Players, fans relish Jordan's final lap

Washington (Reuters): His team is mediocre, the media glare has faded and he is prone to shoot the odd air ball but Michael Jordan is not approaching retirement on a lukewarm note.

Seven weeks shy of his 40th birthday, the five-time NBA Most Valuable Player still holds court before soldout Washington Wizards home games, delighting fans and giving his young opponents a scare.

"Man, I don't care how old he is or whatever people want to say. He is still the bigesst threat in this league," fourth-year Portland Trail Blazers guard Bonzi Wells said recently after his first encounter with Jordan.

"Being on the court with him is an intimidation factor for a lot of guys. Guys my age grew up on Jordan. When you finally go on the court with him, you're kind of like a deer in headlights," he said. smiling and shaking his head.

Jordan, whose resume includes six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, an Olympic gold medial and two slam-dunk titles, retired from professional basketball in 1998 saying he had nothing left to prove.

Five years later, the 1.98-metre guard is ill the Washington Wizards' starting line-up. He strolls casually around the court during warm-ups, blowing bubble gum and good-naturedly needling his younger team mates and opponents under the gaze of more than 20,000 fans at the MCI Center.

His decision last year to return to the game and play for Washington's less-than-stellar team baffled some pundits who said he was risking his legacy.

But fans are clearly enthusiastic about Jordan's final lap of the NBA tour before his planned retirement in 2003.

"He's not living up to the old Michael Jordan but just a little Michael Jordan is better than nothing," said Washington resident, Wayne Banks. "It's good for the game. He's bringing the fans back out."

The Wizards have sold out 56 consecutive home games, including all 41 of their Washington games last season. On the road, the team have sold out all but four games this season.

At the MCI Center, the crowd erupt in applause as their hero is introduced over the loudspeakers, with children craning for a glimpse of the famed number 23. One boy proudly holds a sign reading: "We believe in you Air Jordan!".

To win in Washington, opponents say they need to keep an eye on Jordan no matter where he is on the court.

"He is one of those guys who is going to be so smart that if the game is on the line, nine times out of 10 he is going to deliver a win," said Trail Blazers guard Derek Anderson.

"Fourth quarter, seconds going down, he's a threat. And during the course of a game we have to worry about the whole team because he makes the whole team better."

Portland's rebounding muscle Dale Davis said he was happy to see Jordan "getting out there and doing his thing," adding that the 13-time All-Star's place in the game's history was secure.

"He is no doubt the greatest player to ever play the game," Davis said. "A man of his stature as a basketball player, a lot comes with that. He is capable of putting up big numbers so you have to contain him as much as possible."

Like fellow basketball greats Larry Bird, Isaiah Thomas and Patrick Ewing, Jordan has moved into a coaching role in the twilight of his career, guiding young players from the court and the bench.

Jordan, who turns 40 on February 17, is the team's second-leading scorer at 16 points a game but he is just as valuable mentoring the club's promising youngsters such as the 20-year-old Kwame Brown, the number one overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft.

Having publicly chided his players at times, Jordan said recently he would need to increase his playing time if "some of these young kids don't start to play up to their capabilities".

"If they don't play well, and we're not winning, then obviously we've got to go to an area where you can count on," he said. "I'd like to think hopefully you can count on me."

Jordan was clearly dejected after losing 98-79 to Portland earlier this month in his first head-to-head match-up with longtime Bulls team mate Scottie Pip-pen, in which both players scored 14 points.