Instead the man widely considered the greatest basketball player of all-time left the sport on Wednesday with a loss, the Washington Wizards falling 107-87 to the Philadelphia 76ers as 40-year-old Jordan brought down the curtain on his career for a third and final time.

While there was undeniable electricity crackling through the First Union Center the evening lacked a sense of occasion, after all Jordan's retirement is something the basketball world had experienced twice before.

In 1993, he left to try his hand at professional baseball and again in 1999 moving into the Wizard front office.

For many Jordan fans, 'His Airness' bid a glorious goodbye five years ago when his final-second arcing two-pointer dropped through the hoop to lift the Chicago Bulls to a 87-86 victory over the Utah Jazz and another NBA title.

"Basketball has been my life," said Jordan, who finished the evening with 15 points.

"Basketball has been my best friend but sometimes you have to grow up and move away from your best friend.

"Now it hits me that I'm not going to be in a uniform anymore and that's not a terrible feeling.

"It's something I've come to grips with and it's time.

"First time, second time, this is my final time you don't have to worry about me putting on another uniform."

An evening punctuated with Jordan tributes began quietly.

When the five-time NBA MVP appeared on the court for his final warm-up, he received a polite but less than overwhelming ovation, the 76ers presenting him with a golf cart as a going away gift.

But the emotion and the energy built as the game progressed culminating in a series of thunderous standing ovations.

With just over eight minutes to play the capacity crowd 21,157 began to chant "We want Mike, we want Mike".

The demand grew louder with six minutes left, the crowd now on its feet and with 2:35 to play brought Jordan onto the court for the last time with a deafening roar.

Almost exactly a minute later, Jordan stood at the foul line and scored his final two points, leaving the court with 1:44 left to yet another deafening ovation from players and fans.

"When you got to give up something you love it's an emotional situation," Jordan said.

"To hear them yell is chilling and it felt that way.

"I felt proud about what I've done over the years playing the game. But I'm happy and I can move on without a problem."

While Jordan's return to the NBA sparked the imagination, on the court it failed to catch fire.

The winner of six NBA championships, five MVP awards, 13 all-star games, two Olympic gold medals and with 32,292 career points, Jordan walked off the court as not even the leading scorer on a team that failed to qualify for the post-season for the sixth consecutive season.

Throughout an illustrious career that spanned 19 years (including two retirements) Jordan has only missed the playoffs twice -- this season and last.

While Jordan's career will remain the one against which all others will be measured, his final comeback will never to be ranked among the sporting greats, his two seasons with the Wizards a mere footnote.

But 'MJ's' final competitive appearance also confirmed that he remains one of those rare athletes whose popularity transcends sport.

Jordan's phenomenal ability, bald head, disarming smile, tongue wagging and gravity defying leaps made him instantly recognisable from Paris to Beijing, a one-man marketing dynamo who helped pry open new markets for a sport seeking world domination.

"It (basketball) gave me an outlet and chance to experience life all over the world, not just the United States," Jordan said. "It taught me a lot of things about life in terms of respect and achievement and hard work.

"Obviously it gave me a lot of opportunities in terms of materialistic things as well as just being able to touch peoples lives."

Even now, with his once unrivalled skills fading, Jordan remained basketball's biggest draw right until the final buzzer.

With Jordan in the line-up the Wizards were instantly transformed into the NBA's hottest ticket, selling out all 82 home games at the 20,000 seat MCI Center the last two seasons.

Jordan's star power was evident on Wednesday with dozens of entertainment and sporting celebrities filling courtside seats, including comedian Bill Cosby and film director Spike Lee.

While the night was a classic 'Michael love-in,' this time not everyone was sad to see number 23 say goodbye.

Frustrated at his inability to conjure up enough of the old magic to transform the Wizards into a playoff team, Jordan's final days were spent in a locker room in turmoil, a messy situation he will have to remedy if he is to return next year as the club's president as planned.