Question: when did michael jordan become the best player in the league

title: Michael Jordan
text: With five regular - season MVPs ( tied for second place with Bill Russell -- only Kareem Abdul - Jabbar has won more , with six ) , six Finals MVPs ( NBA record ) , and three All - Star Game MVPs , Jordan is the most decorated player in NBA history . Jordan finished among the top three in regular - season MVP voting 10 times , and was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 . He is one of only seven players in history to win an NCAA championship , an NBA championship , and an Olympic gold medal ( doing so twice with the 1984 and 1992 U.S. men 's basketball teams ) . Since 1976 , the year of the NBA 's merger with the American Basketball Association , Jordan and Pippen are the only two players to win six NBA Finals playing for one team . In the All - Star Game fan ballot , Jordan received the most votes nine times , more than any other player . ``