What jersey number did Michael Jordan wear during his playing days?

Michael Jordan's jersey number is iconic. The Chicago Bulls legend wore No. 23 during his prime and most basketball fans remember him for it. This is the number he wore on the back of his jersey for both the Bulls and the Washington Wizards.

While Jordan is well known for wearing this number, the truth is that he also wore two other numbers during his career. These two numbers are not very popular since they were briefly used by the basketball legend.

When Air Jordan came out of his retirement in March 1995, he wore No. 45 on his jersey. The shooting guard also donned No. 12 in a single game of his impressive career.

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Michael Jordan had his jersey stolen, which is why he had to wear No. 12 during one game

Number 23 is iconic because of Michael Jordan. The shooting guard wore this number during his prime and won six championships while wearing it. Almost everyone recognizes this number, from hardcore to casual sports fans.

However, the Chicago Bulls legend also wore No. 45 during the 1994-95 season. Jordan retired in 1993 and decided to play baseball. However, he returned for 17 regular-season games in 1995, changing his jersey number.

Jordan wore three different numbers in his career (Image via Getty Images)

Jordan wore No. 45 while playing baseball. Once he returned to basketball, he decided to keep the jersey number as he saw it as a new beginning. His father, who was tragically shot to death in the summer of 1993, was another reason for the change.

"When I came back, I didn't want to play in the last number that my father had seen me wear," Jordan wrote in his book. "Because he wasn't around, I thought of my return as a new beginning."

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The Bulls guard played in 17 regular-season games wearing this number, averaging 26.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. He also appeared in 10 playoff games, but despite averaging 31.5 points, his team was kicked out in the second round against the Orlando Magic.

The Magic also had a unique opportunity to play against Michael Jordan when he wore No. 12. This took place on Valentine's Day in 1990 and the shooting guard ended up having one of the most iconic of his career.

Jordan's jersey was stolen before the game and the team had no backup jersey. Due to this, the NBA superstar wore a generic No. 12 Bulls jersey that had no last name on the back.

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A different jersey did not stop the shooting guard, as he scored 49 points on 21-for-43 shooting. Jordan also grabbed seven rebounds, dished out two assists and blocked a shot, but it wasn't enough to beat the Magic, who prevailed by six points, 135-129.

When the legendary player came out of his retirement to play for the Washington Wizards, he decided to wear his iconic number.