2002–03_Washington_Wizards_season

2002–03 Washington Wizards season

2002–03 Washington Wizards season

NBA professional basketball team season

The 2002–03 NBA season was the Wizards' 42nd season in the National Basketball Association.[1] During the off-season, the Wizards acquired All-Star guard Jerry Stackhouse from the Detroit Pistons,[2][3][4] and signed free agents Larry Hughes, Bryon Russell, and Charles Oakley.[5][6][7][8] Retired All-Star center Patrick Ewing was hired as the team's assistant coach.[9][10] The Wizards got off to a 6–4 start to the season, but then struggled losing six straight games afterwards, and held a 24–25 record at the All-Star break.[11] The team finished fifth in the Atlantic Division with a 37–45 record, which was the same as the previous season.[12]

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Stackhouse averaged 21.5 points and 4.5 assists per game, while Hughes averaged 12.8 points and 1.3 steals per game, and Tyronn Lue contributed 8.6 points and 3.5 assists per game. In addition, Christian Laettner provided the team with 8.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, while second-year forward Kwame Brown provided 7.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, and second-year center Brendan Haywood contributed 6.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.[13]

This marked the final season for All-Star guard Michael Jordan, who retired for the third and final time, playing his final game in a 107–87 road loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on April 16, 2003.[14][15][16][17] Jordan averaged 20.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game in all 82 games, starting in 67 of them.[13] He also made his final All-Star appearance in the 2003 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta.[18][19][20] Following the season, Russell signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers, while Tyronn Lue signed with the Orlando Magic, Oakley was released to free agency, and head coach Doug Collins was fired after two seasons.[21] (See 2002–03 Washington Wizards season#Regular season)

Offseason

NBA draft

Main article: 2002 NBA draft
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Roster

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Regular season

Jordan during warm-ups for the last Wizards home game, on April 14, 2003. The jersey is a throwback to the Washington Bullets uniforms.

Jordan announced he would return for the 2002–03 season, and this time he was determined to be equipped with reinforcements, as he traded for All-Star Jerry Stackhouse and signed budding star Larry Hughes. Jordan even accepted a sixth-man role on the bench in order for his knee to survive the rigors of an 82-game season. Heading into the season, as he was still dealing with injuries, Jordan started the first 15 games coming off from the bench. However, a combination of numerous team injuries and uninspired play led to Jordan's return to the starting lineup, where he tried to rebound the franchise from its early-season struggles after a 6–9 start. The move led to mixed results, as several of Jordan's younger teammates complained about playing in Jordan's shadow and his unfair expectations of them.[22]

By the end of the season, the Wizards finished with a 37–45 record once again. At the age of 40, Jordan ended the season as the only Wizard to play in all 82 games, as he averaged 20.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals in 37.0 minutes per game. He also became the only 40-year-old in NBA history to score over 40 points in a game,[23] which he did several times during the season.[24] In addition, Jordan became the oldest NBA player in NBA history to average at least 20 points at the age of 40.[25] This was also the first season in which Jordan was not the team's best scorer, as Stackhouse averaged 1.5 more point per game. However, Jordan still led the team in steals at 1.5 per game, while Christian Laettner led the team in rebounds at 6.6, Stackhouse led in assists at 4.5, and Brendan Haywood led in blocks at 1.5.[13]

After the season, Wizards' majority owner Abe Pollin fired Jordan as team president, much to the shock of teammates, associates, and the public. Jordan felt he was betrayed, thinking that he would get his ownership back after his playing days ended, but Pollin justified Jordan's dismissal by noting that Jordan had detrimental effects on the team, such as benching Larry Hughes for Tyronn Lue, making poor trades, and squandering the teams' first round pick at the 2001 NBA draft on high schooler Kwame Brown who never panned out. Without Jordan in the fold the following year, the Wizards were not expected to win, and they did not. Despite the signing of future All-Star point guard Gilbert Arenas, which had been made possible by Jordan's previous cap-clearing maneuvers as a team executive, the team stumbled to a 25–57 record in the 2003–04 season.

Jordan's stint with the Wizards was closely watched by both fans and the media. While the team failed to qualify for the playoffs in either of Jordan's two seasons as a player, the team was competitive and sold-out arenas around the league.[26] The Wizards replaced Jordan's managerial role with general manager Ernie Grunfeld. Although the organization fielded a competitive team built around Arenas for several years, the team again stumbled into the lower echelon of the league in the years following Arenas' numerous off the court issues.

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Record vs. opponents

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Player stats

Note: GP= Games played; MPG= Minutes per Game; STL= Steals; RPG = Rebounds per Game; APG. = Assists per Game; BLK = Blocks; PPG = Points per Game

More information Player, GP ...

Award winners

  • All-Star: Michael Jordan (14th)

References

  1. [1]
    2002-03 Washington Wizards
  2. [2]
    "PLUS: PRO BASKETBALL; Pistons' Stackhouse Traded to Wizards". The New York Times. September 12, 2002. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  3. [3]
    "Stackhouse Goes to Wizards". Los Angeles Times. Staff and Wire Reports. September 12, 2002. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  4. [4]
    Wyche, Steve (September 12, 2002). "Wizards Get Stackhouse from Detroit". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  5. [5]
    "Wizards Sign Guard Larry Hughes". Associated Press. July 18, 2002. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  6. [6]
    Wyche, Steve (September 10, 2002). "Wizards Expected to Sign Russell". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  7. [7]
    Wyche, Steve (October 13, 2002). "Oakley Signs with Wizards". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  8. [8]
    Smith, Sam (October 30, 2002). "Eastern Conference Capsules". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  9. [9]
    Wyche, Steve (September 18, 2002). "Wizards Add Ewing as Coach". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  10. [10]
    Litsky, Frank (September 18, 2002). "PRO BASKETBALL; Only Smiles, No Scowls, as Ewing Says Goodbye". The New York Times. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  11. [11]
    "NBA Games Played on February 6, 2003". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  12. [12]
    "2002–03 Washington Wizards Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  13. [13]
    "2002–03 Washington Wizards Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  14. [14]
    Broussard, Chris (April 17, 2003). "PRO BASKETBALL; Jordan Bows Out for a Third Time". The New York Times. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  15. [15]
    Wyche, Steve (April 17, 2003). "The Air Finally Runs Out". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  16. [16]
    "Jordan Starts 'Final Retirement'". Los Angeles Times. April 17, 2003. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  17. [17]
    Smith, Sam (April 17, 2003). "MJ Really Means it This Time". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  18. [18]
    "Garnett Is the M.V.P. in Jordan's Final All-Star Game". The New York Times. Associated Press. February 9, 2003. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  19. [19]
    Wyche, Steve (February 10, 2003). "Passing the Torch". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  20. [20]
    "2003 NBA All-Star Game: West 155, East 145 (2OT)". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  21. [21]
    Wyche, Steve (May 31, 2003). "Collins Fired as Wizards Coach". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  22. [22]
    M. Jordan's Legacy Is a Vastly Different Tale of Two Cities
  23. [23]
    "Jordan becomes oldest player in NBA history to score 40 or more points in a game". United Press International. February 21, 2003. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  24. [24]
    "Michael Jordan 2002-03 Game Log". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  25. [25]
    "The 25 oldest NBA players with the highest scoring averages (>20 ppg)". Interbasket. May 8, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  26. [26]
    His playing career ends -- with frustration, betrayal and flashes of brilliance
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