In 1995, Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan returned to the NBA after an 18-month hiatus. The star shooting guard wore no. 45 to symbolize new beginnings. The number meant several things to MJ. As for one, it was the first number he wore in high school.
He donned 45 in his return because he didn’t want to wear 23 — the number he became known for — without his father watching.
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Jordan 45
Despite the jersey switch, Jordan never lost the magic touch. After a lackluster 19-point performance in his first game back, MJ exploded for 55 points against the New York Knicks a few games later.
It felt odd seeing a Bulls player wearing the number 45 abuse defenses with mid-range jumpers and fadeaway jumpers. But it didn’t take diehard fans long to realize that the GOAT had returned.
In the first round of the 1995 NBA Playoffs, Jordan and company dispatched the Charlotte Hornets in four games. MJ dropped 48 points in Game 1 just to reiterate once again that he was back. To Bulls fans, it seemed like their beloved ball club was en route to another title.
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Things drastically shifted in the second round when the Bulls met the young and talented Orlando Magic, led by Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. The Bulls lost Game 1, 91-94. MJ scored 19 points on a horrendous 36.3 percent shooting clip. The North Carolina standout also committed five turnovers.
Jordan, a stickler for superstition, blamed his bad performance on his new jersey number. He broke league policy and donned the no. 23 jersey again in Game 2. The league fined him $25,000, noting that it was a distraction from the postseason series.
“We can’t have a situation where a player can decide every night what number he wants to wear,” said NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik. “Our policy is that you have to apply to the league when you want to change your number, and that applies equally to every player in the league.”
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Krause’s thoughts
The Bulls, particularly general manager Jerry Krause, were pissed by the league’s antics. The $25,000 fine reignited discussions about Jordan’s jersey number — what it truly meant and how it had affected his game.
Krause felt the NBA had overshadowed Jordan’s stellar performance in Game 2. He would’ve preferred if discussions had revolved around MJ’s Jordan’s 38 points, seven rebounds, three assists, four steals, and four blocks.
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“We won the basketball game and there’s so much talk about uniform numbers and so many little things that really don’t matter,” Krause said in 1995, via the Chicago Tribune.
“Personally, I don’t care if Michael Jordan shows up in a jockstrap. If the league approves it, that’s fine with me. Whatever he does, if it’s legal, that’s fine. That’s not of any importance to me. The importance to me is that he be Michael Jordan and do the things that have to be done,” he added.
Despite the hefty fine, Jordan donned 23 for the rest of the series. He accrued a total of $100,000 in sanctions, but this seemed like a trivial matter compared to what it did to MJ’s headspace. The Black Cat felt a serene type of comfort with 23. And even though they eventually lost to the Magic in six games, MJ was glad he got his classic jersey back.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.