Transcript - Abe Pollin

Abe Pollin: Well it's a happy day here for those of us who've been involved in this business, as I have for 37 years, and I guess it's one of the happiest days to have the greatest basketball player to ever play to be playing on my team. With all the tragedies that have befallen our country in the last couple of weeks, and with the mood being what it is, we've all been so saddened and down, I think a little good news like this is a really good thing to happen. I know I feel good about it, because I know how badly I felt, how horrible I felt with this terrible tragedy. I think it's good news for the fans of Washington. I think it's good news for fans of the NBA around the country that this great guy is going to be back playing with the Wizards. And I'm extremely proud that he's going to be donating his entire salary this year to this relief. So I am extremely proud of him, he's a terrific guy. We at the Wizards have a couple of major announcements to make as well about what we will be doing, and we will be announcing that very shortly, but I'm very proud of Michael for what he has done.

Reporter: Mr.Pollin, you said last Spring you had a gut feeling that Michael was coming back.

Abe Pollin:Well you know, when you deal with Michael as I did, and sit across a desk from him and talk basketball to him, I could see the gleam in his eye. It was almost like (they were saying), "Wow, why shouldn't I be out there playing. I could still do it."

I said to Michael, "Michael, what's your weight?" And he said, "Well, I'm getting down there." I said "I didn't know you were trying to lose weight." He said "Well, I'm too heavy." But I think all those were indications. And again the body language said, "I want to get back on the court. I want to play with those guys." And that's all, he never told me more than that.

Reporter: How good can he be?

Abe Pollin:He'll be great. One of the things he told me when I asked him, "Michael, are you thinking possibly of coming back?" He said "I will never come back unless I can play at the level that will satisfy me. You know what that level is." And I tell you something else. I said, "Michael, aren't you a little fearful that some of these young guys, that the Iversons, the Kobe Bryants, are going to run around you a little bit?" He said, "Mr. 'P', don't worry. I'll out smart them." That's Michael. He'll do whatever it takes to be a winner, and he will be a winner.

Reporter: Can you talk about the intensity that this will bring to the city?

Abe Pollin: I think the fans of Washington are going to be extremely excited. Someone just told me that we had somebody walk up with $12,000 in cash and said, "I want season tickets." Which is a pretty good sign for us. The phones are starting to ring, and they'll be ringing off the hook.

This town is going to see an exciting basketball team. We've got some great young players, and with Michael as a teacher and as a cohesive force, it's going to be a tremendously exciting year for the fans of Washington and around the country. And I wouldn't be surprised if NBC and TNT and all the other folks put us on national television quite a bit. I think the whole country will want to see Michael Jordan play.