People often talk about LeBron James being the most durable player ever. Surprisingly, Bron has only played 1 entire season of 82 games, whereas Michael Jordan has played all games of a season a whopping 9 times out of 15, strengthening his case for the GOAT title.
Michael Jordan is easily one of the greatest players the league has ever witnessed. Apart from being one of the most impactful players, the Chicago Bulls guard was considered a basketball god. Till today, fans rave about his insane gameplay and achievements.
In his illustrious 15-year career, Jordan had several notable moments. His first championship, his Father’s Day performance, the Shrug, the flu game, his career-high 69 points against the Cavs, his final championship, the Dream Team are just a few to name. However,
Clearly, Jordan was not only the best basketball player but was a worldwide sporting icon, leaving everyone in awe of his game. And over the course of his 1,072-game career, Mike built up such an impeccable resume. Michael has 14 All-Star appearances, 10 Scoring titles, 11 All-NBA selections, 6 NBA championships, 6 Finals MVP and 5 league MVPs under his belt. However, one of the most overlooked achievements of his career would be that he managed to play all games of a season, a jaw-dropping 9 times out of 15 instances.
Michael Jordan has played all games of a season 9 times, the most ever in NBA history
While arguing over the famous GOAT debate, fans often talk about a player’s individual success, achievements, contribution to the team’s success. However, fans often don’t talk about a player’s durability. While LeBron James has been playing as an MVP even in his 18th NBA season, surprisingly, for someone who is considered the most durable player ever, King James has played all 82 games of a season only one time in his 18-year career.
His Airness, on the other hand, has had 9 such seasons (1984-85, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 2002-2003) where he has had played all 82 games of the season. Air Jordan also played 81 games in a season once (1998-99), 80 games in a season once (1991-92), and also 78 games in a season once (1992-93).
It may come as a surprise to many, but no other player in NBA history has managed to play all games in a season as many times as MJ. In fact, no other player is even close to Mike on this list. While Jordan tops 1st on the list with 9 such seasons, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar comes in 2nd with 5 such seasons. Kobe Bryant, Hakeem Olajuwon and Wilt Chamberlain all tie for the 3rd spot with 4 such seasons.
Michael had a crazy obsession with playing and winning. And this absurd stat is just another proof of his greatness. Clearly, there cannot be any other player quite like Michael Jordan.