The name Michael Jordan made NBA become the league it is today. He was a talent that took the world by storm and made every rival, and every legend bend their knees in acknowledgment of his supremacy. A global icon, Jordan’s claim to the greatest player ever tag has only been genuinely challenged by LeBron James.
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But regardless of the impact of his legacy. there is no denying how incredible Michael Jordan was. His career stats and 6 championships speak for themselves. But was Michael as good in college? In this article, we will break down MJ’s college stats.
Looking at Jordan’s college stats
After becoming a fearsome athlete in school, Michael Jordan joined the North Carolina Tar Heels. For Michael, playing for coach Dean Smith was a great opportunity and he was keen on taking good advantage of it.
Usually, freshmen in college do not get much time on championship teams. But Smith saw the potential in Michael and quickly gave him an opportunity to compete for the team. Hungry to be acknowledged, MJ immediately went to work.
In his freshmen year, he averaged 13.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 53.4% from the field. The 6ft 6″ guard won the ACC Freshmen of the Year award for his sensational season.
Then in his second season for the Tar Heels, Michael really developed into an offensive monster. From 13.5 ppg the previous year, he progressed to 20 points per game in his second year. MJ also gathered 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. Also, despite increasing his shot output, MJ managed to still make 53.5% of his field goals.
Though his overall points per game took a slight dip in his last year, MJ was widely seen as one of the top NBA prospects in the country. The reason was simple, MJ’s efficiency from the field only improved all three seasons.
In his third and final year for the Tar Heels, Michael Jordan averaged 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. He shot 55.1% of his field goals and made an average of 8 shots per game.
Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest of all time
The kid from the University of North Carolina left the Tar Heels team after his third year. He moved on to the NBA and became a threat to even players like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in just the first few seasons.
Once Phil Jackson moved up the ranks and Scottie Pippen joined the Bulls, Jordan took over the league. He dominated it to the point that no one could doubt his greatness even for a second.
However, just a season after he retired, LeBron James joined the league. Bron’s career is the only real question mark on MJ’s claim to GOAT status. Who do you consider the GOAT?
