Mike admitted that he could no longer palm the ball like he used to after the injury.
There were several reasons given for Michael Jordan's retirement after the Bulls' Last Dance. MJ declared he would not play for another coach, so with Phil Jackson gone, he stayed true to his word. Sam Smith also talked about the burnout factor, saying Mike didn't need a lot of time to think. He retired shortly after the Bulls won their sixth NBA championship.
However, there was also the story of Michael deciding to quit after suffering a severe injury to the index finger of his shooting hand, which could have altered his playing style if he had continued.
Michael enjoyed the Bulls' sixth ring by going to the Bahamas for a trip. While there, he inadvertently cut his index finger with a 'cheap' cigar cutter. He was rushed to the emergency room, where he was treated. Upon returning to Chicago, he approached former Bulls physician John Hefferon to try to fix the damage.
"When Hefferon did the surgery, I saw all the ligament damage I already had from dislocating my finer so many times,"said MJ to the Sun-Times via CBS. "So the only thing he could do was reattach the tendon. He said 'You'll lose some mobility, there is nothing I can do."
The injury took away one of MJ's biggest advantages
According to Jordan, the injury affected his golf grip, and he said he could no longer hold a baseball bat after the surgery. Regarding its effect on his basketball game, MJ admitted losing the one advantage he always had over most players.
"I can still shoot," Jordan added. "But I can't grip the ball completely. I have a tough time picking it up off the dribble like I used to."
Mike owned one of the biggest hands in NBA history, which gave him the unique ability to control the ball rather easily. NBA players past and present agree that his hand size enhanced his game. Even Phil Jackson once said that it gave MJ an incredible advantage over his opponents.
MJ denied that it factored into his decision to retire
Not only would the surgically repaired finger make a profound difference in his game, but the surgery would've also meant that Michael would miss the first two months of a shortened 1998-99 season if he didn't retire. Because of those possible effects, there were speculations that the injury contributed to his decision to retire. However, MJ denied that.
"It didn't affect my retirement issue, although people doubt that," continued Jordan. "It was ironic, the timing. But I was going to retire before this happened."
Jordan proved he could play with the finger when he returned to play for the Washington Wizards in the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons. Although MJ was still a 20-point scorer at ages 38 and 39, his shooting percentages were significantly down. Mike's shooting splits with washing ton were just .431-.241-.805. His fans said it was because he was already old, but maybe it was the index finger as well.
