Michael Jordan makes it clear: if Coach Jackson leaves The Bulls, he will retire from basketball

Jet, Oct 27, 1997

Basketball superstar Michael Jordan already said months earlier that his future with the Chicago Bulls depended on the presence of coach Phil Jackson.

And when coach Jackson recently revealed that this is his final year with the team, Jordan once again spelled out the equation that summarizes his future with the current NBA champions: no Jackson equals no Jordan.

"I'm very consistent with what; I've always said," Jordan commented after the team's first workout. "If Phil's not going to be here, I'm certainly not going to be here.

"I've always stuck to my comments, and that's what I believe. I don't divert from that comment, not at all. What I feel in my heart is that he is my coach. If he doesn't want to be here anymore or if the organization doesn't want him here anymore, then it's hard for me to come here and play," he said in the Chicago Sun-Times.

And Jackson made it perfectly clear about his future with the Bulls.

"It would take wild horses to drag me back this time," Jackson said. "This is the final year. It's time to start something different."

Jordan also said that if Jackson were to continue to coach, even if for another team, he would still retire because he is not interested in playing for any other team.

Jordan added that he also didn't think coach Jackson could change his mind about continuing to play with the Bulls after Jackson's departure.

"I certainly would welcome that advice, but would doubt if I would adhere to that," Jordan said. "It's my decision. His advice is his advice, and I certainly listen to Phil a lot with some of the things he has to say, but if I don't feel comfortable with it, my final decision is based on what I feel."