feature-image

Imago

feature-image

Imago

Few names in the sports world evoke the same reverence and admiration as Michael Jordan. Yet, amid the praise and accolades, there was one thing that he could not accomplish. There was an intriguing part of Jordan’s storied career that prevented him from getting his name etched alongside LeBron James and Stephen Curry as the 3-point leaders. It was his most fascinating and deliberate choice to stay away from that list. 

Terrell Owens holding Dude Wipes XL

Why do you think he eschewed this vital part of the game? Let’s dig deeper to find out the truth.

Watch What’s Trending Now!

ADVERTISEMENT

Why Michael Jordan doesn’t wish to shoot 3-pointers

In an interview after the 1992 finals, the Chicago Bulls’ legend revealed why he had almost no interest in mastering his skills as a scorer out of the arc. Well, this was the reason he could not beat Curry and James in the top 10 list of 3-point leaders of all time. Yet, again surprising the people, he explained, “My game is fake, drive to the hole, penetrate, dish-off, dunk. Whatever and when you have that mentality of making threes, you don’t go to the hole as much. You go to the three-point line and start sitting there, waiting for someone to find you.” He elaborated, “That’s not my mentality, and I don’t want to create it because it takes away from the other parts of my game.”

article-image

Getty

While the NBA great was spectacular in his mid-range shots, the 3-point game simply went against his playing style. Moreover, Warriors player Curry has a much more enhanced three-pointer record than his Airness.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

However, his rule never meant that he could not master it. 

Michael Jordan’s best 3-point game

ADVERTISEMENT

Back in 1989-1990, he attempted 245 three-point shots and made 37.6% of his threes. He made 92 three-pointers, a significant leap from his previous seasons. Then again in the 1995 season, he made 42.7 % of his three-pointers. Moreover, in the 1996-97 NBA season, Michael Jordan won his 9th NBA scoring title as he averaged 29.6 points per game with 37.4 %. 

READ MORE: “He Stole From Me”- Denny Hamlin “Pi**d Off” Over Michael Jordan’s Prodigy’s Bitter Kansas Snub

ADVERTISEMENT

His accuracy from beyond the arc highlighted his evolving offensive repertoire. Jordan’s ability to threaten opponents both inside and outside the paint solidified his status as one of the league’s most unstoppable forces.

Watch This Story: Lebron James, Steph Curry, and Naomi Osaka join hands to push the Marvel franchise

ADVERTISEMENT

Share this with a friend:

Link Copied!

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Written by

author-image

Pritha Debroy

3,476 Articles

Pritha Debroy works with the NFL Lifestyle Desk at EssentiallySports, where she explores the league beyond the sidelines and focuses on the cultural nuances of football. Bringing a fresh perspective shaped by her background in basketball lifestyle stories and cross-sport expertise, she highlights how NFL athletes build influence off the field. A graduate of the EssentiallySports Journalistic Excellence Program, our in-house initiative that trains writers under industry experts, Pritha specializes in long-form features and player-driven stories that capture the evolving identity of today’s NFL stars. Pritha combines her passion for storytelling with a thoughtful approach to sports culture and lifestyle. With strong communication skills and an eye for detail, she brings a distinctive voice to NFL journalism, delivering engaging and insightful content that resonates with readers.

Know more

Edited by

editor-image

Yeswanth Praveen

ADVERTISEMENT