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Chicago Bulls: 25 Best Players To Play For The Bulls

By Phil Watson

Mar 19, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; A general view of the Michael Jordan statue outside of the United Center before the game between the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; A general view of the Michael Jordan statue outside of the United Center before the game between the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /
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UNITED STATES – JUNE 14: Basketball: NBA Finals, Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan (23) in action, making game winning shot vs Utah Jazz, Game 6, Salt Lake City, UT 6/14/1998 (Photo by Manny Millan/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (SetNumber: X55802 TK2 R14 F3)
UNITED STATES – JUNE 14: Basketball: NBA Finals, Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan (23) in action, making game winning shot vs Utah Jazz, Game 6, Salt Lake City, UT 6/14/1998 (Photo by Manny Millan/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (SetNumber: X55802 TK2 R14 F3) /

Michael Jordan. 1. player. 24. <strong>How acquired:</strong> 3rd overall pick from North Carolina, 1984 NBA Draft.. SG. 1984-93, 1995-98

As a junior at North Carolina, Michael Jordan was the consensus national player of the year and was a two-time All-American, averaging almost 20 points and more than five rebounds per game before turning pro. The Chicago Bulls selected the high-flyer with the third overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft.

Call it a prelude.

CHI_01_JORDAN
CHI_01_JORDAN /

Jordan was the Rookie of the Year in 1984-85 and went on to win five MVP awards (1987-88, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1995-96 and 1997-98), was named Defensive Player of the Year in 1987-88 and was a two-time All-Star Game MVP and six-time NBA Finals MVP.

A 12-time All-Star with the Bulls, Jordan was named All-NBA 11 times and All-Defensive nine times, finished second in the MVP voting in 1986-87, 1988-89 and 1996-97; and was third in 1989-90 and 1992-93.

And there’s the whole 10 scoring titles thing, as well as leading the NBA in steals three times and in minutes per game twice.

While helping the Bulls to two sets of three consecutive titles (1991-93 and 1996-98), Jordan averaged 33.6 points, six rebounds, six assists and 1.8 steals in 43 minutes per game in 35 NBA Finals games, shooting .481/.368/.806.

Jordan retired in October 1993 but returned in March 1995, retiring a second time in January 1999.

In 13 seasons in Chicago, Jordan averaged 31.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.5 steals in 38.6 minutes per game, shooting .505/.332/.838.

Jordan returned from retirement with the Washington Wizards, signing as a free agent in September 2001, while continuing as the team’s general manager—a job he took in January 2000—through May 2003, a month after his final retirement as a player.

He purchased a majority ownership in the Charlotte Bobcats in February 2010.

Jordan is the NBA’s all-time leader with an average of 30.1 points per game, is 26th in league history with 41,011 minutes played, 42nd with 5,633 assists, third with 2,514 steals and an average of 2.3 steals per game, fourth with 32,292 points and 15th with an average of 38.3 minutes per game.

His career PER of 27.9 is the highest in NBA history, as well.

Next: 50 Greatest NBA Players Not in the Hall of Fame

Jordan was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

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