Michael Jordan's Top-10 NBA Rivals

Eleazar Gonzales breaks down the 10 NBA players who many consider as the greatest rivals of the legendary Michael Jordan and gave him his greatest battles.

Most people consider Michael Jordan the greatest player to play in the NBA for various reasons. For one, he amassed a wide collection of accolades -- including six NBA championships, six Finals MVP Awards, and five MVP Awards. For another, the way he put the Chicago Bulls on his shoulder -- transforming the franchise from bottom-dweller to championships winner -- said something about the MJ effect.

His Airness may have had a decorated 15-season career in the NBA, but that didn't mean he had it easy. Though Jordan looked unstoppable on the offensive end, there were a few players who managed to make life more difficult for No. 23.

Below are Michael Jordan's top-10 rivals:

Isiah Thomas

Even in the Netflix documentary "The Last Dance," Michael Jordan didn't hide how much he didn't like Isiah Thomas, then playing for the Detroit Pistons.

For one, Thomas's Pistons beat Jordan's Bulls in two straight years in the Eastern Conference playoffs from 1989 to 1990 en route to back-to-back championships. In 1991, the rivalry became more intense when the Pistons didn't shake the hands of Jordan's Bulls, who won the Eastern Conference Finals en route to the Bulls' first three-peat. That move from Thomas didn't sit well with Jordan and even hailed Thomas as the "second-best point guard of all time" behind Magic Johnson.

The Jordan-Thomas rivalry became so intense that there were rumbles MJ was among the U.S. players who didn't want Thomas to be on what became the U.S. Dream Team.

Thomas is a two-time NBA champion and a 12-time All-Star.

Isiah Thomas when he saw
Michael Jordan, for the very first time #NBA    #BullsNation pic.twitter.com/0hjoL4aN4C

— The Jordan Rules (@Rules23Jordan) June 7, 2023

The New York Knicks of John Starks and Patrick Ewing

There were plenty of loaded NBA teams and talented players who didn't win a single NBA championship because of Michael Jordan and the Knicks of John Starks and Patrick Ewing were among those unfortunate star-studded teams.

Even though Chicago had the Knicks' number during the 90s, Jordan and the Knicks were always a fun rivalry to watch, especially in the playoffs. Who could forget Starks dunking over Jordan? And Ewing almost single-handedly carrying the Knicks over his broad shoulders?

Many observers believe if you take Jordan out of the equation, the Ewing-Starks duo would have dominated the Eastern Conference.

March 10, 1996: New York’s Patrick Ewing drives and dunks during a 104-72 blowout win over Chicago.

Ewing finished with 26 PTS/14 REB and Derek Harper scored 23 PTS (4-8 3P) for the Knicks. Michael Jordan scored a game-high 32 PTS for the Bulls, who fell to 54-7 on the season. pic.twitter.com/919G8e6z2E

— NBA Cobwebs (@NBACobwebs) March 10, 2024

The Utah Jazz of Karl Malone and John Stockton

The Utah Jazz were another victim of being a loaded team playing during the Jordan era. Led by one of the best one-two punches in NBA history in Karl Malone and John Stockton, the Jazz made two straight NBA Finals trips only to bow to the Bulls of His Airness.

Malone winning the MVP Award in 1997 only fueled an otherwise fierce rivalry between Jordan and the Jazz. Even with the flu and the apparent poisoning, Jordan carried the Bulls to two straight championships against the Malone-Stockton tandem.

It's like Jordan telling Malone: "He can take the MVP, but I will take the championship."

It's that personal for Jordan.

Michael Jordan dropped 37 PTS to even the NBA Finals series 1-1 against the Jazz! (1998)

37 PTS
5 REB
3 AST
1 STL
1 BLK pic.twitter.com/VmByAfRito

— ThrowbackHoops (@ThrowbackHoops) June 15, 2024

Reggie Miller

Who could ever forget Reggie Miller's speech where he explained why no one should trash-talk Michael Jordan?

Miller became one of the NBA's best three-point shooters but had no championship to show for it just because he played during the best years of His Airness.

While many observers back then believed the Miller-led Indiana Pacers were ready to challenge the Bulls in the 90s, Indiana couldn't get over the hump and that was evident in the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals that the Bulls won in seven games.

25 years ago today, Reggie Miller hit the game-winner over Michael Jordan in Game 4 of the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals.

iconic. pic.twitter.com/XIGqKpPQOD

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 25, 2023

Magic Johnson

The one time Magic Johnson's Los Angeles Lakers faced off against Michael Jordan's Bulls happened during the 1991 NBA Finals, where the Bulls reigned supreme in five games. In that series, Jordan averaged 31.2 points, 11.4 assists, and 6.6 rebounds. And yet, many believe Johnson was one of Jordan's best rivals.

Though already good friends to this day, the rivalry between Magic and MJ started when MJ told the former the 90s were going to be his (Jordan's) after the 80s belonged to Magic and Larry Bird.

Magic, a five-time NBA champion and a three-time league MVP, is considered by Jordan as the best point guard of all time.

Jordan discusses his iconic hand-switching layup in Game 2

📺 NBA On NBC

1991 NBA Finals

Chicago Bulls vs Los Angeles Lakers

Game 3

June 7, 1991

📍Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California#NBA pic.twitter.com/wscpHnPRyY

— The Jordan Rules (@Rules23Jordan) December 26, 2023

Clyde Drexler

Nicknamed "The Glide," Clyde Drexler of the Portland Trail Blazers was believed to be the second-most-gifted player in 1992 next to Michael Jordan and it wasn't a fluke. The two met in the NBA Finals that year.

However, the notion that Drexler was in the same category as Jordan didn't sit well with Jordan, and he delivered his famous shrug against Drexler in the championship round -- proof he took things personally.

Michael Jordan getting cooked by Clyde Drexler?

Clyde was 6'7 222lb cooking Jordan and y'all think Jordan can lock up Bron who’s 6'9 250??? LMAOOOOOOOOOO (source NBA IG) pic.twitter.com/dxMbyfmrFC

— ADHD (@ADHDGoat) November 6, 2023

Charles Barkley

Of all his rivals, Jordan's friendship with Charles Barkley was a rocky one, and it ended in 2012 because of Barkley's criticisms of MJ as a team owner of the Charlotte Hornets.

Barkley and Jordan faced each other in the 1993 NBA Finals, where the Bulls beat Barkley's Phoenix Suns in six games. MJ averaged a whopping 41 points per game, while Barkley averaged 27.3 points and 13 rebounds.

Charles Barkley & Michael Jordan 📸 pic.twitter.com/8ZpmMK8FUU

— O.T.G (@365OTG) February 5, 2024

Larry Bird

Larry Bird, a three-time MVP, had a 17-11 record against No. 23. In fact, Bird was probably the only NBA legend who truly beat Jordan in the playoffs as Bird's Celtics had a 6-0 record against MJ's Bulls and that's something not everyone was mentioning in the GOAT debates.

Behind-the-scenes at the NBA at 50 celebration in 1997... listen in on some good-natured trash talk among friends and legends Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Julius Erving. #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/srPDcIVtM7

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) February 1, 2022

Gary Payton

Although he couldn't match up with Jordan's speed and vertical, The Glove had the defensive instincts that rivaled Jordan's. And that's just one of the reasons why Gary Payton won the 1996 Defensive Player of the Year -- the same year his Seattle SuperSonics faced the Bulls in the NBA Finals.

Payton averaged 18 points, 7.0 assists, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in the championship round against Chicago. Sadly, Seattle couldn't force a deciding Game 7 after winning Game 4 and Game 5.

HBD Gary Payton aka The Glove

◾️ Hall of Famer
◾️ NBA Champion
◾️ 9 x All-Star
◾️ 9 X All-NBA
◾️ 9 x All-Defense 1st Team
◾️ 2 x Olympic Gold
◾️ Greatest trash-talker ever?
◾️ Only point guard to ever win DPOY

pic.twitter.com/bTW1pUre7i

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) July 23, 2020

Scottie Pippen

Many fans today won't know the former Chicago Bulls teammates once played against each other with Scottie Pippen on the Portland Trail Blazers against Michael Jordan on the Washington Wizards.

As awkward as that matchup was even for purists, Pippen gained the upper hand in the one game against his former teammate.

Jordan vs Pippen, but in Wizards and Trail Blazers jerseys (2002) pic.twitter.com/SbFBwsTGd9

— Phil (Dixon) (@FilipmyCup) October 5, 2023