Author of an incalculable number of records, Michael Jordan was also able to chain the exploits over time. One season in particular from the rear remains quite simply untouchable at the moment, no one being able to imitate it! At the same time, the task is not far from impossible to reproduce.
It’s hard to talk about Michael Jordan without mentioning his legendary performances in attack, especially when it came to putting on the baskets. It’s simple, the former Chicagoan still has the highest points average in history, with more than 30 units per game. Enough to make an absolutely fabulous career, with 10 top scorer titles as well as more than 30,000 units registered between 1984 and 2003.
However, the No. 23 was not just a tireless scorer, because he was at least just as active in defense. A fierce competitor, MJ could not stand being scored on him, and he had in fact set out to annihilate any action of his direct opponent. He was therefore a real stopper on the outside lines, able to extinguish the best opposing striker at will, in particular by stealing balls (2.3 career average interceptions).
Michael Jordan, the only player with 30 points per game as a DPOY
This versatility on both sides of the field allows him to be in an ultra-VIP club, in the company of Kobe Bryant. However, there is another where Mike is simply alone in the world, proof of the difficulty in achieving it. In short, he is the only one to have achieved the 30 points per game / DPOY combo. Even an absolute legend of the 90s had not achieved this, despite being a benchmark in the field:
NBA DPOY and 30 PPG

Michael Jordan is the only player to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year AND average 30 PPG in a season (35.0 PPG in 1987-88).Hakeem Olajuwon is the only player even somewhat close (26.1 PPG in 1992-93, 27.3 PPG in 1993-94). pic.twitter.com/iZ4r0iw2yg
— The Mind (@GeniusLevel9) November 30, 2021
Michael Jordan is the only player to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year AND to average 30 points in a season (35.0 points in 1987-88).
Hakeem Olajuwon is the only player who comes close to it (26.1 points in 1992-93, 27.3 points in 1993-94).
Clearly, we reach there quite hallucinating peaks of performance, as so often with His Highness. It may seem surprising, moreover, that he obtained the distinction only once, even if the latter was frequently awarded to interiors in his time (Olajuwon, for example, obtained it twice). However, the mere fact of having succeeded attests to the greatness of the man, who is definitely one of the greatest two-way players in history.
Be Defender of the Year and score 30 points per game in one season? There is therefore only Michael Jordan to accomplish such a feat. That alone says a lot about the difficulty of getting there… as well as the ex-Bull’s talent.
