2002–03 Washington Wizards season

2002–03 Washington Wizards season
Michael Jordan's final season
Head coach Doug Collins
Owner(s) Abe Pollin
Arena MCI Center
Results
Record 37–45 (.451)
Place Division: 5th (Atlantic)
Conference: 9th (Eastern)
Playoff finish Did not qualify

Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com

Local media
Television CSN Mid-Atlantic, UPN Washington
Radio ESPN 980

The 2002–03 Washington Wizards season was the franchise's 42nd season in the National Basketball Association (NBA). During the offseason, the Wizards acquired Jerry Stackhouse from the Detroit Pistons while signing free agents Larry Hughes, Bryon Russell and Charles Oakley. The Wizards finished fifth in the Atlantic Division with a 37–45 record, which was the same record as the previous season. Following the season, Michael Jordan retired for the third and final time in his career. Also following the season, Russell signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Offseason

NBA Draft

Main article: 2002 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 11 Jared Jeffries Forward  United States Indiana
1 17 Juan Dixon Guard  United States Maryland
2 38 Rod Grizzard Guard  United States Alabama
2 39 Juan Carlos Navarro Guard  Spain FC Barcelona (Spain)

Michael Jordan

Jordan during warm-ups for the last Wizards home game, on April 13, 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. 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. 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.[1] By the end of the season, the Wizards finished with a 37-45 record once again. 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.

After the season, Wizards' majority owner Abe Pollin fired Jordan as team president, much to the shock of teammates, associates, and the public. Michael 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' 2001 1st round draft pick on high schooler Kwame Brown who never panned out. Without Michael in the fold the following year, the Washington Wizards were not expected to win, and they didn’t. 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 Washington 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.[2]

The Wizards replaced Jordan's managerial role with General Manager Ernie Grunfeld. Though the organization fielded a competitive team built around Gilbert 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. However, after the Wizards drafted John Wall in 2010, and Bradley Beal in 2012, they have returned to prominence, making the playoffs in 2014.

Regular season

Atlantic Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-New Jersey Nets 49 33 .598 – 33–8 16–25 16–8
x-Philadelphia 76ers 48 34 .585 1 25–16 23–18 17–7
x-Boston Celtics 44 38 .537 5 25–16 19–22 13–12
x-Orlando Magic 42 40 .512 7 26–15 16–25 14–11
Washington Wizards 37 45 .451 12 23–18 14–27 11–13
New York Knicks 37 45 .451 12 24–17 13–28 9–15
Miami Heat 25 57 .305 24 16–25 9–32 5–19

Record vs. opponents

2002-03 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MEM MIA MIL MIN NJN NOH NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA WAS
Atlanta — 0–3 2–2 4–0 0–2 2–0 1–3 0–2 1–1 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–3 2–2 0–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 2–1 3–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–3 1–1 2–2
Boston 3–0 — 2–2 4–0 0–2 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 2–2 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–2 2–0 1–3 3–1 4–0 3–2 2–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–0 1–2 1–1 1–3
Chicago 2–2 2–2 — 3–1 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–2 2–2 0–2 2–2 1–3 2–1 1–3 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–2 1–1 1–3
Cleveland 0–4 0–4 1–3 — 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–1 1–1 0–4 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–2 0–4 0–2 2–2 1–3 1–2 0–4 0–4 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 3–1 1–1 0–4
Dallas 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 — 4–0 2–0 4–0 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 4–0 2–0 0–2 2–2 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–0 2–2 2–0
Denver 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–4 — 0–2 0–4 0–4 1–1 1–3 0–4 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–3 2–2 0–4 1–3 1–3 1–1 0–4 1–1
Detroit 3–1 2–2 4–0 4–0 0–2 2–0 — 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 3–1 1–3 1–1 2–1 2–2 2–2 2–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 2–0 3–1
Golden State 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–4 4–0 1–1 — 1–3 1–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 0–4 0–4 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–2 2–0
Houston 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–4 4–0 0–2 3–1 — 1–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–3 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–0 1–3 1–1
Indiana 2–2 2–2 2–2 4–0 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 — 2–0 0–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 2–0 1–2 3–1 3–1 2–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 1–1 2–2
L.A. Clippers 0–2 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–4 3–1 1–1 2–2 2–2 0–2 — 0–4 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–1 1–3 0–2
L.A. Lakers 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–2 2–2 2–0 4–0 — 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–0 3–1 1–1
Memphis 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 0–2 2–2 1–3 1–1 2–2 0–4 — 2–0 2–0 0–4 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–4 1–3 1–3 1–1 1–3 1–1
Miami 3–1 2–2 2–1 2–1 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–4 0–2 1–1 0–2 — 1–3 1–1 0–4 0–4 2–2 0–4 0–4 2–0 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 4–0 0–2 1–3
Milwaukee 2–2 2–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 1–1 0–2 0–2 3–1 — 0–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–2 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–2 0–2 2–1
Minnesota 2–0 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–2 4–0 1–1 3–1 2–2 0–2 3–1 2–2 4–0 1–1 2–0 — 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–1 1–3 2–0
New Jersey 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 0–2 2–0 1–2 1–1 1–1 2–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 — 2–2 3–1 2–2 1–3 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 3–1
New Orleans 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 0–2 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 2–2 1–1 2–2 — 3–1 1–3 2–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 4–0 2–0 2–1
New York 3–1 0–4 1–2 2–1 0–2 2–0 2–2 0–2 2–0 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–3 0–2 1–3 1–3 — 2–2 2–2 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–2
Orlando 1–2 2–3 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 1–2 1–1 0–2 1–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 4–0 2–2 1–1 2–2 3–1 2–2 — 2–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–2
Philadelphia 1–3 2–2 3–1 4–0 0–2 2–0 2–2 0–2 0–2 2–2 2–0 1–1 2–0 4–0 2–2 1–1 3–1 1–2 2–2 2–2 — 0–2 2–0 0–2 1–1 1–1 3–0 1–1 4–0
Phoenix 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 3–1 1–1 2–2 1–3 1–1 3–1 1–3 3–1 0–2 2–0 1–3 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–0 2–0 — 3–1 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–1 1–3 1–1
Portland 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–2 2–0 4–0 3–1 2–0 3–1 2–2 3–1 2–0 0–2 1–3 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–0 0–2 1–3 — 1–3 2–2 4–0 2–0 1–3 1–1
Sacramento 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 3–1 2–2 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 3–1 — 1–3 3–1 1–1 3–1 2–0
San Antonio 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–2 3–1 2–0 3–1 3–1 2–0 3–1 4–0 3–1 2–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 — 3–1 2–0 4–0 1–1
Seattle 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 2–2 3–1 1–1 2–2 2–2 0–2 3–1 2–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 0–4 1–3 1–3 — 2–0 2–2 1–1
Toronto 3–1 2–1 2–2 1–3 0–2 1–1 1–3 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–4 2–2 1–1 0–4 0–4 1–3 2–2 0–3 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 — 0–2 3–1
Utah 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 4–0 0–2 2–2 3–1 1–1 3–1 1–3 3–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 3–1 1–3 0–4 2–2 2–0 — 1–1
Washington 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 0–2 1–1 1–3 0–2 1–1 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–2 0–2 1–3 1–2 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 1–1 —

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

Player GP MPG STL RPG APG BLK PPG
Jerry Stackhouse 70 65 3.7 4.5 28 21.5
Michael Jordan 82 123 6.1 3.8 39 20.0
Larry Hughes 67 86 4.6 3.1 24 12.8
Tyronn Lue 75 47 2.0 3.5 1 8.6
Christian Laettner 76 82 6.6 3.1 40 8.3
Kwame Brown 80 50 5.3 0.7 80 7.4
Juan Dixon 42 26 1.7 1.0 3 6.4
Brendan Haywood 81 32 5.0 0.4 119 6.2
Etan Thomas 38 8 4.3 0.1 23 4.8
Bryon Russell 70 70 3.0 1.0 7 4.5
Jahidi White 16 1 4.6 0.1 12 4.2
Jared Jeffries 20 8 2.9 0.8 5 4.0
Bobby Simmons 36 10 2.1 0.6 3 3.3
Anthony Goldwire 5 0 0.6 0.2 0 2.6
Charles Oakley 42 13 2.5 1.0 6 1.8
Brian Cardinal 5 0 1.0 0.2 0 0.8

Roster

2002-03 Washington Wizards roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From
F/C 5 United States Brown, Kwame 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 270 lb (122 kg) Glynn Academy
F 35 United States Cardinal, Brian 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Purdue
G 3 United States Dixon, Juan 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 164 lb (74 kg) Maryland
G 15 United States Goldwire, Anthony 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 182 lb (83 kg) Houston
C 00 United States Haywood, Brendan 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 268 lb (122 kg) North Carolina
G/F 20 United States Hughes, Larry 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 184 lb (83 kg) Saint Louis
F 1 United States Jeffries, Jared 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Indiana
G/F 23 United States Jordan, Michael 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) North Carolina
F/C 44 United States Laettner, Christian 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Duke
G 10 United States Lue, Tyronn 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Nebraska
F/C 34 United States Oakley, Charles 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Virginia Union
F 2 United States Russell, Bryon 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Long Beach
G/F 21 United States Simmons, Bobby 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) DePaul
G/F 42 United States Stackhouse, Jerry 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 218 lb (99 kg) North Carolina
F/C 36 United States Thomas, Etan 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 256 lb (116 kg) Syracuse
F/C 55 United States White, Jahidi 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 290 lb (132 kg) Georgetown
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Award winners

References

  1. ↑ M. Jordan's Legacy Is a Vastly Different Tale of Two Cities
  2. ↑ His playing career ends -- with frustration, betrayal and flashes of brilliance
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