Michael Jeffrey Jordan, also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. He played fifteen seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) between 1984 and 2003, winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. He was integral in popularizing basketball and the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s, becoming a global cultural icon. His profile on the NBA website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time."
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at Capital One Arena, in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. an arena they share with the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Georgetown University men's basketball team. The team is owned by Ted Leonsis through Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
Juwan Antonio Howard is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously served as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines men's team from 2019 to 2024 before joining the Nets in 2024.
Craig Anthony Hodges is an American former professional basketball player and former head coach of the Westchester Knicks of the NBA Development League. He played in the NBA for 10 seasons and led the league in 3-point shooting percentage three times. He won two NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and, along with Larry Bird, is one of only two players to win three consecutive Three Point Contests at the National Basketball Association All-Star Weekend, winning the competition in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Hodges also holds the Three Point Contest records for the most consecutive shots made with 19, set in 1991, and the most points scored in a single round at 25, set in 1986. He was later a head coach at Chicago State University, an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers and head coach of the Halifax Rainmen of the National Basketball League of Canada.
Jeffrey George Ruland is an American former professional basketball player and coach, best known for his tenure as a player in the NBA which saw him selected to two All-Star games. After playing college basketball for Iona, he started his professional career with FC Barcelona in the Liga ACB.
Robert Louis Hansen II is an American former professional basketball player. A 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) guard, he played nine seasons (1983–1992) in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Hansen is currently a commentator for Iowa Hawkeyes basketball broadcasts.
Albert King is an American former professional basketball player. The younger brother of former NBA scoring champion, Hall of Famer Bernard King, Albert played at Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn and is regarded as one of the nation's greatest high school players of all time. He was rated the top prep player in the nation over Magic Johnson and Gene Banks during his senior year. A 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) guard-forward from the University of Maryland, King was selected by the New Jersey Nets in the first round of the 1981 NBA draft. King played in nine NBA seasons for four teams.
The 1995–96 NBA season was the Toronto Raptors' first season in the National Basketball Association. The Raptors, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, played their first games in 1995, and were the first NBA teams to play in Canada since the 1946–47 Toronto Huskies. Retired All-Star point guard and former Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas became the team's General Manager. The Raptors revealed a new primary logo of a dinosaur playing basketball, and got new pinstripe uniforms with the logo on the front of their jerseys, adding purple and red to their color scheme.
The 1995–96 NBA season was the Bulls' 30th season in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Bulls acquired controversial All-Star forward and rebound specialist Dennis Rodman from the San Antonio Spurs, and signed free agents Randy Brown and James Edwards. At midseason, the team signed John Salley, who was previously released by the expansion Toronto Raptors; Rodman, Edwards and Salley were all teammates on the Detroit Pistons during the "Bad Boy" era, where they won two straight championships in 1989 and 1990. The Bulls had the best team offensive rating and the best team defensive rating in the NBA.
The 1996–97 NBA season was the Bulls' 31st season in the National Basketball Association. The Bulls entered the season as defending NBA champions, having defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals in six games, winning their fourth NBA championship. During the off-season, the Bulls signed 43-year old free agent All-Star center Robert Parish, who won three championships with the Boston Celtics in the 1980s. Coming off of one of the greatest seasons in NBA history, the Bulls, on the backs of recording another first-place finish in their division and conference, repeated as NBA champions. The Bulls were led by Michael Jordan, perennial All-Star small forward Scottie Pippen, and rebound ace Dennis Rodman, with the former two both being selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, in which Jordan recorded the first triple-double in an All-Star Game. It was also Pippen's seventh and final All-Star appearance. Other notable players on the club's roster that year were clutch-specialist Croatian Toni Kukoč, and sharp-shooting point guard Steve Kerr.
The 1993–94 NBA season was the Bulls' 28th season in the National Basketball Association. The Bulls entered the season as the three time defending NBA champions, having defeated the Phoenix Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals in six games, winning their third NBA championship, their first of two threepeats in the 1990s. This was the first season without All-Star guard Michael Jordan since the 1983–84 season, as he retired during the off-season to pursue a baseball career after the murder of his father. Instead, the Bulls were led by All-Star forward Scottie Pippen. In the off-season, the team signed free agents Steve Kerr, Bill Wennington, and Pete Myers, who was signed to fill in the void left by Jordan at shooting guard.
The 1992–93 NBA season was the 23rd season of the National Basketball Association in Cleveland, Ohio. During the off-season, the Cavaliers signed free agent Gerald Wilkins, and then traded Steve Kerr to the Orlando Magic during the first month of the regular season. The Cavaliers struggled with an 8–11 start, but then went on a 7-game winning streak afterwards in December. The Cavs also had a 12–1 record in February, held a 34–19 record at the All-Star break, then posted a ten-game winning streak in April, finishing 2nd in the Central Division with a 54–28 record, while posting a very successful 35–6 home record.
The 1990–91 NBA season was the Warriors' 45th season in the National Basketball Association, and 28th in the San Francisco Bay Area. The trio of Chris Mullin, Mitch Richmond, and second-year star Tim Hardaway were given the name "Run TMC" during the season. In the opening game, the Warriors defeated the Denver Nuggets 162–158, the highest-scoring regulation game in NBA history. Despite their scoring prowess, the Warriors were limited defensively. The team got off to a solid start winning seven of their first nine games, but later on played around .500 along the way. On February 26, 1991, they lost 131–119 to the Orlando Magic despite the Run TMC trio each scoring more than 30 points. At midseason, the team signed rookie guard Mario Elie after a brief stint with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Warriors held a 26–20 record at the All-Star break, and won their final five games of the season, finishing fourth in the Pacific Division with a 44–38 record.
The 1992–93 NBA season was the Bullets' 32nd season in the National Basketball Association. In the 1992 NBA draft, the Bullets selected Tom Gugliotta out of North Carolina State with the sixth overall pick. In the off-season, the team acquired rookie forward Don MacLean from the Los Angeles Clippers, who had acquired him from the Detroit Pistons, and signed free agents Buck Johnson, and rookie guard Doug Overton. However, Ledell Eackles would miss the entire season due to weight problems. The Bullets got off to a 7–10 start to the season, but then struggled posting a nine-game losing streak in December, and held a 15–36 record at the All-Star break. In January, All-Star forward Bernard King was released to free agency, and later on signed as a free agent with the New Jersey Nets. The team struggled with injuries as Pervis Ellison only played just 49 games due to a knee injury, Rex Chapman only played 60 games due to an ankle injury, and Overton only played just 45 games due to a thumb injury. The Bullets lost ten of their final eleven games, finishing last place in the Atlantic Division with a 22–60 record.
The 1992–93 NBA season was the Hawks' 44th season in the National Basketball Association, and 25th season in Atlanta. The Hawks had the tenth overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft, and selected Adam Keefe out of Stanford University. During the off-season, the team acquired Mookie Blaylock and Roy Hinson from the New Jersey Nets. However, Hinson never played for the Hawks due to knee injuries he sustained in New Jersey. Despite having Dominique Wilkins back after missing most of the previous year with a ruptured Achilles tendon, the Hawks lost five of their first seven games, but managed to defeat the 2-time defending champion Chicago Bulls on the road, 100–99 at the Chicago Stadium on November 7, 1992. As the season progressed, the team continued to struggle playing below 500. for the first half of the season, holding a 24–27 record at the All-Star break. However, after holding a 26–31 record as of March 4, 1993, the Hawks would win 12 of their next 13 games while posting a 12–3 record in March, on their way to finishing fourth in the Central Division with a 43–39 record.
The 1993–94 NBA season was the sixth season for the Charlotte Hornets in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Hornets acquired Hersey Hawkins from the Philadelphia 76ers, and Eddie Johnson from the Seattle SuperSonics. Coming off their first playoff appearance, the Hornets won six of their first eight games as they played around .500 for the first half of the season. In December, the team traded Johnny Newman to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Rumeal Robinson. However, the Hornets would soon struggle as Larry Johnson injured his back, and second-year star Alonzo Mourning was out with a torn calf muscle and sprained ankle.
The 1993–94 NBA season was the Bullets' 33rd season in the National Basketball Association. The Bullets received the sixth overall pick in the 1993 NBA draft, and selected Calbert Cheaney out of Indiana University, and also selected 7' 7" Romanian center Gheorghe Mureșan with the 30th overall pick. In the off-season, the team acquired former All-Star center Kevin Duckworth from the Portland Trail Blazers in a trade involving Harvey Grant, signed free agents Kenny Walker and undrafted rookie guard Mitchell Butler, and released LaBradford Smith to free agency after seven games, as he later on signed with the Sacramento Kings.
The 1992–93 NBA season was the Warriors' 47th season in the National Basketball Association, and 30th in the San Francisco Bay Area. This season is most memorable when the Warriors drafted Latrell Sprewell from the University of Alabama with the 24th overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft. During the off-season, the team signed free agent Jeff Grayer. The Warriors were severely bitten by the injury bug all season losing their top players; Chris Mullin missed half the season with a torn ligament in his right thumb, only playing just 46 games, Tim Hardaway missed 16 games with a bruised right knee, Šarūnas Marčiulionis broke his right leg and dislocated his right ankle in a jogging accident before the season, returned to play 30 games, then sat out the rest of the year with Achilles tendonitis; and second-year star Billy Owens only played just 37 games due to a knee injury.
