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After the tragic death of his father, Jordan decided that he had played his last game in the NBA and made the move to baseball. Accordingly the famous number 23 jersey was retired by the Bulls in November 1994.
He donned the number 45 in baseball which he wore as a high schooler and spent 18 months playing for the Barons. A series of events, including a major league strike, helped convince him it was time to return. The famous “I’m back.” fax was issued on March 18, 1995.
Upon returning to the Bulls Jordan continued to wear the #45 jersey. Bleacher Report quotes MJ “When I came back, I didn’t want to play in the last number that my father had seen me wear. Because he wasn’t around, I thought of my return as a new beginning.”
In the exciting climax to the Bulls vs Magic second-round playoff series opener Nick Anderson stole the ball from Jordan to set up the Magic’s clinching of the game.
Famously, Anderson tried his hand at trash talking MJ with his famous quote: “45 doesn’t explode like 23 used to. 45 is not 23. I couldn’t have done that to 23.”
Anderson should have known that Jordan is not his number having played 18 minutes five years earlier the night number 12 Jordan dropped 49 points on the Magic. Regardless, in presumed retaliation to the comment Jordan took to the court back in #23 the next time the Bulls faced the Magic.
Nick Anderson might have managed to stop an out of shape #45 but not even a $25,000 fine per game was stopping #23. Number 23 was back.
Number 45 Jordan cards
Having played 22 games in the #45 jersey, there are an abundance of very nice Jordan cards you can add to your collection to include this piece of sporting history. Let’s start with a look at the OG cards released back in the day of #45.
Early Jordan 45 cards
Here’s the list of Jordans from back in 1995 released at the time of his first comeback. Most interesting in this list is the 94-95 Topps Finest available in base and refractor parallel with its seemingly rushed release history.
The design and colours of the 1994-95 Topps Finest set really show off the refractor technology - they are stunning in hand. Here's Jordan wearing the only refractor of Jordan in the #45 jersey.
Jordan is featured twice on this card in the #45 jersey. The card is also available in a 5x7 version serial numbered to 7500 and a die-cut version. Oh, and Jordan is shooting with his eyes closed on the back. Also a Shaquille O'Neal shadow card - there's a lot going on here!
This set makes use of an excellent basketball style embossing which really sets off the cards. Jordan is featured in the #45 jersey which he wore when returning to the NBA.
An insert of the 94-95 SP set with red foil accents celebrating Jordan's return to the NBA. A glittering silver foil parallel is available and more rare. Jordan is seen in customary aggressive attack in the #45 jersey.
A subset in the 1995-96 Collector's Choice set and only card in the regular set which depicts Jordan in the #45 jersey. Also available in Players Club and Players Club Platinum parallels.
An insert set of the 1995-96 Collector's Choice release which includes a number of cards featuring Jordan in the comeback #45 jersey. Also available in European stickers.
A 16 card set released across Upper Deck's 95-96 regular and Collector's Choice sets. A number of the cards feature Jordan in the #45 jersey including a very nice gold foil depiction on #JC4. Shown here is #JC15 - He's Back.
45 jersey Jordan shadow cards
Shadow cards are fun to collect and usually accessible price and availability wise. There are even two Jordan shadow cards featuring the #45 jersey.
Not only that but Jordan is shown defending against fellow superstars Dell Curry and Grant Hill.
He's back and wearing number 45 making an appearance on the Grant Hill Fun Facts card number 173. Also available in the Player's Club and Player's Club Platinum versions.
Jordan - wearing the #45 jersey - is guarding the Dell Curry in this nicely designed Skybox base card number 12.
Rarest Jordan #45 jersey cards
We’ve already featured some very rare and valuable Jordan #45 cards but we can do even better with these here - including a 1/1 and the only auto on the list.
Skybox E-Motion was a nice set - here's the Jordan card with #45 jersey and sporting a 1/1 buyback autograph. Is this the only auto #45 jersey Jordan card?
Card number 105 of the 1999 Ultimate Victory set features Jordan in the #45 jersey. Shown here in the Ultimate Collection parallel and aptly card number 45/100. Available also in base and Victory Collection variations.
Upper Deck's very nicely designed base card release for the 1999 Michael Jordan Athlete of the Century set. Card number 56 shown here features Jordan in the #45 jersey.
A set commemorating Jordan's return to the NBA for the Wizards gives us a few cards which capture his first comeback in the #45 jersey. Also available in /23 23KT gold parallel.
The rest of the Jordan #45s
Finally, there’s a number of Upper Deck sets which are dedicated to Jordan’s career or comeback in 1995. Here’s some of the cards showing the #45 jersey.
The 1998 MJx Upper Deck release contains two cards where Jordan is depicted wearing the #45 jersey. Also available in the Timepieces Red, Bronze and Gold parallel sets.
The 1999-00 Upper Deck MJ Exclusives set includes a number of cards featuring MJ in the #45 jersey. Also available in silver and gold script parallels. Shown here in the silver script version.
The 2003-04 Upper Deck Sweet Shot set included a subset of 'MJ Sweetness' serial numbered to 799. At card #142 we get one featuring Jordan in the #45 jersey.
This 2007-08 20 card set from Upper Deck chronicles highlights from Jordan's career from 84 through to 2003. Card number JC16 features Jordan in the #45 jersey as shown here.
A cross-sport and including non-sport release commemorating 20 years of Upper Deck - there's even a Pope John Paul II card. Card number 752 features Jordan in the #45 jersey.
If you know of anything more that would be great to add to the list please do write in and happy collecting!
