On3's Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman discussed Nick Saban's potential return to coaching, bringing up Michael Jordan's encore.
Analysts Compare Possible Nick Saban Return to Michael Jordan Wizards Stint originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
At 38, Michael Jordan did it. Nick Saban could, too. But, for the two legends in their respective sports, ditching retirement wouldn’t come with the same pressure.
Saban’s former quarterback, Greg McElroy, stoked the flames earlier this month by suggesting the seven-time national champion coach might want to come back to the sidelines. On a recent episode of “Andy & Ari On3,” Andy Staples drew a comparison for a possible Saban return.
“I think if Saban comes back, it’s more of a Jordan/Wizards situation than a second time around with the Bulls situation,” Staples said. “But he was a good player with the Wizards. It wasn’t Air Jordan, it was Fadeaway Jordan, and he was still good.”
Wasserman disagreed, feeling that Jordan’s time with the Wizards was considered more of an encore. Wasserman was disappointed to see Saban walk away while he still had the ability to coach at a high level. The analyst believes that, if Saban decided to coach on the college level again, expectations would be for national titles.
Jordan’s two-season stint in Washington, D.C., was forgettable. He dealt with an ailing knee and cautioned fans from the start, saying, “I’m not going to try to save this team. It’s not my job. My job is not to try to carry this team like I did in ’84 for the Bulls. … If they’re going to sit back and expect that I’m going to score 50 points, they got a nice little awakening coming up.”
Related: Colin Cowherd Says Nick Saban Was ‘Afraid’ of One College Football Powerhouse
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
