SUMMARY
- Michael Jordan's record in the NBA Finals is 6-0 while LeBron James' record stands at 4-6.
- James has the most NBA Finals losses with 33.
LeBron James has had an impressive run in the NBA and he’s on the verge of playing his 22nd season. Over the years, James has challenged the legacies of some of the greatest players ever and he’s outplayed them in several ways. But only one player stands in his way from being the greatest NBA star of all time, Michael Jordan.
Jordan still remains an inspiring figure to most players of this generation. While he played with the Chicago Bulls, the 61-year-old legend made multiple playoff runs while winning a massive list of accolades as well. His career featured six NBA Finals appearances and his record in the championship rounds stands at 6-0.
LeBron James has the most losses in NBA Finals history
Michael Jordan’s NBA Finals history poses a major threat to LeBron James’ legacy. The 39-year-old has visited the NBA Finals 10 times in his career, while only winning four titles along the way. Overall, James has a championship series record of 22-33. Unfortunately, he has the most NBA Finals losses amongst several other players who have made multiple trips to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
On the other hand, Jordan has a record of 24-11 and the Bulls never went past six games in any of their championship matchups. Jordan averaged an impressive 33.6 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists per game while LeBron has only averaged 28.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game. LeBron has recorded the second most points and assists in NBA Finals history while ranking fourth in most rebounds.
Not LeBron James or Michael Jordan, but Bill Russell has had the most success in the NBA Finals
While both these individuals have had impressive title runs during their careers, only one person tops both of their records in the NBA Finals. The most successful player in the NBA Finals was none other than the legendary Bill Russell. The former Boston Celtics player made 12 trips to the championship rounds while winning 11 titles.
Bill Russell won a record 11 NBA championships and earned five MVP awards. He is one of only four players to be named to all four NBA anniversary teams (25th, 35th, 50th and 75th).
More on his extraordinary career ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/YWShOei3Mo
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) July 31, 2022
What’s even more impressive is that Russell won more than half of the franchise’s 17 titles. The Celtics are currently one game away from winning their 18th title to break a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers. Unfortunately, Russell passed away on July 31, 2022, and he went down to become the most successful champion in NBA history.