Why did Michael Jordan wear jersey no.12 in 1990 against Orlando Magic?

Throughout his career in the NBA, Michael Jordan wore the number 23 on his jersey, regardless of what team he played for. However, there was one instance where he had to wear the number 12 during one game for an odd reason.

Prior to the Chicago Bulls' game against the Orlando Magic, Jordan's jersey was stolen. According to reports, his jersey was taken from inside the locker room and is the reason why MJ had to wear the number 12 at the time. Additionally, the jersey that he wore didn't have a name on the back.

This didn't stop MJ from being his usual self, though. He dropped 49 points and grabbed seven rebounds. However, the Bulls lost that game against the Magic. But because of how absurd the reason behind Jordan wearing the number 12 is, this game became iconic to most of his fans.

Michael Jordan didn't just wear numbers 12 and 23 in his career, he also donned the number 45

Before Michael Jordan donned the number 45 in his jersey, he played with a minor league baseball team that allowed him to pursue his late father's dream. After some time, Jordan decided to return to the game that he loves, basketball.

The Bulls didn't hesitate in giving Jordan his job back. However, the only difference this time was that he chose not to wear the number 23, which was closely associated with him. He was at number 45 during the season and played 27 games with the jersey number.

In Jordan's first game back, wearing number 45, the Bulls would lose to the Indiana Pacers. MJ has struggled to be an effective player on the court, as he has spent the last 17 months away from basketball. The six-time champion only had 19 points and shot 7-for-28 from the field.

Luckily for Bulls fans, Jordan went back to number 23, and went back to winning his championships. He won three more titles with the team before calling it quits for the second time. When he returned as a player with the Washington Wizards, MJ still wore the number 23.