This summer, I finally made it to reading this fascinating book on Michael Jordan’s last comeback.  This is slightly off-topic in a Raptors blog, but there were some interesting tidbits on Michael Curry, JYD “one of the league’s toughest defenders”, Juan Dixon, Popeye Jones and Jordan’s duals with Vince Carter (including the controversy over the starting role at the 2003 All-Star Game).  A great read for all fans.  And now, on to the review:

This novel chronicles the three years of Michael Jordan’s comeback (from 2001 to 2003), written by Washington Post journalist Michael Leahy.

It seemed like a storybook ending. After his game winning shot in 1998 to beat the Utah Jazz and take home his sixth title, Michael Jordan retired for the second time. He had accomplished so many accolades over the course of his career:

Rookie of the Year
Five Time NBA MVP
Six Time NBA Champion
Six Time NBA Finals MVP
Ten Time All-NBA First Team
Nine Time All-Defensive First Team
Defensive Player of the Year
Fourteen Time NBA All-Star
Three Time NBA All-Star MVP
Ten Time Scoring Champion
Etc.

All the hardware meant nothing to Michael Jordan. It was the love of the game, the desire for competition and the need for being ‘it’ that brought him back to the NBA to play out his last two seasons for the Washington Wizards.

This novel reveals some interesting things about Michael, both on the court and off. However, it’s the feeling you get at the end of the book that you KNOW WHY Michael came back. You UNDERSTAND because Leahy takes you into his mind and shows you his thought processes (or at least as much as one can from a third party perspective). This is what makes this book so unique and enthralling.

Leahy gives us insight into Jordan’s methodical approach to games and his constant search for information to use to his advantage. He takes you through his arguably inhumane treatment of his teammates and consequently, his lack of locker room friendships. Players had to prove themselves to Michael, and if they did not, they were constantly ridiculed. Jordan turned everything into a contest – something that could be bet on or used for bragging rights. It was about the competition and the adrenaline. Michael needed this, for whatever reason.

The book also shows you some interesting tidbits behind the scenes. It shows David Stern’s role in the Jordan comeback. There is some insight into Doug Collins (Jordan’s self-appointed coach) and his relationship with his #1 draft pick, Kwame Brown. Leahy details the relationships Jordan had with his teammate stars: Rip Hamilton and Jerry Stackhouse. Of particular interest to me, was how Jordan advocated trading for Stackhouse due to his grit. I think Jordan respected Stack because he would not back down to him, and he saw a lot of himself in the youngster. Unfortunately, the two players styles did not co-exist.

The book portrayed the different lives of NBA players – stars, average players and marginal players. It gave me some insight into front office politics and the manipulation of media by Jordan. This was probably the most fascinating part of the novel – a good insight into the mutually symbiotic relationship between the game and the media.

The book chronicled the personal relationships of Jordan, including the Karla Knafel affair and the divorce to Juanita Jordan. It showed the ownership struggles between Abe Pollin and Michael Jordan, leading to MJ’s eventual firing after the 2002-03 season.

The book was extremely compelling and produced a balanced viewpoint on the Michael Jordan comeback years. The novel was able to look from the outside and realize that the story was ultimately about a game that men play to entertain society – to give people a break from their lives. It detailed the absurdity of even Michael Leahy’s life – missing out on holidays and children’s birthdays to chronicle what music Michael Jordan was listening to before his games or what side bet he had with members of the media. The greed of owners was presented and the inevitable struggle of an aging idol was presented – coupled with the fall in esteem from fans, media and owners.

Ultimately, the feelings I get from this book about Jordan are mixed. On the surface, he was unable to cope with his changing body. Underneath, he was unable to adapt his selfish actions and grasp the larger picture. He was the greatest player to ever play basketball, but that wasn’t enough to make up for his treatment of bosses, teammates, media, fans and society in general. Eventually, these things will catch up to you – especially when you cease to be everyones financial meal ticket.

Jordan got what was coming to him – but I still can’t help but feel sorry for him. His greatness in basketball couldn’t make up for his ignorance of life. You can choose to blame him or the system that churns out young kids and gives them responsibilities they may not be able to handle (or both). Either way, when you look at Michael Jordan’s story holistically, you can’t help but feel something personally. My childhood delusions were once again cleared – Jordan was only a man with strong desires and amazing basketball abilities. Michael Leahy’s novel brings us back to reality.

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