The Last Dance: Things we learned from episodes 7 & 8

4. Mike had been contemplating retirement since ’92

Most people were absolutely devastated by the startling news that Michael Jordan was even contemplating retirement after the 1992-93 NBA campaign.

His brilliance couldn’t have shone brighter at the time. He was just recently removed from a Spanish excursion during the 1992 Summer Olympics that vaulted his notoriety to a near-godly level. His sponsorship earnings, Jordan shoe growth and worldwide brand collectively enjoyed all-time levels of prosperity.

And on top of the global superstardom that followed his image as a result of the summer games, he was in the process of usurping the totaling legacies of greats like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird back in the states by accomplishing a feat they had been unable to throughout the entirety of their NBA careers: win three straight titles.

So when word surfaced that he was on the brink of calling it quits at the ripe prime age of 30, the unified sporting world nearly lost its marbles in confusion at the speculative rumblings.

In fact, it brought the bustling business Mecca that is Chicago to an absolute standstill – and did so during one of the most lively events the city had enjoyed in recent memory.

The Chicago White Sox were in the midst of one of the biggest games of the franchise’s storied history: Game One of the ’93 ALCS, the same contest for which Jordan had ceremoniously thrown out the first pitch.

He was present in the stands when rumors began to circulate of his impending bombshell announcement and were forced to secretively exit the premises upon the media’s attempted bombardment of his skybox as the news proceeded to spread like wildfire.

But according to some of his closest confidants, he’d been thinking of taking a step back from basketball long before he actually made his final decision to do so.

The sweltering summer months usually represented a more casually-spent, laid-back period of time for Jordan after the exhaustive grind of the NBA season, but his opt for furthered work escapades in Barcelona in ’92, coupled with the rambunctious vacation lifestyle the team enjoyed there effectively stripped him of any downtime for relaxation.

And although he had rightfully garnered a reputation as a near bulletproof bionic man, he was visibly tired by the time ’93 season rolled around, and some of the passion he had preserved for so long for the game had depleted right along with his lack of substantial energy.

Oct. 6, 1993 was the date the world found out that Jordan was effectively stepping away from basketball, but we now know that the plan found its initial seedlings during the Olympics.

Apparently, Jordan had told one of the team’s managers he was closest to that he had already been mulling over making an exit. “What will you do?” was the man’s response.

“I think I’m gonna go play baseball.”