Michael Jordan looked into buying the Milwaukee Bucks. But in the end, Herb Kohl wasn't ready to sell.

Kohl, the Bucks owner and U.S. senator from Wisconsin, announced that he is pulling his team off the market.

In a statement released Sunday, Kohl said: "I have decided not to sell the Milwaukee Bucks at this time, and will continue to own them, improve them, and commit them to remaining in Wisconsin."

Kohl, a Milwaukee native who has owned the team since 1985, acknowledged that he had "detailed discussions" with Jordan, who is looking to remain in the league after retiring in Washington as a player after the 2002-03 season.

The deal apparently was close to getting done, although it still would have needed the NBA's approval, a process that could have taken several weeks.