- Feb 23, 2013
- 20,000
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The Official NBA Thread: NBA Draft Tonight | Giannis to the Miami Heat
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by pmatic,
- Start date
- Dec 15, 2023
- 10,141
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dude really dont want to be a wizard. he would have 100% suited up if he were on the dubs 
- Jul 29, 2001
- 25,382
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As a player he was there for 2 years, they missed the playoffs both years in a bad conference, and he was directing the f word slur at the team's rookie #1 pick. Relevant or not, the Wiz were better shortly after his tenure and at least had a little 4-year stretch of actually making the playoffs and had a few memorable playoff series (most of them on the losing end, but still). I don't think Wizards #23 really needs to be sacred. The argument for MJ's Wizards jersey being off limits is entirely based on name/aura/vibes, not actual on-court performance.
And the Heat retiring his number is still ridiculous.
If LeBron plays his last two years in Sacramento and the arena is packed every night but they go 37-45 and miss the playoffs both years, should his jersey be forever off limits there? To me the answer is an obvious no, I don't care how much ice he needs for his knees.
Agreed. Nothing about MJ's tenure in Washington screams "YOU CAN'T WEAR THAT NUMBER!" Also, I still think Riley retiring MJ's number in Miami is one of the dumbest things I've ever seen in sports. You got your *** kicked by him over and over in the 90s, and you want to honor him for it?
- Dec 8, 1999
- 7,609
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Your Google search was a little too quick. You listed Wizards players who wore #2.
This is something I've been consistent about since MJ retired. Though not many posts from that era survived, as the original platform offered limited storage and threads expired once they fell beyond page 25 or so, here's one from 2014:
The Nets just retired Vince Carter's number.
Five players have been so honored in the history of the Wizards franchise: Earl Monroe, Gus Johnson, Wes Unseld, Phil Chenier, and Elvin Hayes. Deserving players, all, but it's silly to me to claim that Michael Jordan is somehow unworthy of being in their category.
I won't feign impartiality: I grew up as a Michael Jordan fan. NikeTalk would not exist without him - full stop - and the announcement that he was joining the franchise in any capacity is the closest thing to a championship I will likely ever experience as a fan of my hometown team. If you weren't a Wizards fan or a DC resident in the 00's, I wouldn't expect you to understand the impact of those two years. Bandwagoners and fans of legacy big market franchises take for granted the sight of their team's jersey around the world. Wizards fans do not. This team hasn't won 50 games in a year since 1978-79. That's also the last time they advanced beyond the second round. They've won a grand total of five playoff series since.
It's like if you owned a dry cleaning business visited by Barack Obama and refused to hang up his photo because he wasn't a regular, but the most recent addition to your Wall of Fame is a coffee-stained headshot of Fred Berry that's been hanging lopsided since 1977.
If LeBron James were to inexplicably spend his final season with the New Orleans Pelicans, I would fully expect them to retire his jersey. I wouldn't be shocked if they did so for Anthony Davis.
In all probability, John Wall's number will eventually find its way to the rafters. That it will not join Michael Jordan's is less about success than pettiness.
- Jul 29, 2001
- 25,382
- 16,744
Actually watched both games on Prime tonight at the bar. Didn't matter if Towns was playing or not, Knicks caught the Pistons off that Wizards debacle. The Pistons are ruthless when are dialed in. One game back in the loss column to OKC, playing in a much weaker conference....this could be interesting in terms of a potential Finals matchup.
Clippers-Kings was whatever, but I need the Clip Show to win as many games as possible in order for OKC to not start the NBA Apocalypse.
Clippers-Kings was whatever, but I need the Clip Show to win as many games as possible in order for OKC to not start the NBA Apocalypse.
- Jul 29, 2001
- 25,382
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I kinda lol'd at this because I was reading those names and i'm, like, "I do NOT recall any of those guys wearing #23 ever"
lawdog1
Supporter
- Sep 14, 2000
- 67,500
- 86,046
Debatable, for reasons Meth has explained in detail.
Moreover, nothing about Anthony Davis’s career screams that it’s some affront that people don’t think he should wear 23 as a Wizard.
- Apr 30, 2011
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lost me right here. If announcements of a 38 year old who bought your team now playing for it is akin to winning a title, jerseys in the rafters while winning nothing makes sense. That’s a sad standard for any sports team and their fans.
It’s like if the Cubs still didn’t have a World Series since 1908, signed A-Rod for the last two seasons of his career and he bats .250 and they lose 90 games both seasons, but they still retire his number. And I’d know cause I’m a Cubs fan who lived the fist 3 decades of my life in that 100+ year drought. I would have thought that was ridiculous too, but that wouldn’t happen in Chicago.
I guess meritocracy just means less if you lose forever to some people. Never heard a word from MJ about being disrespected by it. But maybe I missed that.
- May 17, 2007
- 27,232
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I need to see Cam Boozer in a Wizards jersey
- Jan 5, 2011
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- Dec 15, 2023
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dub fans in a few years
- May 10, 2006
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Shoutout to Doug Christie for the elite tank job. Played the entire fourth with a bunch of created players. We really needed that before we lose these next three games.
- Dec 15, 2023
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703 hwy
Supporter
- Oct 3, 2007
- 27,237
- 19,226
Is the NBA still exploring ways to “fix” tanking? I could fix it overnight it’s not hard if you really want to.
- Mar 14, 2010
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- Sep 5, 2010
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Please educate us.
- Oct 28, 2013
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703 hwy
Supporter
- Oct 3, 2007
- 27,237
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We don’t need accounting firms or law firms. Old school picking team names out a hat on draft night. I bet you they’d tighten up then. You tanked all season well you ended up with the 18th pick better luck next season. Simple solution. Things have gotten unnecessarily complicated nowadays.
millzszn93
formerly nikeairmillz93
- Jan 7, 2012
- 9,117
- 9,375
Don’t think AD can handle that number
- Aug 22, 2012
- 10,610
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Wouldn’t be surprised if injured his thumbs taking this picture
Don’t think AD can handle that number
antidope
Supporter
- Jan 2, 2012
- 67,320
- 77,210
I can't believe this is really happening. I'm legit annoyed seeing this happen. WIZARDS JORDAN DOESNT MATTER
Don’t think AD can handle that number
- Dec 8, 1999
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Meritocracy? We’re talking about Michael Jordan, not Marcus Jordan.
The season before MJ suited up for the Wizards, they won 19 games. In his two years there as a player, they won 37 games. The argument against him is just pointing at the 37 wins and going “LOL.”
In LeBron’s first year as a Laker, the Lakers won 37 games. Even if that’s all he did, I’d still support retiring his jersey there because I personally don’t put him in the same category as Karl Malone and Steve Nash. You can disagree if you want, but just because you’re accustomed to cheering for a team that wins frequent titles doesn’t mean that standard makes sense for every situation or organization.
Some players achieve a level of distinction in their sport that demands league-wide recognition. Bill Russell and Jackie Robinson more than deserve such consideration. We don’t call that a “participation trophy.” It’s an acknowledgement of their momentous lifetime achievements. If a once in a century athlete represents my city, I’m not content to resign that to the endnotes of history. If you consider the fourth-best player on a title team more deserving, that’s your prerogative but not an objective measure of merit.
In 2003, the Miami Heat had not yet won a title or retired any numbers. Pat Riley, charged with changing the Heat’s culture, chose a player he considered the ultimate competitor as the standard bearer for greatness to which his team’s players could aspire. Ted Leonsis and Abe Pollin would’ve done well to do the same.
During Michael Jordan’s brief time in Washington, Kobe Bryant fantasized about joining the Wizards.
Kobe Bryant wanted to join Michael Jordan with the Wizards
When Kobe Bryant wanted to leave LA, he wanted to learn from Michael Jordan in Washington.
www.cbssports.com
Abe and Ted showed Kobe, along with the rest of the basketball world, how much they truly valued Jordan’s sacrifices. It did not go unnoticed.
When MJ left, so did Kobe’s interest in the team - and that of every superstar since.
To be clear: I don’t blame Anthony Davis for any of this. He’s been nothing if not consistent in expressing his displeasure with playing center and desire to suit up for a title contender. It’s not Davis’ fault that the mastermind behind the Paul George Clippers trade decided to bring him to an emphatically non-contending team as a 5 to help cover for a fatally small backcourt of their own creation.
Davis had to change away from #23 because that number was already taken on the Lakers - and it was taken for the same reason that Anthony Davis chose it: to honor Michael Jordan.
I just happen to believe that the Washington Wizards should have made the same gesture at the organizational level and honored the greatest player to ever wear their uniform.
- Sep 5, 2010
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- Feb 23, 2013
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- Sep 24, 2012
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I’m all in on this updated Hawks roster.Starters: NAW, CJ, Kuminga, JJ, Landale/Okongwu. 2nd team: Buddy, Kispert, Dyson, Risacher/Newell, Gueye, Koloko. Dunno where Gabe Vincent fits. If nothing else we got some good talent trying out for who fits best with this roster. This is the best roster construction we’ve had since 2021. Finally got a couple of vets in the building and not a team full of 25 and under kids.
