in 2001 to play for the Washington Wizards. While it was terrific to see MJ back on the court, many people couldn’t stomach seeing him out of the Red & Black jersey.
Advertisement
One of them was NFL legend Ray Lewis. On a recent episode of the “PBD podcast,” the legendary linebacker exclaimed how two athletes switching teams hurt him the most in his life: Joe Montana leaving the San Francisco 49ers after 13 years to play one season with the Kansas City Chiefs and Jordan opting to play for the Wizards rather than the Bulls.
“I was die-hard, cause I ain’t have nothing else but to go watch somebody do what they do. You don’t have nothing to eat at night, you starving, I don’t have none of that…Michael Jordan in what he had done, and watching what he had done. I said to myself, ‘Wow. ‘ And then the news come. Jordan just got released and traded from the Bulls. I mean, who does that?!” Lewis exclaimed.
No titles without the greats
While Lewis was a bit wrong about the Bulls trading or releasing Jordan, the fact of the matter is that he decided to play for the Wizards in his second NBA comeback. While that might have been mind-boggling, there were several reasons for that.
Advertisement
Firstly, Mike left the game and Chicago in 1998 on some pretty lousy terms with Jerry Krause and the management. Secondly, they were rebuilding and without the likes of Scottie Pippen, Toni Kukoc or any other prominent figure from the 90s. Lastly, the role of being the President of Basketball Operations for Washington while playing was also too good to pass on.
Some even said that the 1998 ending was so perfect that Jordan didn’t want to tarnish it with a return at 38 years old. It seems this abundance of reasons culminated with Mike ending up in D.C. However, as Ray brought up, neither the Bulls nor the 49ers, in Montana’s case, have seen much success since losing their GOATs.
“The craziest stat. Since Michael Jordan’s departure, since Joe Montana’s departure, neither franchise has ever won a Super Bowl or a Championship since,” Ray shared.
Advertisement
Mike admitted his mistake to Ray
As much as Lewis was hurt seeing Jordan outside of a Bulls uniform, it seems the fact bothered the man himself. In a separate interview, the NFL legend shared that MJ once told him what was the biggest regret of his career.
“This is the honest goddamn truth,” Lewis said on Fox Sports’ “Speak For Yourself”. “MJ – I’ll never forget this – said to me, ‘The only thing I regret is putting on another uniform.'”
Advertisement
The discourse around Jordan’s Wizards tenure is pretty divided. While some think he proved he could still ball in his late 30s and give a bit more of his aura to the fans, some believe it tainted a perfect career and ending he had with the Bulls. At the end of the day, it’s all in the subjective eye of the individual, although it seems Michael himself wished he hadn’t done it.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.