when Michael Jordan announced his retirement in 1993 after the Bulls just won their third championship in a row there was a lot of speculation to why he decided to retire at his peak in 98 Jordan revealed for Vanity Fair how he thought of retiring even sooner as early as the 92 Olympics I knew the next season would be my last admitted Jordan I had talked it over with my father and he knew I was mentally drained I needed a break and I considered leaving after I was second championship by the beginning of the 9293 season I was tired physically and mentally added Jordan I had played for almost two years straight there had been one minor controversy after another and the cohesive unit that the Bulls coach Phil Jackson had created was starting to come apart but MJ admitted that his competitive Spirit kept him for one more year to try and claim the three beat the feat neither bird or magic completed in the80s