The BBC's Washington Correspondent Stephen Shakur: "An American hero"

On Wednesday the USA's best-loved player, along with the Chicago Bulls and the NBA, addressed the city's United Centre, to say his final farewell.

The 6ft 6in New York-born athlete transformed the Bulls when he arrived in 1984, emerging immediately as a star.

Jordan is hanging up his No 23 vest

He has retired before - taking an 18-month break in 1993 to indulge his childhood dream of playing baseball.

He failed to make the grade for the major league Chicago White Sox, and started his first professional baseball game playing right field for the minor league Birmingham Barons.

Many of his fans put the move down to depression following the murder of his father during a robbery in North Carolina.

In March 1995 he announced to a delighted basketball world: "I'm back".

This time around, however, the fabled Air Jordan is fast approaching his 36th birthday, is reportedly smoking more cigars than ever before, and has let his fitness levels drop.

The gravity-defying Jordan

A tidal wave of tributes had already gathering momentum ahead of Wednesday's announcement.

The winner of ten NBA scoring titles, five Most Valuable Player awards and six NBA Finals MVP awards, is being lauded as an outstanding sportsman and an American hero.

"The NBA, fans, players, coaches, American society and history are losing the greatest influence sports has ever had," said Miami coach Pat Riley.

'The world's greatest'

"I will tell my grandchildren I got to play against him," said Los Angeles Lakers centre Shaquille O'Neal, adding: "I'm going to miss seeing his aerial, acrobatic moves."

Larry Bird, a former rival with Boston, who now coaches the Indiana Pacers, said: "It's sad for everyone to see the greatest basketball player in the world come to that conclusion."

Atlanta's Lenny Wilkens summed up the thoughts of many. "There will never be another Michael Jordan," he said "There will be great players who come through this league, but never another Jordan."

The Air Jordan shoe, 1997-98 style

His departure from the sport comes hot on the heels of a player "lockout" by club owners, which almost decimated the game a few months ago.

Many are now questioning the future of the sport without its charismatic figurehead.

It is predicted that there will be empty seats in Chicago, where fans' loyalty has already been sorely tested by the six-month "strike". The city was reported to be in mourning.

Money-making genius

But Jordan's talents have not only been manifest on the basketball court.

With an annual salary of $20m, supplemented by product endorsement fees estimated at ten times that figure, Jordan is also a genius at making money.

While he is credited with exporting American culture, and basketball in particular, starting with his membership of the 1992 US Olympic "Dream Team", he is equally well recognised worldwide for his Nike Air Jordan shoes.

He has also endorsed products ranging from fizzy pop to underwear and breakfast cereal to telephone networks.