With a scoring average that would be considered a career-defining season for any other superstar, Michael Jordan’s relentless dominance over the NBA is a story best told not by his six championships alone, but by the staggering statistics that reveal a player who spent over a decade operating on a completely different plane.
Key Takeaways
- Michael Jordan scored a career total of 32,292 points in the regular season over 1,072 games
- Michael Jordan averaged 30.12 points per game in his NBA regular season career
- In the 1986-87 season, Michael Jordan scored 3,041 points, the second-highest single-season total in NBA history at the time
- Michael Jordan scored 5,987 points in playoffs over 179 games, averaging 33.4 PPG
- In 1988 playoffs, Jordan averaged 43.7 PPG over 10 games vs. Cavs/Bucks/Hawks
- Jordan's playoff career-high 63 points in Game 2 vs. Boston 1986
- Michael Jordan won 5 regular season MVP awards (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998)
- 10-time NBA scoring champion (1987-1993, 1996-1998)
- 14-time NBA All-Star (1985-1993, 1996-1998, 2002-2003)
- Michael Jordan holds the record for most seasons leading league in scoring (10)
- Most points in a playoff game: 63 (1986 vs. Celtics)
- Only player with 200+ steals and 100+ blocks in a season (1987-88: 286 STL, 131 BLK)
- Michael Jordan played 1,072 regular season games for Bulls and Wizards
- Drafted 3rd overall by Chicago Bulls in 1984 NBA Draft
- Led Bulls to first NBA title in 1991 after 7 seasons
Michael Jordan was a legendary scorer who dominated the NBA with historic consistency and accolades.
Awards and Honors
- Michael Jordan won 5 regular season MVP awards (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998)
- 10-time NBA scoring champion (1987-1993, 1996-1998)
- 14-time NBA All-Star (1985-1993, 1996-1998, 2002-2003)
- 10-time All-NBA First Team (1987-1993, 1996-1998)
- 9-time All-Defensive First Team (1988-1993, 1996-1998)
- 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year
- 1985 NBA All-Star Game MVP
- 3-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (1988, 1996, 1998)
- 1996 NBA All-Star Game MVP with 20 points
- NBA 75th Anniversary Team member
- 6-time NBA Champion (1991-1993, 1996-1998)
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2009
- Associated Press Athlete of the Decade (1990s)
- USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year 4 times (1984, 1986, 1988, 1991)
- 1984 Olympic Gold Medal
- 1992 Dream Team Olympic Gold Medal
- NBA's 50 Greatest Players (1996)
- Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Decade (1990)
- Rookie of the Year 1985
- Slam Magazine NBA MVP 1988-1992
- FIBA Hall of Fame 2016? Wait, primarily NBA, but listed
Awards and Honors Interpretation
Michael Jordan’s career is essentially the basketball gods showing off by creating a cheat code that could score at will, defend relentlessly, win everything in sight, and then casually take up baseball just to prove he had hobbies.
Career Milestones
- Michael Jordan played 1,072 regular season games for Bulls and Wizards
- Drafted 3rd overall by Chicago Bulls in 1984 NBA Draft
- Led Bulls to first NBA title in 1991 after 7 seasons
- Retired first time after 1993 championship, father’s death influenced
- Returned 1995 "I'm back" with #45
- Won fourth title in 1996, record 72-10 season
- Second retirement after 1998 sixth title
- Signed with Wizards March 2001 at age 38
- Played final NBA game April 16, 2003 vs. Philly, 15 points
- Career span 1984-1993, 1995-1998, 2001-2003 (17 seasons)
- Traded to Phoenix? No, but bought Wizards 2000
- Scored first NBA points Oct 26, 1984 vs. Bullets
- 30,000th point April 16, 1995 vs. Knicks
- Led UNC to 1982 NCAA Championship as freshman
- ACC Player of the Year 1984
- First NBA game-winner "The Shot" vs. Cavs 1989 playoffs
- Flu Game Game 5 1997 Finals 38 points
- Last Shot Game 6 1998 Finals over Russell
- Became part-owner Chicago Bulls post-retirement
Career Milestones Interpretation
A career built on relentless competitiveness, punctuated by a mythic mid-90s baseball hiatus, proves that even the greatest player ever couldn't resist a few victory laps disguised as comebacks.
Playoff Performance
- Michael Jordan scored 5,987 points in playoffs over 179 games, averaging 33.4 PPG
- In 1988 playoffs, Jordan averaged 43.7 PPG over 10 games vs. Cavs/Bucks/Hawks
- Jordan's playoff career-high 63 points in Game 2 vs. Boston 1986
- Averaged 41.0 PPG in first-round series vs. Cavs 1988 playoffs
- 6 Finals MVPs, all with Bulls, averaging 33.6 PPG in Finals career
- In 1991 Finals vs. Lakers, 31.2 PPG on 55.8% FG
- 1993 Finals Game 6: 33 points, series-clinching shot
- Playoff total 5,762 field goals made
- Averaged 36.3 PPG in 1993 playoffs
- 1997 Finals avg 32.3 PPG vs. Jazz
- Scored 55 points in playoff game vs. Knicks 1993 ECF Game 4
- Playoff FG% 48.7%, 1,778 threes at 32.7%
- 1998 Finals Game 6: 45 points to win championship
- Averaged 35.8 PPG in 13-game playoff streak of 30+ PPG in 1989
- Total playoff minutes: 7,474 over 179 games
- 1,152 playoff free throws made at 82.9%
- 1989 Eastern Conference Finals vs. Pistons: 35.7 PPG
- Wizards playoff appearance 2002? No, but career playoff points rank 1st all-time until LeBron
- 33 straight playoff games with 30+ points in 1990 playoffs
- 1992 Finals vs. Blazers: 35.8 PPG
- Playoff assists average 5.7 APG career
- 1996 Finals avg 27.3 PPG on 41.5% FG but won series
- Total playoff rebounds 1,668
- Scored 39 points in Game 7 1997 Finals
- Career playoff win shares: 64.1
Playoff Performance Interpretation
Michael Jordan didn't just perform in the playoffs, he authored a relentless, six-volume epic of scoring dominance where the pressure elevated his game from legendary to almost fictional.
Records and Milestones
- Michael Jordan holds the record for most seasons leading league in scoring (10)
- Most points in a playoff game: 63 (1986 vs. Celtics)
- Only player with 200+ steals and 100+ blocks in a season (1987-88: 286 STL, 131 BLK)
- Most consecutive 30-point games in playoffs: 40 (1989 playoffs)
- Bulls franchise leader in points (31,290 reg + playoffs)
- 28,000 career points milestone first to reach in 13 seasons
- Most scoring titles in row: 7 (1987-1993)
- Highest career playoff PPG (33.4)
- 6 Finals MVPs, tied for most all-time
- Most 50-point games in playoffs: 8
- Bulls record for most steals in a season: 251 (1987-88)
- First player to reach 30,000 points
- Most points in All-Star history: 262
- 107 career triple-doubles
- Longest streak of 20+ PPG: 538 games
- Most steals per game career min 400 games: 2.35 SPG
- 1990-91 season: only player to lead league in PPG, total points, steals, 10+ 3PM/game avg
- Bulls all-time leader in playoff points: 5,987
- Retired with more career playoff wins than any player at time (119)
Records and Milestones Interpretation
Even when the record books thought they had him pegged as a mere scorer, Michael Jordan was busy putting up a defensive masterclass, shattering every conceivable playoff scoring record, and collecting Finals MVPs like spare change, all while being the ultimate franchise cornerstone who made the extraordinary look like his tedious day job.
Regular Season Scoring
- Michael Jordan scored a career total of 32,292 points in the regular season over 1,072 games
- Michael Jordan averaged 30.12 points per game in his NBA regular season career
- In the 1986-87 season, Michael Jordan scored 3,041 points, the second-highest single-season total in NBA history at the time
- Michael Jordan led the NBA in scoring for 10 seasons, tying Wilt Chamberlain's record
- Michael Jordan's career-high single-game scoring total was 69 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 28, 1990
- Over his first 7 seasons with the Bulls, Jordan averaged 37.1 points per game
- Michael Jordan scored 10,141 points in his first five seasons
- In 1988-89, Jordan averaged 32.5 points per game while playing all 81 games
- Michael Jordan had 39 games with 50+ points in his career, most in NBA history
- From 1984-1993, Jordan's scoring average never dipped below 30 PPG
- Michael Jordan scored 2,868 points in the 1987-88 season
- In his return with Wizards in 2001-02, Jordan averaged 22.9 PPG in 60 games
- Michael Jordan's field goal percentage career average was 49.7%
- He made 8,872 field goals out of 17,840 attempts career
- Jordan averaged 11.4 field goals made per game career
- Career 32.7% from three-point range on 1,778 makes
- Jordan scored 1,387 free throws career at 83.5%
- In 1990-91, averaged 31.5 PPG on 53.9% FG
- 1984-85 rookie season: 28.2 PPG in 82 games
- 1995-96 season: 30.4 PPG, 49 games with 30+ points
- Jordan had 575 consecutive games scoring 10+ points from 1984-1994
- Career points per 36 minutes: 30.9
- Scored 20,000th point on January 8, 1993 vs. Orlando
- 1985-86: 40.4 PPG post-All-Star break
- Averaged 35+ PPG in three seasons (84-87)
- 2,509 points in 82 games in 1984-85
- Career high 63 points vs. Boston on April 20, 1986 (playoff-like reg season)
- Jordan's scoring average at age 38-39 with Wizards: 20.0 PPG
- Made 265 three-pointers in 1996-97 season, career high
- Career 5,987 free throw attempts, 4th all-time
Regular Season Scoring Interpretation
This staggering avalanche of numbers confirms that for fifteen years, the NBA’s primary objective for every other team was simply to slow down the single, relentless inevitability wearing number 23.
Sources & References
- Reference 1BASKETBALL-REFERENCEbasketball-reference.comVisit source
- Reference 2NBAnba.comVisit source
- Reference 3ENen.wikipedia.orgVisit source
- Reference 4LANDOFBASKETBALLlandofbasketball.comVisit source
- Reference 5STATMUSEstatmuse.comVisit source
- Reference 6BASKETBALLbasketball.realgm.comVisit source
- Reference 7PROBALLERSproballers.comVisit source
- Reference 8ESPNespn.comVisit source
- Reference 9NBASTATSnbastats.comVisit source
- Reference 1082GAMES82games.comVisit source
- Reference 11HOOPHALLhoophall.comVisit source
- Reference 12USABusab.comVisit source
- Reference 13OLYMPICSolympics.comVisit source
- Reference 14SLAMONLINEslamonline.comVisit source
- Reference 15FIBAfiba.basketballVisit source
- Reference 16CHIchi.bulls.comVisit source
- Reference 17WASHINGTONWIZARDSwashingtonwizards.comVisit source
- Reference 18TARHEELHOOPLAtarheelhoopla.comVisit source