2000-Modern
Since 2000, Michael Jordan's activities have transitioned from an NBA comeback with the Washington Wizards to a focus on team ownership and business ventures, becoming a billionaire entrepreneur with stakes in professional sports teams and the iconic Jordan Brand.
This 100-card set was issued in complete box set form, with a limited box run of 30,000 serially numbered boxes. This is one of the few cards from the set that capture Jordan in his #45 jersey compared to the more familiar #23. Before Kobe Bryant switched to No. 24 or LeBron to No. 6, Michael Jordan briefly left his famous No. 23 jersey behind for the No. 45 when he returned to the NBA in March of 1995. With the frequency of player movement, fans have grown accustomed to seeing the league’s biggest stars change numbers at some point in their career. Seeing Jordan in anything but #23 remains somewhat jarring, though. The Hall of Famer stepped away from the game for the first time in 1993 to try MLB, after the Chicago Bulls captured their 3rd straight NBA championship. The Bulls naturally raised his No. 23 to the United Center rafters in November 1994, which coincided with the unveiling of his statue outside the arena as well.
With his transition to the diamond, MJ donned the No. 45, his number as a high school baseball player at Laney High, while playing for the Double-A Birmingham Barons. The five-time MBP made his 1st appearance back in the NBA on March 19th, 1995.. bringing 45 with him to Chicago. He has since explained his reasoning that it was tied to his father’s murder in July of 1993. Although Jordan saw his return as a new beginning, he would revert to #23 after only a few short games and thus jersey No. 45 memorabilia will always hold historical value.
