I am here to announce my retirement from the game of basketball. It won't be another announcement to baseball or anything to that nature.
Mentally, I'm exhausted; I don't feel I have a challenge. Physically, I feel great. The last time in 1993 I had other agendas. I felt that I wanted to play baseball and I felt that at my age, it was a good opportunity and time to do it. And with the death of my father, and I was basically trying to deal with that.
Actually I talked to Jerry last year once the season ended and I told Jerry at that time, mentally, I was a little exhausted. I didn't know if I would play next year. I wanted to put him on awareness so that he could possibly prepare going into next season. And Jerry, once we had our conversation, wanted me to take time as I did in 1993 to make sure that it was the right decision because it was going to be the final decision.
I retired the first time when Phil Jackson was the coach. And I think that even with Phil being the coach I would have had a tough time, mentally finding the challenge for myself. Although he can somehow present challenges for me, I don't know if he could have presented the challenge for me to continue on to this season. Even though middle way of this season I wanted to continue to play a couple more years, but at the end of this season I was mentally drained and tired. So I can't say that he would have restored that.
I will support the Chicago Bulls. I think the game itself is a lot bigger than Michael Jordan. I've been given an opportunity by people before me, to name a few, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Doctor J, Jerry West. These guys played the game way before Michael Jordan was born and Michael Jordan came on the heels of3 all that activity. Mr. Stern and what he's done for the league, gave me an opportunity to play the game of basketball. I played it to the best I could play it; I tried to enhance the game itself. I've tried to be the best basketball player that I could be.
21. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. When Jordan wanted to retire the first time, Jerry was the coach.
B. Jordan thinks of himself as the greatest basketball player in the world.
C. The reason why Jordan wants to retire is that he is mentally tired.
D. Jordan is always the member of the Chicago Bulls.
22. In the last paragraph of the passage, a few famous basketball players are mentioned except .
A. Kareem Abdul Jabbar B. Doctor J C. Jerry West D. Yao Ming
23. What is the best title of the passage?
A. Jordan Retirement B. From Basketball to Baseball
C. The Greatest Basketball Player Ever D. Basketball