In Retrospect: MJ's best personal season?

Michael Jordan has been one of the most recognizable and celebrated basketball players in the history of the NBA and is definitely in the conversation for the G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time). His phenomenal basketball skills, determination, competitiveness and ability have been one of the biggest stories in the world of sports. However, as we look back at the 15 amazing seasons that he has had, which season did MJ truly establish his individual greatness? Here are our four choices...


1984-85'  Rookie Season (38-44)

Gotta love those Jordan 1s

Stats: 28.2 PPG 6.5 RPG 5.9 APG 2.4 SPG 0.8 BPG  PLAYOFF PPG: 29.3  (lost first round 3-1)

This was the season that MJ announced his arrival into the basketball world. Picked at No.3 (Behind Olajuwon and Bowie), Jordan made an immediate impact in the Bulls squad, putting up exceptional numbers for a rookie. What made it more amazing was the fact that MJ led the Bulls to a playoff spot, improving from a 27-55 record from the previous season, easily getting Rookie of the Year honors. However, MJ was still a skinny, inexperienced player, and his amazing skills were still not fully developed (thats's scary) and greater things were still to come.




1986-87' Season
(40-42)

Epic 87' Dunk Contest

37.1 PPG 48.2% FG 5.2 RPG 4.6 APG 2.8 SPG 1.5 BPG     PLAYOFF PPG: 35.7     (lost 1st round 3-0) 

This was statistically one of the best seasons that MJ had(37.1 PPG?!!). With Charles Oakley, John Paxson and Brad Sellers, MJ led the Bulls to a better win-loss record and into the playoffs where they met with the Celtics who swept them aside. Furthermore, Jordan still did not win his first MVP title. This season probably was the start of many times where critics of MJ said, "Scoring champions don't win titles". Well, he showed them, didn't he...



1990-91' season (First Championship)
(61-21)

Two of the greatest 

31.5 PPG 53.9% FG  6 RPG 5.5 APG 2.7 SPG 1.0 BPG  PLAYOFF PPG: 31.1 

This was the year that really got things rolling for Jordan and the Bulls. Not only did he win the elusive NBA title he wanted so badly, he got his second Regular season MVP, 5th straight scoring title and his first NBA finals MVP that came with this stat line: 31.2 points on 56% shooting, 11.4 assists 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.4 blocks. WOW. With the development of BJ Armstrong, Horace Grant and Scottie Pippen, Jordan had a solid supporting cast which would form the mould for the Bulls first three-peat.  

1995-96' season (72-10) (The Return) 

His Airness 

30.4 PPG 6.6 RPG 4.3 APG, 2.2 SPG 0.5 BPG  PLAYOFF PPG: 30.7 

This was arguably the best season in Bulls history, completing the amazing feat of being the only team to ever win 70 games in a season. They started the season with jaw-dropping 41-3 record and never looked back. Jordan had just returned halfway through the previous season and their loss to the Magic in the 95' playoffs sparked a desire in Jordan like never before. With the established team core of Jordan, Pippen and rebounding champion Dennis Rodman, and the support of Harper, Kerr, Longley and Kukoc, the Bulls were set to dominate the NBA for the next three seasons. In this season, Jordan was only the second player ever to sweep the MVP awards for the All-Star Game, Regular Season and NBA finals, asserting his dominance like never before. 

Honorable mentions: 1988-First MVP, 1997-Jazz and the Flu Game, 2003- Owning at 40 

Some might say that in the latter years of Jordan's career he had a well-established team that made his individual job easier, while others would argue that it was then that Jordan showed his personal greatness in the clutch moments of the playoffs. 

So what would your choice be?

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