Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

The Wizards clung tightly to the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference as they entered the final week of the regular season.

That week, they needed to win three out of four games to secure a playoff berth.

Rumors of Jordan's possible comeback were growing more intense.

In response, the Wizards held a press conference, where head coach Doug Collins was tasked with addressing the external doubts.

"Is there any news about Michael?"

Collins' trembling head shook slightly, his voice rose a bit, not out of anger or unpleasantness, but it was enough to make one feel uneasy, and it quivered.

"I talked to Michael today," he said, "He's feeling very good, he's indeed thinking about coming back, um... he went to Chicago today, obviously in very good shape, or else he wouldn't say so. We talked for about five minutes, and he said... er... he's training several times a day, he's already regained the feel of the game, and he really hopes to come back before the season ends. So, I guess his knee is recovering nicely, that's basically what I understand."

The key phrase in Collins' lengthy response was "basically what I understand". When a professional basketball coach says "basically, that's all I know," you can be sure he's definitely not telling you everything he knows, basic or otherwise. Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire

"Basically" is one of those words that gives coaches and politicians license to lie and obfuscate. The media knows this, so whenever a coach uses the word "basically," his subtext is basically: Hey, dumbass, I'm fobbing you off.

The Wizards' beat reporter, also from The Washington Times, Thomas Flynn posed a sensitive question that Collins found difficult to answer: "What's Frye's attitude about this?"

"What did you say?" Collins couldn't believe Flynn would ask this.

Flynn thought he might as well speak his mind: "After MJ and Rip were both sidelined with injuries, many felt that the Wizards' journey was over for this year, but Frye stepped up, ensuring the team's playoff possibilities. Now this is his team; does he want MJ to come back?"

This was exactly what Collins feared most and the biggest obstacle to Jordan's return.

But in front of the media, Collins couldn't admit there was such a problem within the Wizards.

"That's a terrible question!" Collins exclaimed angrily, "Frye will never be the problem!"

"Frye might not be, but what about Michael?" Flynn asked gravely.

"Enough!" Collins roared, "I won't answer these malicious questions!"

Everyone present knew Flynn was the Wizards' beat reporter.

Since Flynn could raise this issue, it indicated that the problem had always existed within the Wizards.

How did it matter if Collins didn't acknowledge it?

The tension between Yu Fei and Jordan was public and undeniable.

Then, another reporter asked, "When Michael comes back from Chicago, will he join the team?"

"No, probably not," Collins replied.

"Do you not know, or do you think Michael wouldn't do that?"

"I don't know, I don't know. I mean, he could show up at any time, you know. It all depends on how he feels about himself. He might just turn up in front of me, get on a plane, and say, 'Let's go.' But for now, I don't know... He said his knee feels a lot better than before the surgery, so those are all positive signs."

Despite this, Collins still announced that if Jordan were to return, he would choose to support him.

In other words, whatever Jordan's will was, so was his attitude.

"I think I would sit down with him and say, 'Well, how long do you want to play? Do you want to play the second and fourth quarters? Do you want to start playing from the beginning of the game?' I think it's his decision. Whatever he wants to do, I'll do my best to get the team to revolve around him."

A reporter asked, "Shouldn't the usual procedure be to have Michael attend two or three practices and then participate in five-on-five workouts before making a final decision?"

"It's not that complicated," Collins became Jordan's biggest supporter, "Once he's ready, Michael will just show up in D.C., shoot a few hoops, and then say, 'I'm back'."

The Washington Wizards' fourth last game of the season was at home against the Philadelphia 76ers, who were without Allen Iverson.

That afternoon, the players found Tim Grover and Jordan's bodyguard at the Verizon Center.

That meant, Jordan was back to practice.

Had he officially made a comeback?

When Jordan finally appeared, everyone's heart sank with a strange sense of loss.

If Jordan knew about this, he would be ashamed.

It meant his return didn't give the team the boost they desperately needed.

The team teetering on the edge of the playoffs wasn't excited about his return at all.

A few wondered, would this affect Frye?

They had to think this way, for after Jordan and Hamilton's injuries, it was Yu Fei who led the team, it was Yu Fei who held them together, and Yu Fei rightly deserved the most praise. But now, Jordan was acting as if he were the returning king, as the team's leader during the recent period, how should Yu Fei cope?

"Has he made a comeback?"

Indeed, during the full team gathering, Yu Fei did ask Collins this question.

Jordan was present, but he didn't avoid the issue.

"He just wants to play around with the ball," Collins reiterated, "Michael hasn't officially made a comeback yet."