Michael Jordan is considered by many to not only be the best basketball player in history, but one of the best athletes in sports history. Having played 15 seasons in the NBA, 13 of them were with the Chicago Bulls and two with the Washington Wizards, most of Air Jordan’s seasons were spectacular. However, there are some that were from another planet, some of the best individual seasons in the entire history of the National Basketball Association.
15 Michael Jordan’s Worst Season Was 1985-1986
Michael Jordan Played Just 18 Games In The 1985-1986 Regular Season
Michael Jordan’s worst NBA season was undoubtedly 1985-1986. He played just 18 games, due to a fractured left foot. The injury was in the third game of the season, so he was able to return in the final stretch. However, when he returned, it was difficult for him to get into his usual rhythm, and he closed the season with unusual numbers for him. But in the Playoffs, he averaged 43.7 points in three games, which was impressive.
Despite his injury, he was selected to play in his second All-Star game, a testament to his exceptional skills and impact on the court. His most remarkable performance that season was scoring an astonishing 63 points in a playoff game against the Boston Celtics, setting a playoff record that still stands today.
14 Michael Jordan Returned To The NBA In 1995
Jordan Missed Almost Two NBA Seasons While Playing Baseball
Michael Jordan retired from basketball to play professional baseball. While Jordan was playing Double-A baseball with the Birmingham Barons, he missed the entire 1993-1994 NBA season, and most of 1994-1995.
In the 1994 AA Season, Jordan recorded a .202 batting average, with 88 hits, 17 doubles, three home runs, 51 runs batted in, 46 runs scored, 30 stolen bases, and a .556 OPS.
Jordan got tired of baseball and decided to return to basketball, so he returned to the NBA on March 19, 1995, at the tail end of the season. He was a little rusty, but he still put up great numbers, especially in the Playoffs, scoring 31.5 points per game.
13 Michael Jordan’s Last Season Was 2002-2003
Jordan Was 39 Years Old In His Last Season
The 2002-2003 season was the last one of Michael Jordan’s NBA career. At 39, Jordan proved that he still got it, and he had some amazing performances, such as three 40-point games throughout the season. His Airness could not take the Washington Wizards to the playoffs, but he was the best player on the team. Jordan retired after a pretty good season, in which he was selected to the All-Star game for the 14th time in his career.
He recorded 37 minutes played per game, showing his great stamina at 39 and 40 years old. Jordan was second on his team in scoring, behind only Jerry Stackhouse (21.5 points per game), and first in steals with an average of 1.5 steals per game.
12 Michael Jordan Returned To The NBA In 2001
Michael Jordan Came Out Of Retirement For The Second Time To Play With The Wizards
Michael Jordan retired from basketball after the 1997-1998 NBA season. He spent three seasons at home, but came out of retirement for the second time in his career and returned to the NBA in 2001, but with a different team. For the first time in his career, Jordan would not play for the Chicago Bulls, but would play for the Washington Wizards.
Once again, Mike proved that inactive time does not affect his talent, and he had an excellent season. Obviously, his stats were not as great as when he played for the Bulls, but Jordan was still well above an average player.
Jordan had a 41.6 field goal percentage that season, the second lowest of his career. His effective field goal percentage was the lowest of his career (42%).
11 Michael Jordan’s Rookie Season Was Incredible
Michael Jordan Was Named Rookie Of The Year In The 1984-1985 NBA Season
Michael Jordan made his NBA debut in the 1984-1985 season. He met and exceeded expectations with his phenomenal performances throughout the season, and was named Rookie Of The Year, beating out Hakeem Olajuwon. Jordan made an immediate impact on the NBA, as his playstyle was spectacular, and he was an incredibly decisive player. It was one of the best rookie seasons in NBA history.
MJ had a 7.4 Value Over Replacement Player, 14.0 Win Shares, and 7.3 Box Plus/Minus. He tried to score from distance just nine times in the entire season, and he barely made one shot.
10 Michael Jordan’s 1992-1993 Season Was Great
He Won The NBA Championship With The Chicago Bulls
It was Jordan’s ninth season in the NBA, averaging 32.6 points per game, 5.5 assists per game, 6.7 rebounds per game and 2.8 steals per game in the regular season. In the playoffs that season, he did what he wanted. No one could stop him, and he led the Chicago Bulls to their third consecutive championship. That year, Mike was the scoring champion, went to the all-star game, and was also the most valuable player in the finals.
During a game on January 16, 1993, Jordan scored 64 points against the Orlando Magic. He was the Scoring Champion for the seventh consecutive season. Also, in the 1993 NBA Finals, Jordan averaged 41 points per game, which is still an NBA record.
9 Michael Jordan Was Amazing In The 1989-1990 Season
Jordan Couldn’t Win The Championship, Though
This season, Jordan scored 33.6 points per game (NBA Leader), 6.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.8 steals (NBA Leader), plus had 10.6 Value over replacement players (NBA leader). Despite the fact that his team was eliminated from the postseason, he demonstrated an unmatched ability to score points, and once again surprised everyone in basketball.
In this season, “Mr. June” was frustrated that he had not yet obtained a championship ring. But at that moment, he was one step closer to achieving maximum glory.
In the 1989-1990 season, Jordan grabbed 6.9 rebounds per game, the second highest of his career. He recorded a career-high effective field-goal percentage, at 55%. On March 28, Jordan scored a career-high 69 points, against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
8 Michael Jordan’s 1986-1987 Season Impressed All
Jordan Scored 37.1 Points Per Game In The 1986-1987 Season
It was just Michael Jordan’s third year in the NBA, but that didn’t stop his transition to greatness. He led the league in points per game (37.1) and in total points (3041). It was also the top of his career.
At that moment, it became clear that this guy would be special. This was a huge year because from there we did not see an ordinary basketball player, we saw an indomitable beast that seemed to fly every time he jumped. The most important thing was he did not fail.
Michael Jordan is one of only two players to average 37 points per game in a season. Who is the other one? None other than Wilt Chamberlain, who did it four times.
7 In The 1988-1989 Season, Michael Jordan Continued To Show His Unique Talent
Jordan Was The Scoring Champion For The Third Consecutive Year
MJ was the NBA leader in points per game (32.5), in total points (2633) this year, and in value over replacement (11.4) for the third consecutive year. People were already beginning to accept that he was the best.
That year, he obtained his fifth selection in a row to the All-Star Game, where he scored 28 points and stole 5 balls. In the playoffs, he scored 34.8 points per game, 7.6 assists, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.5 steals. However, he still could not be crowned champion. That year, he won the Sporting News MVP award.
Jordan recorded 15 triple-doubles this season, his career-high. That’s no wonder, as he set a career-high 8.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game. Also, he had an 11.4 Value Over Replacement Player, the second-highest of his career.
6 Michael Jordan Was The MVP & Defensive Player Of The Year In The 1987-1988 Season
Michael Jordan Recorded The Highest VORP Ever
This season, Michael Jordan was absolutely insane. He was the MVP of the season, the Defensive Player of the Year, and he was also the most valuable player in the All-Star game. His Value Over Replacement Player was 12.5 (the highest in NBA history) to lead the league. Likewise, he was the maximum scorer with 2868 points, and he was also the leader in steals with 259 (3.5 per game).
But in the postseason, he was still unsuccessful and, for people, that was, perhaps, the most important thing to be the best player.
That year, Michael Jordan became the first player in NBA history to be named MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. Since then, only four other players have managed to win both awards in the same year (Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Kevin Garnett, and Giannis Antetokounmpo).
5 Michael Jordan Had Another Fantastic Season In 1996-1997
Another Scoring Title, Another Ring
It didn’t have the taste of the season that preceded it or the drama of ‘The Last Dance,’ but everything Jordan did this year was amazing. He led the Bulls to 69 wins, earning his ninth scoring title en route to his fifth ring, and also his fifth MVP of the finals. In the regular season, he recorded 29.6 points per game, 5.9 rebounds, and in the playoffs, 31.1 points per game and 7.9 rebounds per game. MJ being MJ.
Mike was not a great three-point shooter, but that season he made 111 threes, the most of his career, with a 37.4 three-point field goal percentage.
4 In 1991-1992, Michael Jordan Established Himself As The Best Player In The NBA
Jordan Won Everything For The Second Straight Year
The Chicago Bulls had their most dominant season thus far with 67 wins, the best record in the NBA. Jordan won his sixth consecutive scoring title, his second MVP in a row, and his second most valuable player of the finals.
He increased his production in the Finals, averaging 35.8 points per game at 52.6 FG% against the Portland Trail Blazers in a series that included the famous ‘Shrug’ when he scored six triples in the first game of the Finals. “His Airness” had established himself as the best player in the NBA, and everyone knew it.
In the 1991-1992 season (including the Playoffs), Jordan had 59 30-point games, and 94 20-point games. He scored a career-high 759 points in the Playoffs.
3 In 1997-1998, Michael Jordan Had The Last Dance With The Chicago Bulls
Jordan Ended His Stint With Another Championship Ring
This was Jordan’s last season in Chicago, ‘The Last Dance.’ His Airness played the first part of the campaign without Scottie Pippen (his best partner on the court), who missed the first 35 games after undergoing surgery on his left foot. Jordan put the team on his back, scoring 40 or more points five times before Pippen’s return.
The ‘crossover’ from right to left to Bryon Russell, the slight push, promotion and liberation, and the key basket for the sixth ring. This season was one of the best for what it meant, without a doubt an ideal time for sports lovers.
In the 1997-1998 season, Michael Jordan became the oldest player in NBA history to win the Scoring Title. He averaged 28.7 points per game, earning the 10th Scoring Title of his career (the most in NBA history).
2 Michael Jordan Won His First Championship In The 1990-1991 Season
Jordan Led The Chicago Bulls With Several Amazing Performances
During this season, Michael Jordan was interviewed by then NBC analyst Pat Riley, who asked if he would consider his career disappointing if he never won a title. Jordan said he would not. After all, he had five scoring titles, two ‘MVPs’, and a Defensive Player of the Year award at the age of 27.
However, soon after, MJ led the Bulls to their first title. He had proven to be the most dominant scorer in the league, but in these finals his performance (11.4 assists per game) stands out even more than his 31 points per game.
In the 1990-1991 season, Michael Jordan had a .539 field goal percentage, which was the highest of his career. He had a 31.6 Player Efficiency Rating, the ninth highest in NBA history.
1 Michael Jordan Had Arguably Had His Best Season In 1995-1996
After Playing Baseball, Jordan Returned To The NBA & Proved That He Was Still The Best
This is considered as one of the best individual seasons in the entire history of basketball. After the death of his father, Michael demonstrated that his talent had no limits. The Bulls set an NBA record with 72 wins, still the most for a champion.
Jordan received the most votes for the MVP thus far. That award value places Jordan at the top of his many excellent seasons in these rankings. That season, he was also the MVP of the finals and most valuable player in the all-star game. Michael Jordan had a formidable career, and this was its peak.
That season, “His Airness” recorded a career-high 42.7 three-point field goal percentage, and made 111 threes (a career-high). Also, he recorded 20.4 Win Shares, the second-most in his career.