Before social media could instantly immortalize career-ending moments, basketball's greatest legend wrote his final chapter on a quiet April evening in 2003. Michael Jordan's 20-year NBA journey, punctuated by retirements and comebacks, created a legacy that transformed the sport. But which team witnessed "His Airness" take flight one last time?

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The answer is: "Philadelphia 76ers"

The final whistle blew in Philadelphia's First Union Center on April 16, 2003. Michael Jordan, wearing the navy and bronze of the Washington Wizards, walked off an NBA court for the last time after a 107-87 loss to the 76ers. He'd scored 15 points in 28 minutes – modest numbers by his standards, but even at 40, he'd managed to shoot 6-for-15 while reminding everyone he could still hang.

Jordan had mastered the art of the comeback before this. His first retirement in 1993, at the peak of his powers with three championships, stunned the basketball world. He traded his Air Jordans for baseball cleats, chasing his late father's dream in the minor leagues. That sabbatical lasted 17 months before two words – "I'm back" – sent the sports world into a frenzy in 1995.

The second retirement should've been the fairy tale ending. June 1998: Jordan hitting the game-winner over Byron Russell in Utah, holding the pose, clinching his sixth title with the Bulls. Perfect symmetry: six Finals, six rings, six Finals MVPs. But perfection gets boring when you're Michael Jordan.

After running the Wizards' front office and realizing he couldn't quite scratch the competitive itch from a suit and tie, Jordan launched comeback number three at age 38. The return wasn't just about ego – he donated his entire Wizards salary to 9/11 relief efforts. But his body, finally showing its mortality, betrayed him through injuries and forced rest days.

That final night in Philadelphia, the crowd stood for the last three minutes, chanting "We want Mike!" Coach Doug Collins obliged, sending Jordan in for one more curtain call. When he checked out with 1:44 remaining, players from both teams embraced him. Allen Iverson, who'd spent his childhood studying Jordan's every move, led the tributes as the game's greatest player walked off the court one final time.

Three retirements, two comebacks, and one final farewell. The Bulls years had been poetry in motion: six championships, five regular-season MVP awards, and enough highlight reels to fill a museum. The Wizards chapter would never match those heights, but it showed something else: a legend's raw love for the game, stripped of the glamour. Jordan had always said he'd play basketball until he couldn't satisfy himself anymore. Even in defeat, even in another team's jersey, he left the game the same way he played it – entirely on his own terms.

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