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Sixers React to Michael Jordan''s Return

On Tuesday, September 25, 2001, Michael Jordan announced that he will return to the NBA as a Washington Wizard for the 2001-2002 season.
The Philadelphia 76ers reacted to the news with the following statements:

Head Coach Larry Brown

"If he is happy, then I am thrilled. All I want is for Michael to be happy and healthy. If that means he plays in the NBA, then this is great."

"I don't expect to see anything less than a great player."

"This will be great for the league. You're talking about arguably the greatest player that has played our game, the greatest athlete in a team sport...you can go down the list. It'll help both the players and coaches to see the way this guy plays both ends of the court, how he respects the game, how competitive he is."

"This will be great for the young guys in our league. I think the focus will be on how good these kids have become. It will be a challenge for them, just like it will be a challenge for Michael to play at the level at which he is accustomed. I think it will bring more attention to these kids because they're going to be compared with a guy actually playing, rather than a legend. You're always going to come up short (against a legend). They'll appreciate that he's playing. They love him like I do." 		Brown Brown

General Manager Billy King

"I think Michael definitely makes Washington much better. Does it make them an Eastern Conference Finals contender? I don't know. Nobody has seen Michael play. You don't know what level he is at. It's like when Michael came back from baseball, nobody knew what he was going to do then. You can't sit here and say what he is going to do. Just his competitive spirit and his drive will make everyone on that team better. I don't think it is a decision that any of us can criticize or not criticize. I think we all make decisions and take career paths that are best for us. If he feels it is something he needs to do, then God bless him." 		King King

Eric Snow

"I'm happy that Michael is able to make a decision that is best for him and his family. I'm excited to see him back in the league. But I am even more excited to be able play against him. Our team has gotten better, and I look forward to see how we match up against him." 		Snow Snow

Aaron McKie

"It is good for the game. Michael is a great player and an even a better competitor. No matter how long he has been away from competitive basketball, he is always going to be MJ. He is a smart enough player where he will adjust his game to make himself a threat on the court." 		McKie McKie