Michael Jordan retired from the NBA having won six rings, or six NBA Championships.
He won rings in the following seasons – 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998.
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Michael Jordan’s first NBA Ring
Jordan’s first NBA three-peat
Jordan’s first NBA ring after retirement
Jordan’s second three-peat and last NBA ring
Michael Jordan’s first NBA ring
Jordan was a four-time NBA scoring champion before the 1990-91 NBA season. However, no matter how hard he tried he never seemed to get to the NBA Finals.
In fact, in the three prior seasons his Bulls team was eliminated by the Detroit Pistons.
In the 1991 NBA Playoffs, Jordan – who was once again scoring champion – took care of business against the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. The Chicago Bulls swept the Pistons to setup an NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers, led by their star Magic Johnson, came prepared to fight a young Bulls team led by a 27-year-old Jordan.
The Bulls proved to be the better team throughout, beating the Lakers in five games and giving Jordan his first NBA ring.
Jordan’s first NBA three-peat
Jordan and his Bulls were now the two-time reigning NBA champions. They had finished the 1992-93 NBA season with 57 wins – the second best record in the Eastern Conference.
They won their first two series in the 1993 NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers fairly easily, sweeping the Hawks 3-0 and the Cavaliers 4-0.
The 1993 NBA Eastern Conference Finals between the Bulls and their arch rivals the New York Knicks did not go as per Jordan’s plans.
The New York Knicks came blazing out of the gate winning the first two games. Jordan and the Bulls had not lost two playoff games back-to-back since the 1990 NBA playoffs.
However, the team and Jordan jumped back with stunning performances and won four games straight.
They then beat the Phoenix Suns – led by regular season MVP Charles Barkley – in six games to give Jordan is third NBA ring and first NBA three-peat.
Jordan’s first NBA ring returning from retirement
Jordan retired for the first time in 1993 after finding out about the tragic passing of his father. He went to play baseball – a sport his father had encouraged him to play.
However, in 1995, Jordan chose to return to the NBA halfway through the season. The 1995 season did not end as per Jordan’s or the Bulls’s expectations as they lost to the Orlando Magic in six games in the 1995 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The next season – 1995-96 – Jordan and the Bulls came back with a vengeance.
They won a record 72-games, and Jordan once again led the NBA in scoring.
The NBA Playoffs were just as entertaining as Jordan and the Bulls lost just three out of fifteen games to put NBA ring no. 4 on Jordan’s hand. Tis was Jordan’s most emotional championship since it was his first NBA championship without his father around.
Jordan’s second three-peat and last NBA ring
By the 1997-98 season, Jordan had played 12 seasons in the NBA. He had won five rings, and was the scoring champion for nine seasons.
However, at the start of the season there were rumblings that the team might be dismantled at the end of the season.
There was buzz that Phil Jackson would be replaced, and Jordan and some of the key Bulls members such as Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman were sure they did not want to play for anyone else.
The Bulls ownership stood steadfast in their decision. Jordan and Bulls decided to make one last run at the championship.
They finished the regular season with 62 wins – tied with the Utah Jazz for the best record in the NBA.
The 1998 NBA Playoffs started well for the Bulls – they swept the New Jersey Nets and beat the Charlotte Hornets in five games.
However, the Indian Pacers gave Jordan and the Bulls a hard time. They took them to a Game 7, but eventually lost.
Bulls then went on to play the Utah Jazz in the NBA Finals for the second time in two seasons. Jordan and the Bulls beat the Jazz in six games, giving Jordan his second career three-peat and NBA ring No. 6.
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