Michael Jordan is synonymous with the No. 23. Certain, he wore 45 when he returned with the Washington Wizards, however he all the time had the similar jersey quantity with the Chicago Bulls — aside from for a lone recreation in opposition to the Orlando Magic 34 years in the past nowadays.
Anyone stole MJ’s jersey and the group was once with out a backup for its famous person. Bulls staffers reportedly searched the group for a No. 23 equipment that will are compatible the 6-foot-6 Jordan to no avail.
So as a substitute, His Airness took the courtroom dressed in a No. 12 jersey with out a identify at the again.
“That hasn’t ever took place to me ahead of,” Jordan informed the Orlando Sentinel after the sport. “It’s beautiful frustrating since you’re familiar with positive issues and also you don’t love to have issues out of place.”
“Other folks had been accusing Magic group of workers of stealing the jersey, cleansing crews, as regards to somebody operating within the construction that day,” mentioned Rodney “Sid” Powell, the apparatus supervisor and director of group operations.
“A pair days later, they came upon from safety that one in every of their group of workers had arrange a plan to get the jersey, had in fact long gone thru some other locker room, climbed over the ceilings, got here thru a ceiling tile, grabbed the jersey, put it again within the ceiling,” Powell added. “Making plans for, I suppose, a couple of days later to come back again and get it after pondering no person would determine it out.”
The jersey change didn’t appear to impact Jordan, who scored 49 issues on 21-of-43 taking pictures. The Magic did finally end up successful, 135-129, in additional time, on the other hand.
