You’ve seen the highlights. The shrug against Portland. The Flu Game. The jumper over Bryon Russell. But when you look at Michael Jordan stats by year, the numbers tell a story that's actually way weirder than the documentaries suggest. People love to talk about the six rings, but they usually skip over the years where he was basically a one-man army or the weird twilight in D.C.
Most fans think Jordan was just a scoring machine from day one who never stopped winning. That's not really how it went. Honestly, his career is split into three distinct "evolutions." You have the young, hyper-athletic flyer of the 80s, the disciplined mid-range assassin of the 90s, and the crafty veteran who somehow played all 82 games at age 40.
The Early Years: Statistical Anomaly (1984–1987)
When MJ entered the league in 1984, he wasn't "Air Jordan" yet. He was just a kid from North Carolina with a 40-inch vertical. In his rookie year (1984-85), he put up 28.2 points per game. That’s insane for a rookie. For context, he also averaged 6.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists. He was everywhere.
Then 1985-86 happened. A broken foot limited him to just 18 games. Most people forget he barely played that year, but he came back just in time for the playoffs to drop 63 on Larry Bird’s Celtics.
The 1986-87 season is the one that breaks calculators. He averaged 37.1 points per game. Think about that. He did that without shooting three-pointers. He only made 12 threes the entire season. Basically, he lived at the rim and the free-throw line. It was the highest scoring average by anyone not named Wilt Chamberlain.
The Peak: Dominance and the DPOY Controversy (1987–1993)
If you want to know when Jordan became the GOAT, it’s 1987-88. He won MVP and Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) in the same season. He averaged 35.0 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.2 steals.
Now, there’s been some modern debate lately about those 1988 defensive stats. Recent deep dives by researchers like Tom Haberstroh suggest some "home cooking" by the Chicago Stadium scorekeepers. His steals and blocks were significantly higher at home than on the road. Specifically, he had 165 steals at home versus 94 on the road. Does it change the fact that he was a terrifying defender? No. But it's a fun wrinkle in the Michael Jordan stats by year narrative that wasn't talked about for decades.
The Point Guard Experiment
In 1988-89, Doug Collins actually moved Jordan to point guard for a stretch. The results were terrifying. Jordan averaged 32.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists. He had a stretch of 10 triple-doubles in 11 games. He was basically Russell Westbrook before Westbrook, but with a better jumper and way more efficiency.
Then the championships started. From 1991 to 1993, his scoring dipped slightly to around 30-32 PPG because he actually had help. Scottie Pippen matured. The triangle offense took over. Jordan’s efficiency stayed high, usually around 51% to 52% from the floor. He was working smarter, not just harder.
The Return and the Second Three-Peat (1995–1998)
After his stint playing baseball (where he hit .202 for the Birmingham Barons, if you’re curious), he came back wearing #45. The 1994-95 season was his "rusty" year. He only played 17 games and shot a career-low 41.1%.
But 1995-96? That’s the masterpiece. 72-10 record. 30.4 points per game. He won the MVP, All-Star MVP, and Finals MVP. This version of Jordan was different. He wasn't dunking over everyone anymore. He perfected the turnaround fadeaway. It was unguardable.
His 1997-98 season—the "Last Dance"—is actually statistically one of his "worst" championship years. He averaged 28.7 points but shot 46.5%. He was 34 years old and playing heavy minutes. He was exhausted. But he still played all 82 games. He never took a night off.
The Washington Wizards Years: Better Than You Remember
We usually pretend the 2001-2003 seasons didn't happen. We shouldn't. At age 38 and 39, MJ was still a problem.
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In 2001-02, he was averaging 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists before a knee injury slowed him down. He finished that year at 22.9 PPG. In his final season (2002-03), at 40 years old, he played all 82 games and averaged 20.0 points. He was the first 40-year-old to score 40 in a game.
| Season | Team | Age | PTS | REB | AST | FG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-85 | CHI | 21 | 28.2 | 6.5 | 5.9 | .515 |
| 1986-87 | CHI | 23 | 37.1 | 5.2 | 4.6 | .482 |
| 1991-92 | CHI | 28 | 30.1 | 6.4 | 6.1 | .519 |
| 1995-96 | CHI | 32 | 30.4 | 6.6 | 4.3 | .495 |
| 2002-03 | WAS | 40 | 20.0 | 6.1 | 3.8 | .445 |
Why These Stats Still Matter
Looking at Michael Jordan stats by year isn't just a nostalgia trip. It shows a level of consistency that’s basically extinct today. He led the league in scoring 10 times. He played 82 games in nine different seasons.
He didn't have "load management." He had a competitive sickness.
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If you’re looking to apply these insights to how you evaluate players today, look at the "Stocks" (steals + blocks). Jordan is the only player to have 200 steals and 100 blocks in a single season (he did it twice). That two-way dominance is the real metric of his greatness.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
To get a real feel for the evolution, go watch full game broadcasts from 1989 versus 1997. You’ll see the shift from a North-South driver to a post-up technician. Also, check out the advanced VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) metrics on Basketball-Reference; Jordan’s 1987-88 season still holds some of the highest marks ever recorded.