“Except Michael Jordan, no one has won Defensive Player of the Year and averaged 30 points in any season”: A staggering stat illustrates how GOATed the Bulls legend’s 1987-88 MVP-DPOY double season was

An NBA Twitter user posted a Michael Jordan stat that illustrates just how dominant he was in the 1987-88 NBA season.

The Chicago Bulls were a nondescript franchise in the NBA’s midwest. They’d only had one player of Hall of Fame caliber till the year 1984. But that changed when they drafted one Michael Jordan.

Within weeks of getting drafted and donning the Air Jordan 1 shoes on an NBA court, MJ had been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. That was but the start of the legend – ‘A Star is Born’ couldn’t have been a more appropriate cover headline.

It was in his 4th NBA season that MJ won his first of 5 MVP trophies. This was also the year that he became the first player to win the MVP-Defensive Player of the Year double.

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Some crazy facts about Michael Jordan from his historic 1987-88 season

The NBA Defensive Player of the Year award was instituted for the first time in the 1982-83 season. Milwaukee Bucks legend Sidney Moncrief won the first 2 editions of this prestigious year-end honor.

Michael Jordan won the trophy in his landmark 1987-88 season. It was also the first year that Jordan made an All-Defensive First Team. He wouldn’t fail to make the All-Defensive First Team for any full Bulls season following this particular one.

This was also the second straight year that Jordan would win the scoring title. It was only the second of 10 scoring titles – the most in NBA history by a margin of 3 seasons.

Michael Jordan averaged 3.2 steals per game during this victorious DPOY campaign. It was one of only 10 seasons in which a player has averaged over 3 steals per game.

What makes it even more unreal is that Jordan had 2868 points that year (averaging 35 ppg). Of all seasons with 3+ steals per game by a player, the next highest points tally is a mere 1435 points. That’s just 1 point over half of Jordan’s total for his DPOY year.

When it comes to GOAT discussions, basketball has always had one clear answer. I’m willing to listen to arguments for Kareem, LeBron, Wilt, Kobe, Russell, Bird, Magic, and even Shaq at the no. 2 spot. But there’s no disputing that MJ is the ghost every NBA legend will chase.

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