Michael Jordan is an NBA legend who continues to demand respect from the basketball community due to the incredible accomplishments he had and the records broken. To the few fans who might be unaware, Jordan has dominated the GOAT conversation for several years due to his accoladed career.
Although LeBron James has come as close to him as one could expect in terms of accomplishments, fans are quick to forget just how good MJ was. It is quite easy to say that several of Jordan’s records over the years will never be touched for several years to come. Even by LeBron James.
Since that statement certainly has the potential to spark curiosity among fans, let us take a closer look at the 10 best Michael Jordan records that are unlikely to ever be broken in the near future by modern-day NBA players.
What is the greatest accomplishment of Michael Jordan?
When discussing the best records and accomplishments set by Michael Jordan, there is no need to discuss the fact that he is a 6x NBA champion and has never been defeated in the NBA Finals. After all, those are quite well-known facts about him. However, fans might be surprised to hear that Jordan also holds these records in the NBA.
Michael Jordan is a 10x NBA scoring champion
There is no trying to underplay just how good a scorer Michael Jordan was during his playing days. Although he was in the league for just 15 seasons, MJ led the entire league in total points scored during the regular season for 10 years. This is most certainly an accomplishment that is unlikely to be repeated in the future.
To those who do not know, Jordan won the scoring award 7 times in a row between 1986 and 1993. Moreover, He managed to win the award 3 more times consecutively from 1995-1998. Even if a player were able to lead the league in scoring, it would be for a few seasons at best as opposed to three times.
Michael Jordan made the NBA All-Defensive first team 9 times
Although NBA legends are best known for their skills on the offensive end of the floor, Michael Jordan managed to prove that he is the true definition of a two-way shooting guard. While MJ continues to be known for his impressive shot-making abilities, modern-day fans will be stunned to hear that he played defense to the fullest and even managed to make the NBA All-Defensive first team 9 times.
In order to put things in perspective, LeBron has made the NBA All-Defensive first team 5 times in his NBA career. Kawhi Leonard is a player relatively well known for his elite defense early in his career. Even Leonard managed to make the NBA All-Defensive first team just thrice in his career. One can only imagine how MJ played defense in order to make the team 9 times.
Jordan won 2 gold medals with Team USA at the Olympics
Not only is Michael Jordan idolized in the NBA world, but his accomplishments with Team USA gained him a greater amount of attention and respect from the international basketball community. Fans might be aware that MJ led Team USA to win two Olympic gold medals in 1984 and 1992.
While it is certainly possible for modern-day players to win two gold medals in the Olympics, they will not be expected to lead the team to victory in their rookie year. After all, Jordan had just entered the NBA with the 1984 NBA Draft and virtually had no real experience at the time.
MJ is a three-time steals leader
To build on his impressive defensive accolades, Jordan managed to lead the league thrice in steals. Stealing the ball requires both reaction speed and a good understanding of the game. Since Jordan clearly had both those traits, it is really no surprise that he led the league 3 times in steals.
With the rise of several elite defensive guards in the modern generation, it is highly unlikely for any one player to lead the league three times. Chris Paul and Allen Iverson managed to win the award several times themselves. However, fans should remember that both of them are smaller point guards who could sneak up on their opponent as opposed to the 6’6 Michael Jordan.
Michael Jordan participated in 14 all-star games and won the MVP award 3 times
Although players such as Kobe Bryant have played in more all-star games when compared to MJ, Jordan is clearly in a league of his own considering that he managed to win the NBA All-Star Game MVP award thrice. To those who might be unaware, the Bulls star won the all-star game MVP in 1988,1996, and 1998.
While it would be fair to claim that most other players will never be able to accomplish the same, we shouldn’t forget that LeBron James has also won the NBA All-Star game MVP 3 times in his career. Therefore, it would be wrong to claim that no other player could accomplish the same.
Michael Jordan is still acknowledged for his mentality and edge
In all fairness, this is most certainly not an accomplishment that will likely remain unbroken for years. However, we wouldn’t be wrong to claim that Jordan’s mentality and approach to the game is something that fans might never see again in their generation. Stories about his unwavering confidence can still be found on the internet today.
Since Jordan won 6 NBA champions by three peating twice, it shrouds him with a mystical aura and sets him apart from other NBA legends. There might never be a player in the history of the game who is able to lead his team to 6 NBA titles within a span of 7 years. Especially after having retired in the middle. If we also consider that to be a record, Jordan stands alone.
Will any other NBA player be included in the GOAT conversation with Jordan and LeBron?
There is no denying that Michael Jordan and LeBron James have dominated the GOAT conversation for several years now. After all, King James has his own accomplishments and records that rival Jordan’s in their own way. Since LeBron recently became the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, his place in the GOAT discussion seems to be constantly progressing.
If we have to wonder about other players that deserve to be included in the GOAT conversation. Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Stephen Curry most certainly have to be involved considering that all of them had just as many championships, if not more, when compared to LeBron.
In any case, viewing the GOAT debate based on the amount of championships might not be the best way. After all, there are players such as Bill Russell who have won more titles when compared to LeBron James and Michael Jordan combined. Perhaps all of these players should be acknowledged in the GOAT discussion.