Photograph by Rick Stewart/Getty Pictures
Prime defensive accolades: One Defensive Participant of the Yr award, 9 All-Defensive 1st Workforce choices, thrice NBA steals chief, 10 years receiving Defensive Participant of the Yr votes
NBA rank: 4th in steals, ninetieth in defensive rebounds, one hundred and twenty fifth in blocks
Certainly one of simply two gamers in NBA historical past to win MVP and Defensive Participant of the Yr in the identical season, six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan was among the finest guard defenders in NBA historical past due to his tenacity, elite athleticism and fast arms on that finish of the ground.
Jordan was named a 1st Workforce All-Defensive participant 9 occasions in his profession, all the way in which till his closing marketing campaign with the Bulls in 1997-98. For his profession, he averaged 2.3 steals per recreation (and for anybody who desires to doubt the veracity of these numbers, the very fact he averaged 1.5 steals throughout his two seasons with the Washington Wizards mixed must be a fairly clear indicator that he was in all probability an much more impactful defender in his precise athletic prime) and to today, he ranks fourth all-time in steals with 2,514.
Jordan had one of the necessary steals in NBA playoff historical past, too. Everybody remembers the ultimate shot of Jordan’s Bulls profession, the enduring game-winning jumper in Sport 6 of the ’98 Finals. However what fewer keep in mind was that Utah had the ball proper earlier than that with below 30 seconds remaining and holding onto an 86-85 lead. That was when Jordan snuck behind Karl Malone, stole the ball, introduced it down himself and sank the game-winner to provide the Bulls the sixth championship within the franchise’s historical past. That was considered one of Jordan’s 4 steals in that recreation, by the way in which.
NBA.com solely supplies workforce knowledge going again to 1996-97, however that offers us sufficient time to have a look at the ultimate two seasons of Jordan’s Bulls profession. Chicago ranked fourth in defensive effectivity in ‘97 after which third in ‘98, permitting fewer than 101 factors per 100 possessions each seasons, elite marks for the period. Pippen and Rodman get numerous the credit score for that however Jordan was likewise an all-time defender in his personal proper.
