On This Day in Sports: April 16, 2003
On April 16, 2003, Michael Jordan played the final game of his NBA career as the Washington Wizards visited the Philadelphia 76ers. The result, a 107-87 Philadelphia win, mattered less than the farewell unfolding around it. Fans arrived to witness the last appearance of a player whose championships, scoring and competitive presence had reshaped professional basketball.
Jordan scored 15 points in 28 minutes. With the outcome decided, he briefly left the floor in the fourth quarter, then returned after the crowd continued chanting for him. Philadelphia intentionally fouled, allowing Jordan to make the last two free throws of his career before he checked out to a long standing ovation from both teams and the arena.
The ending came after a remarkable third act. Jordan had already retired twice, first during his championship prime and again after the Chicago Bulls’ sixth title in 1998. His two seasons in Washington did not bring another playoff run, but they demonstrated the enduring draw of his game and gave a new generation of players a final close view.
Jordan finished with 32,292 regular-season points, five Most Valuable Player awards and six championships in six Finals appearances. Statistics alone cannot capture how completely he became the public face of the league. The Philadelphia ovation served as a collective acknowledgment: an opponent’s city paused to salute a career that had expanded basketball’s global reach.
Philadelphia defeated Washington 107-87.
Jordan scored 15 points in 28 minutes.
His final points came on two free throws.
Both teams joined the standing ovation.
Jordan retired with 32,292 regular-season points.
He won six NBA championships with Chicago.
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