Air Show : Michael Jordan Is Back, and He’s Bigger Than Ever

In Chicago, he was worshiped. In Atlanta, he was treated better than one of their own. In New York, he lit up Broadway.

It was quite a week for Michael Jordan’s “I’m Back” Tour.

Despite the distractions, even though it seemed everyone in the free world was elbowing for position to get close to him, Jordan reclaimed his throne as king of the court.

It’s inconceivable that just a month ago he was in spring training with the Chicago White Sox, another minor leaguer caught in the middle of the baseball strike. He hadn’t played pro basketball since June 1993.

Nevertheless, after 21 months away, after only a few practices and games, he again was the best player in the NBA. He was the show; everyone else was a bit player.

Jordan followed a disappointing performance in his March 24 home return with last Saturday’s scintillating showing and buzzer-beater at Atlanta. He followed that with the impossible--55 points at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday in only his fifth game since un-retiring.

It’s the stuff of which legends are made, and Jordan’s legend--already mountainous--continues to swell.

His legion of followers is growing as well.

“It’s an amazing hysteria,” Bulls coach Phil Jackson said. “It says something about our society. I’m not concerned about it. It’s just kind of a wonderment in a rather fast-paced society that a sports story becomes the top story. We’re real happy to have him back, no doubt about it, but there’s a certain sanity that we hope returns.”

Said Jordan: “To a certain degree, I’ve enjoyed this glory. But it’s become absurd, embarrassing to a certain extent. It’s time to get back to the basics of basketball and let things die out a little bit.”

Fat chance.

Chicago will keep on embracing its hero. And the NBA, so desperate to focus on a positive role model, will continue to cash in on Jordan’s return.

Until the playoffs, however, probably nothing will top the amazing hysteria surrounding the recent events.

CHICAGO, THURSDAY, MARCH 23

Anticipation of Jordan’s first game at the new United Center was building. Media from foreign countries descended upon Chicago. T-shirts imprinted with Jordan’s new No. 45 disappeared off store shelves as quickly as they appeared.

Michael was on everybody’s minds.

Jordan worked out for the first time at the United Center--the $175 million edifice he made possible. His retired No. 23 hangs in the rafters and a statue in his honor sits outside the entrance.

After practice, he emerged from the locker room. TV cameras, photographers, broadcasters and sportswriters followed him down the hall. Just before ducking into a doorway, Jordan said: “I’m going to the bathroom. You coming with me?”

CHICAGO, FRIDAY, MARCH 24

Aesthetically, Jordan’s return home was a dud. He looked tired and tentative. In the end, he was beaten, as the Bulls lost, 106-99, to the Orlando Magic.

Of his three games to date, this was Jordan’s worst. Even at Indiana, where in his first game back he shot 7-of-28 from the floor, it seemed he was just a few inches from magnificence. This night, in going 7-for-23, he often wasn’t close.

He offered no excuses: “I stunk it up. As much as I want to blame someone else, I’ve got to blame myself.”

After three games, Jordan was shooting 33.8%. The Bulls were 1-2.

Despite Jordan’s performance, the evening was electric.

It felt like an NBA Finals game at old Chicago Stadium, where the overhanging balcony and tight quarters made for eardrum-splitting noise. It certainly didn’t seem like the antiseptic United Center, where the clamor usually is lost in the vast expanses.

At 7:40 p.m., the lights were dimmed for public address announcer Ray Clay’s introduction of the Bulls’ lineup. Flash bulbs popped from courtside seats, which fetched $3,000 on the scalper’s market, to the most distant nose-bleeders, which could be had for a mere $300.

Clay introduced Scottie Pippen, Toni Kukoc, Will Perdue, B.J. Armstrong.

And then . . .

No one ever heard Jordan’s name over the screaming of a franchise-record 24,247 fans. The emotion--left over from three NBA titles, pent up from Jordan’s hiatus, stoked by the anticipation of his return, whipped into a frenzy by his simple “I’m back” announcement--engulfed the United Center.

Earlier, players from both teams talked about the historic significance of the event.

Orlando’s Anfernee Hardaway, who entered the league in 1993 just after Jordan left, said: “When he retired, it was like basketball retired.”

Larry Krystkowiak, who signed with the Bulls as a free agent before this season, said: “Looking back on it when I’m 80 years old, I’ll be able to say I was part of this. If I were a musician, it’d be like saying I was part of Elvis’ band.”

ATLANTA, SATURDAY, MARCH 25

The atmosphere in the Omni was surreal. The home team, in its first true sellout of the season, might as well have been the road team. Every time Jordan’s name was announced, every time he touched the basketball, he was cheered. Fans wearing No. 45 T-shirts inscribed with the words “Just When You Thought It Was Safe” stood and applauded.

The Hawks, in their own arena, were the Washington Generals to Michael Jordan’s Harlem Globetrotters.

And for the first time in the “I’m Back” Tour, he proved worthy of all the hype.

Jordan was 14-of-26 from the floor and scored 32 points. He had 18 points in the third quarter as the Bulls rallied from a 12-point deficit. He had two flying jams--Air Jordan, circa early-1990s.

He began an end-to-end rush with 5.9 seconds left, capping it with a 17-foot jumper over defender Steve Smith just before the buzzer sounded.

“That’s the first time we’ve seen that apparent ease in which he takes over a game,” Jackson said.

Smith joined a not-so-exclusive club of Jordan victims. Smith’s teammate, Craig Ehlo, is the club president.

When he was with Cleveland, Ehlo was lit up by Jordan for 50, 50 and 55 points in a two-week span of 1988. In 1989, there was “The Shot,” Jordan’s 16-foot jumper over Ehlo that gave the Bulls a playoff series victory. In 1990, Jordan burned Ehlo for a Bulls-record 69 points.

“Believe it or not, it’s a great association,” Ehlo said. “It was the ultimate challenge, great memories, something I can pass on to my kids.”

Ehlo, who just came off the injured list and wasn’t quite ready to be victimized again, sought out Jordan before the game.

“I told him that he makes me a very popular guy,” Ehlo said, “because I’m in a lot of his highlight films.”

CHICAGO, SUNDAY, MARCH 26

On this day, Jordan (and the other Bulls) rested.

CHICAGO, MONDAY, MARCH 27

In the first three games, Jordan seemed otherworldly. He was public property, not a Chicago Bull. Finally, after his buzzer-beater at Atlanta, Jordan belonged.

“We’re taking a totally different approach down the stretch than if we were going into the playoffs without Michael,” Perdue said.

“He’s a great teammate,” backup guard Steve Kerr said.

Said Jackson: “It’s a tremendous relief for the club that we have this kind of weapon. The fact that he can make those shots in the waning moments adds confidence.”

Jackson could tell Jordan was ready to take New York by storm. And he felt the Knicks would be prepared for Jordan, who wasn’t there last time when New York fell behind by 22 points before rallying to win.

“I think they were rather bored with us; that’s one of the reasons we got a lead,” the coach said. “This will bring them to a full alert immediately.”

NEW YORK, TUESDAY, MARCH 28

If the Knicks weren’t at full alert, the New York newspapers were.

“HE’S HERE,” screamed the Daily News.

“GREAT AIR SHOW BACK AT GARDEN,” blared the Post.

“An amazing hysteria,” Jackson’s description of the fuss over Jordan, never was more apropos.

Kids who were so young that they should have been tucked in by 9 p.m. Monday were at the Bulls’ hotel well after midnight, waiting for the King of the Court, begging him for an autograph.

“Jordan wouldn’t sign,” one of them said.

“Yeah, Jordan’s being a jerk,” said another.

As players boarded the bus for their light morning workout, about 100 people looked on. After the bus pulled away, a half-dozen kids jumped in a cab to Madison Square Garden.

Andrew Thomson, a 16-year-old from Queens, somehow got inside the Garden at the end of practice and followed Jordan down the long ramp from the court to the street. Finally, just before stepping into the sunlight, Jordan signed Thomson’s basketball.

Thomson posed for photographers, holding the basketball as if it were the Hope Diamond. For Thomson, it might as well have been.

“This is the best experience of my life,” he said.

At about 5:30 p.m., as the Bulls boarded their bus for the game, 500 people gathered outside the Plaza Hotel. There were more adults than kids this time, all waiting for their brush--however brief--with greatness.

Jordan appeared from the hotel and disappeared into the bus in a matter of seconds and the crowd slowly dispersed. A man and woman from South Africa who were staying at the hotel got into the elevator.

“That was really something,” said the man.

“At least now,” said the woman, “we can say we saw Magic Johnson.”

Most times, athletic events don’t live up to the hype surrounding them. Most times, athletic events don’t include Michael Jordan.

So was anyone really surprised that Jordan scored 55 points?

“That’s why he’s the best,” Knicks guard John Starks said.

Jordan went over and around Starks at will. Fade-away jumpers, pull-up 3-pointers, baseline drives, bank shots, dunks. Jordan brought out the entire repertoire.

Of course, when the game was on the line, the basketball was in Jordan’s hands.

“I’d be lying if I said I came out to pass the ball,” he said. “I came out to score.”

The Knicks overplayed him, however, so he calmly passed to Bill Wennington for the winning dunk with 3.1 seconds left.

“He amazes me,” Jackson said, simply.

There’s a theory that something doesn’t really happen until it happens in New York. And so, here came Mr. Jordan.

“It was officially the culmination of his return to the game,” Jackson said.

CHICAGO, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29

The wildness of the past week was wearing off.

Jordan’s home return against Orlando--the heartfelt response of the fans and the horrific performance of the star--seemed so long ago. The game-winner against Atlanta was merely another happy ending in the series of works authored by the great Michael Jordan. Even the previous night’s game in New York was but a fond memory.

It was time for a reality check.

The Bulls, 3-2 since Jordan’s return, twice needed to be bailed out by Jordan.

“I hope I won’t have to score 55 points every time.”

Kukoc, an integral part of Chicago’s offense before Jordan arrived, had become a spectator. “It could be that he’s intimidated by my presence,” Jordan said.

Jordan said the Bulls must defend and rebound better if they wanted to win a championship. Other players must contribute offensively or the Bulls’ stay in the playoffs would be a short one.

And yet, there was a feeling that everything would be all right, no matter what. Not enough rebounding or defense? Not enough offensive balance? That’s OK. Michael Jordan is back.

“All of a sudden, it’s like you have a secret weapon, a nuclear weapon,” Kerr said. “Right now, we have as good a chance as anybody. We have Superman on our team.”