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Jordan returns ... as Wizards part-owner

Associated Press

WASHINGTON-His Airness is back in basketball.

Michael Jordan, who retired one year ago after leading the Chicago Bulls to a sixth NBA title, joined the struggling Washington Wizards yesterday as part-owner and head of basketball operations.

"This is new to me ... being in a city to give my support to another team," Jordan said. "Normally, I am in support of the Chicago Bulls."

Jordan said it would "take some time" to turn around the Wizards, who are 12-27 with the second-worst record in their conference.

"Yeah, it's different," he said, hours before the Wizards played the Dallas Mavericks. "I don't get to play. I don't get to wear a Wizards' uniform, but I will have influence with the players who wear the uniform."

Jordan also will have an ownership stake in the NHL's Washington Capitals.

He said he will practice with the Wizards, a team he said was underachieving.

"The best way to evaluate a player is to look in his eyes and see how scared he is, and I've seen that," Jordan said.

The NBA forbids players from owning teams, thus preventing Jordan from being a player-owner even if he desired to do so.

Jordan said he was not severing his ties with Chicago, and that his home remains there, nor did he say it was any kind of retaliation against the Bulls or their owners.

"My energy now is here, and I'm going to try to do the best I can in Washington," he said.

Jordan, who last year tried to buy a stake in the Charlotte Hornets since his retirement a year ago, has been negotiating in secret with majority owner Abe Pollin and minority owner Ted Leonsis.