#MJMondays: The Miami Heat Retire Michael Jordan’s Number 23

Break out “How many NBA teams retired Michael Jordan’s number 23?” the next time you want to stump someone. The answer is two – the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat. But MJ never played a minute for Miami! Led by the efforts of team president Pat Riley, the Heat decided to mark Jordan’s final trip to South Beach as a pro in 2003 by hanging his number 23 from the rafters. No Heat player will ever wear the number, Riley said, as a tribute to the greatest player of all time. There have been calls over the years to retire 23 throughout the NBA, much like Major League Baseball did in 1997 with Jackie Robinson’s number 42. But Jordan has waved away the gesture, content with the mark he made on the Chicago Bulls. And, uh, the Miami Heat. Watch the Heat’s ceremony for MJ below.