Michael Jordan was known for putting his team on his back – evidenced by his six NBA championships, for which he was naned Finals MVP each and every time. Of course, we’re also talking about a player who won five MVP awards, 10 scoring titles, 14 All-Star appearances, and three All-Star Game MVPs.
Now, I’m not saying he didn’t have help – because he did – but it certainly pales in comparison to the help some of the superstars of today have. Looking at the landscape of today’s NBA, most All-Star players would rather join hands and win together than be the the one to lead their team to the promised land.
And it’s not just All-Star-caliber players who are teaming up – we’re seeing Hall of Fame-caliber players suit up alongside one another in hopes of adding to their already-impressive resume. What they don’t realize is all those championships aren’t going to hold as much weight as Michael Jordan’s titles.
Michael Jordan Only Played With 10 All-Stars During His Career
If winning was your goal, then Michael Jordan was the perfect teammate – because he was going to get you there. It didn’t seem to matter who he played with, MJ was going to come out on top and there wasn’t anything anyone could do about it. It’s part of what makes him the greatest basketball player of all-time.
When you consider the fact that Michael Jordan only played alongside 10 All-Stars throughout his iconic 15-year career, you start to realize just how impressive his accomplishments are. I mean, LeBron James couldn’t even win a championship in 2021-22 – and he had eight All-Star-caliber players on that roster.
And that’s not an exaggeration. LeBron James nearly played with more All-Star players in 2021-22 than Jordan did in his entire career – and they still couldn’t get the job done. To honor Jordan’s ability to be ‘that dude’ when it mattered most, let’s take a look back at the 10 All-Stars he played with in his career.
1. Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics with the No. 5 overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft, but was involved in a draft-day trade that sent him to the Chicago Bulls – where he teamed up with Michael Jordan. They spent the next 10 years together – excluding the 1993-94 season, of course.
During his time in Chicago, Pippen averaged 18.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.1 steals, 0.9 blocks, and 35.8 minutes per game (833 games played; 737 games started). He was Jordan’s right-hand man and a big reason why the Bulls went on to win three consecutive titles on two separate occasions.
In addition to the six championships, Pippen was a 7-time All-Star in Chicago – one of those appearances coming during the 1993-94 season (when MJ was on the baseball field). Of the 10 All-Stars MJ played with, Pippen is the most notable because they did it together and it happened organically (via the draft).
The 1997-98 season was their final season together – it was the year they won their sixth title. After that season, Jordan retired (for three years) and Pippen was involved in a sign-and-trade deal that sent him to the Houston Rockets. MJ made his return to the NBA in 200102, but the return only lasted two years.
All in all, Pippen is the most decorated player to ever play with MJ. He retired a 7-time All-Star, 6-time champion, 7-time All-NBA forward, 10-time All-Defensive forward, and former All-Star Game MVP (he won it the year MJ was playing baseball). Pippen was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
2. Horace Grant
Horace Grant was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the No. 10 overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft – the same draft that saw the Bulls draft Scottie Pippen. Grant spent the next seven years playing alongside Michael Jordan and Pippen, and was a part of the team’s first three-peat in 1991, 1992, and 1993.
During his time in Chicago, Grant averaged 12.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 33.3 minutes per game (546 games played; 468 games started). He spent most of his rookie season coming off the bench, but was the team’s starting power forward between 1988 and 1994.
In addition to his three championships with the Bulls, Grant won a fourth title with the Lakers in 2001. He made only one All-Star appearance, but it came with Chicago during the 1993-94 season (the year MJ retired to focus on baseball). It was Grant’s best season statistically – he averaged a double-double.
The 1993-94 season was Grant’s final season with the Bulls – he signed with the Orlando Magic as a free agent prior to MJ making his return to the NBA. Grant spent the final 10 years of his career with the Magic (7 years), Los Angeles Lakers (2 years), and Seattle SuperSonics (1 year) before retiring in 2004.
All in all, Grant had himself quite the impressive career – though he was never a featured player on any team he played for. In addition to his lone All-Star appearance and four titles (3 with Chicago, 1 with LA), Grant was a four-time All-Defensive power forward. He became an NBA Ambassador after retiring.
3. Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman was drafted by the Detroit Pistons with the No. 27 overall (2nd round) pick in the 1986 NBA Draft and spent the first nine years of his career with the Pistons and San Antonio Spurs. He was traded to the Chicago Bulls in 1995, where he teamed up with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
Rodman spent just three years with the Bulls, but they won three championships during that time and he was a big reason why. As the team’s starting power forward, he averaged 5.2 points, 15.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.3 blocks in 34.6 minutes per game (199 games played; 177 games started).
While he didn’t make an All-Star appearance as a member of the Bulls, he was already a two-time All-Star by the time he joined the Bulls – he was an All-Star with Detroit in 1989-90 and again in 1991-92. It was during the 1991-92 season that Rodman led the league in rebounding for the first time in his career.
The 1997-98 season was Rodman’s final season in Chicago – he won his third title with the Bulls that year and fifth title total. He went on to sign with the Lakers for part of the 1998-99 season and played 12 games with the Dallas Mavericks in 1999-00 before retiring from the NBA and playing in other leagues.
All in all, Dennis Rodman had himself a Hall of Fame career – he was inducted in 2011. He was a 2-time All-Star, 5-time champion, 2-time Defensive Player of the Year, 8-time All-Defensive forward, 2-time All-NBA forward, and 7-time rebounding champ. He’s known as the NBA’s ‘bad boy’ of the 1990s.
4. B.J. Armstrong
B.J. Armstrong was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the No. 18 overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft and spent the first six seasons of his career with the team – where he teamed up with Michael Jordan. He was primarily a role player for the first three years, but earned a starting role for his final 3 years in Chicago.
During his first stint in Chicago, Armstrong averaged 10.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.1 blocks in 25.9 minutes per game (491 games played; 241 games started). He was a big part of the Bulls’ first three-peat – he was a role player for the first two titles, but a starter for the third title.
Armstrong only earned one All-Star appearance in his career and it came during the 1993-94 season – the year MJ left to play baseball). He was 26 years old when he made the All-Star roster and finished that season with 14.8 points (career-high), 2.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.0 steal (career-high) per game.
The 1994-95 season was Armstrong’s final year with the Bulls. He was the first player taken in the 1995 Expansion Draft and spent the next four seasons bouncing around between the Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets, and Orlando Magic before finishing his career with the Bulls in the 1999-00 season.
5. Jerry Stackhouse
Jerry Stackhouse was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft and was a bit of a journeyman while in the league – playing for eight teams during his 18-year career. He only teamed up with Michael Jordan for one season and it was with the Washington Wizards.
Stackhouse was traded to the Wizards in 2002 and spent the 2002-03 season with the team – which just so happened to be Jordan’s final year in the league. Stackhouse averaged 21.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks in 39.2 minutes per game (70 games played; 70 games started).
By the time Stackhouse and Jordan teamed up together, Stackhouse was already a two-time All-Star – and should’ve been an All-Star for his performance in 2002-03. He was named to two consecutive All-Star rosters in 1999-00 and 2000-01 while with the Detroit Pistons – Jordan wasn’t in the league at the time.
The 2002-03 season was Stackhouse’s lone season playing alongside Jordan, but he made the most of it – he’s the only teammate to ever average more points than Jordan in any one season (Stackhouse had 21.5 points per game, while MJ had 20.0 points per game). Michael Jordan retired for good at the end of the year.
6. Charles Oakley
Charles Oakley was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the No. 9 overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft, but was involved in a draft-day trade with the Chicago Bulls – where he teamed up with Michael Jordan. He spent the next three seasons playing alongside Jordan, but they were unable to win a title together.
During his first stint in Chicago, Oakley averaged 12.2 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks in 31.4 minutes per game (241 games played; 193 games started). While he only started 30 games as a rookie in 1985, he went on to start in 81 games in 1986 and all 82 games the following year.
Oakley was traded to the New York Knicks following the 1987-88 season – he became trade bait with the rise and development of Horace Grant. While Oakley never made his way onto an All-Star roster with Chicago, he was finally named an All-Star in 1993-94 with the Knicks – his only All-Star appearance.
All in all, Oakley spent 19 years in the NBA and averaged 9.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.1 steals in 31.4 minutes per game (1,282 games played; 1,159 games started). In addition to his lone All-Star appearance, he was a 2-time All-Defensive power forward – both of which with the Knicks.
7. Richard Hamilton
Richard Hamilton was drafted by the Washington Wizards with the No. 7 overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft and spent the next three years with the team. It wasn’t until his final year with the team (in 2001-02) that he teamed up with Michael Jordan – who was making his return to the NBA after a three-year hiatus.
Hamilton and Jordan made quite the dynamic duo. Hamilton finished the 2001-02 season with 20.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 0.6 steals in 35.0 minutes per game (63 games played; 57 games started). Meanwhile, Michael Jordan averaged 22.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
Following the 2001-02 season, Rip Hamilton was traded to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for several players – one of which was two-time All-Star Jerry Stackhouse. While Hamilton wasn’t an All-Star while with Jordan, he was later named to three All-Star rosters with the Pistons (2005, 2006, and 2007).
All in all, Hamilton spent 14 seasons in the league and averaged 17.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 0.8 steals in 32.1 minutes per game (921 games played; 783 games started). In addition to his three All-Star appearances, Hamilton won a title with the Pistons in 2004 and retired after the 2012-13 season.
8. George Gervin
George Gervin was drafted by the Phoenix Suns with the No. 40 overall (4th round) pick in the 1974 NBA Draft, but spent the first two years of his career in the ABA. It wasn’t until the 1976-77 season that he made his NBA debut and he ended up spending the next nine years with the San Antonio Spurs.
It wasn’t until the 1985-86 season (Gervin’s final year in the league) that he teamed up with a young Michael Jordan (his second year in the league). Gervin went on to average 16.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.3 blocks in 25.2 minutes per game (82 games played; 75 games started).
While Gervin wasn’t named to the All-Star roster that year, he was already a nine-time All-Star with the Spurs and was even a four-time All-Star in the ABA prior to that. After his lone season with Chicago, Gervin retired from the NBA and spent several years playing overseas – in Italy and then in Spain.
All in all, Gervin averaged 26.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 33.5 minutes per game (791 games played). He never won a championship during his iconic career, but was a 7-time All-NBA player, a four-time scoring champ, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1996.
9. Bill Cartwright
Bill Cartwright was drafted by the New York Knicks with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft and spent the nine seasons with the team. It wasn’t until the 1988-89 season that he was traded to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Charles Oakley – becoming the team’s starting center alongside Michael Jordan.
Cartwright spent six seasons with the Bulls and was a part of the team’s three-peat in 1991, 1992, and 1993. During his time with the Bulls, he averaged 9.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.4 steals, in 25.9 minutes per game (397 games played; 394 games started. He was exactly what Chicago needed.
He remained with the team during the 1993-94 season (when MJ left to play baseball), but left the Bulls as a free agent during the 1994 offseason and signed with the Seattle SuperSonics. He played in 29 games that season before retiring from the league and joining the Chicago Bulls as an assistant coach.
When it was all said and done, Cartwright averaged 13.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 28.5 minutes per game (963 games played; 15 seasons). He was named to the 1979-80 All-Rookie team and was an All-Star that year (with the Knicks) before winning three titles in Chicago.
10. Robert Parish
Robert Parish was drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the No. 8 overall pick in 1976 and spent the next four years with the team before embarking on a legendary 14-year career with the Boston Celtics – where he was named to nine All-Star rosters before signing with the Charlotte Hornets as a free agent.
He spent two years with the Hornets before signing with the Chicago Bulls for the 1996-97 season – where he teamed up with Michael Jordan. Parish played in 43 games for the Bulls that year (3 starts) and averaged 3.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks in just 9.4 minutes per game.
The Chicago Bulls ended up winning an NBA title with Jordan and Parish in 1997 – it was the second title of their second three-peat and Parish’s fourth title of his career (he won three with the Celtics). Parish ended up retiring after the season before being named Coach of the Year in the USBL in 2001.
All in all, Parish had a Hall of Fame career and averaged 14.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.5 blocks in 28.4 minutes per game (1,611 games played). He was a nine-time All-Star, four-time NBA champion, and two-time All-NBA center. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.
Is Michael Jordan the G.O.A.T.?
One of the most intriguing – and difficult – debates in all of sports is who the greatest basketball player of all-time is. Everyone is going to have their own opinion and some are going to be more reasonable than others. But let’s be honest, the debate comes down to two people – Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
The way I look at it, Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all-time – but LeBron James has had the better career when you look at the big picture. What Jordan was able to do in 15 years was nothing less than impeccable, but what LeBron has done in 20+ years is something we’ve never seen before.
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One thing’s for certain – Michael Jordan didn’t need to gather all the best players in the league onto one roster in order to win (something LeBron has tried, but failed at). MJ was going to get the job done no matter who he played with. That’s the type of player that we just don’t see in the NBA anymore.
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