Michael Jordan is widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time. He led the Chicago Bulls to a staggering six NBA championships, earning Finals MVP honors each time. A five-time NBA MVP, Jordan also racked up 14 All-Star selections, 10 All-NBA nods, and nine NBA All-Defense honors.
Jordan led the league in scoring a record 10 times, including a run of seven consecutive scoring titles — and posted the highest career scoring average in regular-season history at 30.1 points per game over 15 years and 1,072 games.
But it’s his two extra titles over LeBron James that give him the edge in the never-ending GOAT debate. Let’s revisit all six of his championships.
Revisiting Michael Jordan’s 6 NBA Championships
1991 – Chicago Bulls defeat Los Angeles Lakers
Fittingly enough, Jordan’s first NBA Championship ring came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson. Those “Showtime Lakers” won five titles from 1980 to 1988. It was a long road of learning for the Bulls and Jordan before finally hoisting the trophy up in 1991.
Jordan posted 31.2 points on 56% shooting from the field, dishing out 11.4 assists and grabbing 6.6 rebounds, plus an impressive 1.4 blocks per game on his way to NBA Finals MVP. During the regular season, Jordan averaged 31.5 points on 53.9% shooting, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists.
1992 – Chicago Bulls Defeat Portland Trail Blazers
Jordan was becoming a household name after winning his maiden NBA Championship, quickly adding his second consecutive NBA MVP award the following season. He picked up another MVP award in the NBA Finals against Portland in a series known for “The Shrug.”
Jordan averaged 35.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game in the six-game series, but it was his record-setting six three-point field goals in Game 1 that stood out the most. Jordan’s expression after shrugging his shoulders eventually became a social media meme, setting the tone for “I Took That Personally” in later years.
1993 – Chicago Bulls Defeat Phoenix Suns
Jordan was made to write history, and he did so in 1993 by leading the Bulls to the first-ever three-peat in NBA history. He did so by scoring 30+ points in each of the six-game series finals, ending up with a Finals record of 41.0 points per game to win his third consecutive Finals MVP award.
Jordan failed to win the regular season MVP award that year despite averaging 32.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. He lost the award to his friend Charles Barkley and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
1996 – Chicago Bulls Defeat Seattle SuperSonics
Jordan returned to the NBA in 1995 following a series of off-field incidents and a stint with the White Sox in Major League Baseball. The Chicago Bulls had been a shadow of their dynasty without Jordan in the lineup, losing in the second round of the playoffs in 1993 and 1994, before Jordan came back. The Bulls also traded for Dennis Rodman in 1995, sparking another three-year championship run.
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The Bulls breezed by everyone in the regular season, posting a then-best 72-10 record and beating the Seattle Supersonics, 4-2, in the NBA Finals. Jordan was once again named Finals MVP after averaging 27.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 steals in six games.
It marked his first championship without his father James who was murdered tragically in 1993. Jordan reacted emotionally after the game, clutching the basketball and crying on the locker room floor, poetically winning the title on Father’s Day.
1997 – Chicago Bulls Defeat Utah Jazz
It was all defense for the Bulls that won Jordan his final two championship trophies. Chicago finished the regular season just one win short of its second consecutive 70-win season and easily advanced through the playoffs to set up a Finals clash against the Utah Jazz, who were an offensive powerhouse at the time.
The Bulls used stifling defense to shut down Karl Malone and John Stockton in a series where both teams averaged only 87 points per game. Jordan was instrumental for Chicago and delivered 38 points in Game 5 despite being feverish and dehydrated from a stomach virus. Two nights after the so-called “Flu Game,” Jordan earned his fifth Finals MVP award after leading the Bulls to a 90-86 win in Game 6.
1998 – Chicago Bulls Defeat Utah Jazz
Jordan’s final championship was perhaps the hardest one of his 15-year career, but at this time, the trio of Jordan, Rodman, and Scottie Pippen was borderline undefeatable. They endured one tough series after another throughout the 1998 NBA Playoffs, including a seven-game battle with the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Chicago earned a rematch with Utah in the NBA Finals and wasted no time reminding everyone why they were a true dynasty. Jordan averaged 33.5 points per game to complete a record-setting second three-peat. He was lights-out in Game 6 when he scored 45 points, including the game-winning jumper over a stumbling Bryon Russell with five seconds remaining on the clock. Jordan was rightfully named the NBA Finals MVP for the sixth time in six tries.
