When Michael Jordan was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009, he said in part, "Maybe one day you'll see me play a game at 50. Please do not laugh. You never can tell."
Well, it's three years later, and MJ turns 50 on Feb. 17. He has reportedly been practicing with the team he owns, the Charlotte Bobcats, on various occasions, though he would have to sell his stake in the team in order to get clearance to play in a game.
Antoni Daimiel told Marca, which reported the story, "It's a good time to hope. I'm going to comment on a rumor that is not highly publicized in the U.S., but there are people who have told me ... there are many people who say that Michael Jordan, owner of the Bobcdats, is playing basketball very seriously ... he might play one game at the least."
Daimiel added, "A friend of my friend lives in Miami, he also has heard that information, that Jordan would like to play in at least one game at age 50."
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He is, by acclamation, the best basketball player in history. And here's a look back at the legendary career of Michael Jordan.
Photo: AP in English
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Jordan was not well known when he came to the University of North Carolina in 1982. But towards the end of his first year, he became a household name after scoring the winning shot against Georgetown in the championship game of the NCAA. In his first year, he was the best player in the country and the John Wooden Award winner. Then he decided to turn pro.
Photo: AP in English
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Before coming to the NBA, Jordan led the United States to the gold medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Photo: AP in English
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Jordan signed a seven-year contract with the Bulls, who drafted him third in the draft. A legendary career was about to begin.
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Jordan won Rookie of the Year after averaging 28.2 points per game and shooting 51.2 percent. He was elected to the All-Star team as a starter in his first year.
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In Game 2 of the 1986 playoffs against the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics, Jordan set a playoff record that remains in place, with 63 points in the Boston Garden, but the Celtics swept the Bulls of Jordan.
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The individual awards and honors were a lot, but all that eluded Jordan was an NBA championship. After seven frustrating seasons, finally he climbed the mountain in 1991, when his Bulls defeated the Lakers in five games.
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Among Jordan's last two titles in 1992 and 1993, he won the gold medal with the Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
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After winning two titles, Jordan abruptly and unexpectedly announced his retirement from the sport. He ended up signing with the team of the Chicago White Sox baseball, where he enjoyed a second career as a gardener.
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But Jordan could not stay away too long, returning to the NBA in 1995 with his famous statement "I'm back". After losing in the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals, the Bulls won three consecutive titles from 1996 to 1998 again, with Jordan won the title on 98 with a shot at the last second on Bryon Russell Utah. The Bulls won 72 of 96 games, the most in NBA history.
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Jordan retired after the last title with the Bulls, only to return in 2001 with the Washington Wizards, where he was general manager. Jordan played two seasons in Washington, ending his career with six NBA titles, six NBA Finals, five MVPs NBA MVP awards, 10 scoring champion titles, 14 All-Star appearances and two Olympic Game gold. It is widely regarded as the best player in league history.
Photo: AP in English
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After being fired from the Wizards, Jordan bought the minority stake in the Charlotte Bobcats, and March 17, 2010, became the first former player majority owner of a league franchise.
Photo: AP in English
