How Long Did Michael Jordan Play in the NBA?

How long did Michael Jordan play in the NBA? The answer may surprise you.

Michael Jordan’s NBA Career

Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time. He played in the NBA for 15 seasons, winning 6 championships with the Chicago Bulls. He was a 10-time All-Star, and was named the league MVP 5 times. Let’s take a look at his NBA career.

Drafted by the Chicago Bulls

In the 1984 NBA draft, the Chicago Bulls selected Jordan after he impressed then- Bulls scout, Rod Thorn, with his matchup against Patrick Ewing in an NCAA tournament game. Thorn said that Jordan “absolutely destroyed” Ewing. After signing a contract with the team, Jordan joined an up-and-coming Bulls squad that included fellow rookies Charles Oakley and John Paxson, as well as veterans such as George Gervin, Artis Gilmore, and Reginald Denny.

First retirement and return to the NBA

On October 6, 1993, Jordan announced his retirement from the NBA, citing a loss of desire to play the game. In the statement released by his agent, David Falk, Jordan stated: “I’m finally doing what feels right … I’ve reached the point in my life where I no longer have the patience to undergo a lengthy rehabilitation for tendonitis in my left knee.” At the time of his first retirement, he had played in 910 out of a possible 1,052 games (86.5%), and holds several records in scoring, rebounding and steals.

After playing minor league baseball for a year with the Birmingham Barons and Scottsdale Scorpions, he returned to the NBA on March 18, 1995, wearing number 45 (his previous number 23 had been retired by the Bulls in 1994 in his honor). He led the team to an Atlantic Division title but was again swept by Orlando in the conference semifinals. In Game 1 of that series, he scored 56 points—the second-highest total of his playoff career—in a 130–102 win. The 56 points were also an NBA record for most points scored by a player in their first game back from retirement.

Second retirement

After his first retirement in 1999, Jordan attempted a career as a professional baseball player. He played for the Birmingham Barons, a Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, for one season. Although he had not played organized baseball since high school, he batted .202 with three home runs, 51 RBIs and 30 stolen bases for the Barons in 1994. After the season, he returned to basketball with the Bulls, leading them to a 55-win season in 1995–96 and an NBA Finals appearance against the Seattle SuperSonics. In 1996, Jordan was named league MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, winning his fourth scoring title and eighth NBA title.

Michael Jordan’s Stats

Michael Jordan played in the NBA for 15 seasons, winning 6 championships with the Chicago Bulls. He was a 14-time All-Star and a 10-time member of the All-NBA First Team. Jordan is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with 32,292 points.

Regular season

In his 15 seasons with the Chicago Bulls, Jordan averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game.[1] His shooting percentage was 50.7% from the field and 32.7% from three-point range.[1] He is the NBA’s all-time leader in scoring average (30.12 points per game),[2][3] field goals made (12,192),[4] free throws made (8,772),[5][6] and player efficiency rating (27.91).[7][8][9] He holds the NBA records for the most seasons played with one team (15) and led that team to six NBA championships.[10][11]

Jordan played a total of 10 seasons with the Bulls, winning six championships between 1991 and 1998. After a second retirement in 1999, he rejoined the team for two more seasons in 2001 and 2003 as a player-coach.[12][13] In 2010, Jordan became a minority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats,[14] and subsequently became the first former player to become majority owner of an NBA franchise when he assumed controlling interest in the team in March 2014.[15][16]

Playoffs

In the playoffs, Jordan’s scoring rose as he averaged 31 points per game. He helped the team make it to the Eastern Conference Finals where they would face the Detroit Pistons, a team that had prevented them from reaching the NBA Finals for the previous three years. The Bulls won the first two games, but then lost the next three games. In Game 6, with their season on the line, Jordan hit a jumper with seconds remaining to give the Bulls a win and force a seventh game. The Bulls were victorious in Game 7 and advanced to the NBA Finals. There they would face the Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Lakers won Game 1, but then Jordan took over. He scored 36 points in Game 2 including a last second shot to even the series at 1–1. The Bulls won Games 3 and 4 to take a 3–1 lead in the series. In Game 5, with another chance to close out the series, Jordan scored 33 points and passed Magic Johnson as the all-time leading scorer in playoff history. The Lakers won Games 6 and 7 to send the series back to Chicago for a decisive Game 7. In that game, Jordan started slow but then scored 23 points in the fourth quarter to lead his team to victory and give them their first NBA Championship.

Michael Jordan’s Legacy

Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time. He played in the NBA for fifteen seasons, winning six championships with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan also won two Olympic gold medals and was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player five times. After his playing career, Jordan became one of the most successful businessmen in the world. In this article, we’ll take a look at Michael Jordan’s legacy as both a player and a businessman.

Six-time NBA champion

Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American former professional basketball player who is the principal owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 15 seasons in the NBA, winning six championships with the Chicago Bulls. His biography on the official NBA website states: “By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time.” Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was considered instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.

Jordan played three seasons for coach Dean Smith at the University of North Carolina. As a freshman, he was a member of the Tar Heels’ national championship team in 1982. Jordan joined the Bulls in 1984 as the third overall draft pick. He quickly emerged as a league star and entertained crowds with his prolific scoring. His leaping ability, demonstrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line in Slam Dunk Contests, earned him nicknames such as “Air Jordan” and “His Airness”. He also gained a reputation for being one of the best defensive players in basketball. In 1991, he won his first NBA championship with the Bulls, followed by titles in 1992 and 1993. Although Jordan abruptly retired from basketball before the beginning of training camp for the 1993–94 season to pursue a career as a professional baseball player with Minor League Baseball’s Birmingham Barons, he rejoined Bulls late in that same season and led them to three additional championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998 as well as an Olympic gold medal at The Games at Barcelona ’92.

Five-time NBA MVP

In the history of the NBA, only one player has been named MVP five times: Michael Jordan. He accomplished this amazing feat during his remarkable career with the Chicago Bulls, a team he led to six NBA Championships.

During his time with the Bulls, Jordan became known as one of the greatest players of all time. His legacy as a player and as a person has inspired people around the world.

Despite his incredible success on the court, Jordan didn’t actually start playing basketball until he was in high school. He quickly developed his skills and led his team to a state championship in his senior year.

After high school, Jordan attended the University of North Carolina, where he helped lead the Tar Heels to a NCAA Championship in 1982. He was then drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the third overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft.

Jordan went on to have an incredible career with the Bulls, winning MVP honors five times and becoming a six-time NBA champion. He also won two Olympic gold medals as a member of Team USA in 1984 and 1992.

After retiring from basketball for a second time in 2003, Jordan became majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets in 2010. He is currently working on building up the Hornets organization and making them into a contender in the NBA.

Ten-time All-NBA First Team

Michael Jordan was a 10-time All-NBA First Team selection, meaning he was voted as one of the best players in the league at his position ten times throughout his career. He was also a nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection, and he led the NBA in steals three times.