In the world of basketball there is always going to be that question of who is the greatest basketball player ever. Even more now than ever the conversation has gotten more controversial since Kobe Bryant has retired and LeBron James (LBJ) has been in the National Basketball Association (NBA) long enough for people to start to project where his number will be upon retiring, to narrow the greatest down to one player. The younger generations would probably say Steph Curry, Russell Westbrook, or James Harden, but all of these basketball players hail in comparison to #23, Michael Jordan (MJ). For several years MJ was known as the greatest player to ever play even after retiring half way through his career to play baseball. Even though the race …show more content…
Out of all of MJ’s stats scoring is the stat that stands out the most. MJ has the highest scoring average of all time at 30.12 points per game (ppg) and is one of only two players to average over 30 ppg for their career that other player being wilt chamberlain (NBA, 2016). MJ also retired as the second all-time leading scorer in NBA history scoring 32,292 total points in his 15-year career. Over those 15 years Michael had a myriad of 50 and 60 plus performances none better than his 69-point game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1990 which is his career high (Bleacher Report, 2017). MJ wasn’t only good he was consistently good; the NBA Scoring Champion Award is given every season to the player that averages the most points in that season. Michael Jordan was a 10-time winner of that award and 7 of those 10 were consecutive, reminding you he only played 15 seasons (Land of Basketball, 2017). Michael was also a great rebounder. MJ ranks 3rd all-time in rebounding average at his position (ESPN, 2016). Passing the ball was another one of MJ’s incredible skills and he has and career average of 5.3 and totaled a career high 18 assist in a single game (Ball is Life, …show more content…
MJ has an astronomical list of achievements that will live forever. MJ was a six time NBA champion and not only did he win six he won six in eight years every time being crowned the Most Valuable Player (Basketball Forum, 2017). These six championships came in an eight-year span in which he dominated the NBA and all in it. Jordan was also a five-time regular season MVP, which is the second most won by a single player in history (ESPN, 2016). Not only did Michael dominate basketball nationally but he also dominated basketball internationally. Michael Jordan won 4 gold medals while representing the Unites States of America (U.S.), none in greater fashion than in 1992 in Barcelona where Michael Jordan helped America walk through the Olympic games winning by an average of 29 ppg (Land of Basketball, 2015). Jordan was also an NBA all-star 14 times out of the 15 seasons he played in the NBA the only other player to do that is his successor Kobe Bryant. The all-star game has a MVP award for the games best performer Michael Jordan was able to catch that award three times in his career only one person has more and that is also Kobe Bryant with 4 (Basketball Forum, 2017). The NBA awarded Michael Jordan the rookie of the year award in 1985, which goes the best