"Chance to see Black Jesus in person" - Ty Lue was 'mesmerized' by Michael Jordan playing at 40

Nicknamed "Black Jesus" by Larry Bird after he dropped 63 points against him in a playoff game, Michael Jordan was as big as it got for a basketball icon at the time.

The same thing can be said when it comes to LA Clippers coach Ty Lue as he narrated his experience playing alongside Jordan. In an interview with Stephen Jackson on Showtime Basketball's "All The Smoke," Lue revealed the feeling of being on the same team as Michael Jordan.

"When I first met him, just in awe," Lue said, "just have a chance, to see Black Jesus in person. I was in awe. And in my first year playing with him, I didn't know what to do.

"Throw it to him everytime, and just go stand. But you just get mesmerized by who he is. I don't care about 40. He was 40. He averaged 20 a game on one leg because his knee was messed up."

Lue said that he would get too caught up in not messing up anything when he was on the court with Jordan. Despite the basketball icon telling him to be himself, Lue would still end up being in awe of Jordan's presence.

After taking some time off from the NBA in what was supposed to be his retirement stage, Jordan returned to the league with the Washington Wizards. He was originally brought in as the president of operations of the franchise on Jan. 19, 2000. However, it didn't take long before he signed a two-year $2.03 million to join the team's roster.

In the two seasons he played for the Wizards, Michael Jordan showed flashes of his former self with the Chicago Bulls. Despite losing most of his athleticism due to age, Jordan was still a capable scorer. He averaged 21.2 points per game (43.1% shooting, including 24.1% from the 3-point range), 5.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists.

His final season in the league was incredible for his age, as Jordan played all 82 games and logged over 37.0 minutes per game. Even when he was not the same player that he was before, his basketball IQ and his competitive nature were still there.

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A look back at Michael Jordan's decision to play for Washington Wizards

After returning to the NBA as the president of operations for the Washington Wizards, Michael Jordan decided to play for the team. On Sept. 25, 2001, Jordan announced his return as a player.

"I feel there is no better way of teaching young players than to be on the court with them as a fellow player," Jordan said, "not just in practice, but in actual NBA games.

"While nothing can take away from the past, I am firmly focused on the future and the competitive challenge ahead of me."

Although it was a great sight to see Michael Jordan return to the league, he was clearly not the same player that he was before. Nevertheless, even at the age of 40, Jordan was still better than most players in the league at the time.