The top five greatest player seasons in pro basketball history

[J_Dee]

This covers almost all of the possible candidates:

Bird, 1985-1986
Curry, 2014-2015
Curry, 2015-2016
Dr. J, 1973-1974
Duncan, 2003-2004
Hakeem, 1993-1994
Jordan, 1987-1988
Jordan, 1990-1991
Jordan, 1991-1992
Jordan, 1992-1993
Jordan, 1995-1996
Jordan, 1996-1997
Jordan, 1997-1998
Kareem, 1970-1971
Kareem, 1979-1980
LeBron, 2011-2012
LeBron, 2012-2013
LeBron, 2015-2016
Magic, 1979-1980
Magic, 1986-1987
Mikan, 1948-1949
Shaq, 1999-2000
Robertson, 1963-1964
Wilt, 1961-1962
Wilt, 1963-1964
Wilt, 1966-1967

I'm basing my criteria off of personal accomplishments, team accomplishments, and popularity/cultural influence, in that order.

At the moment I'm going with:

Jordan, 1990-1991
Jordan, 1995-1996
Shaq, 1999-2000
Wilt, 1961-1962
LeBron, 2011-2012

Who ya got?

 

[WildcatFan1982]

Gheorghe Muersan 1998

 

[_Mav_]

World B. Free's 1979-1980 campaign (30.2 ppg) is the single greatest season ever.

 

[funKYcat75]

I feel like he may have given himself a few of these nicknames.

Michael Jeffrey Jordan

(Mike, Air Jordan, M.J., His Airness, Money, Black Cat, Mr. June, G.O.A.T., Superman, Captain Marvel, Black Jesus)

 

[GoofyMane1017]

Keith Bogans: 2009-2010

 

[BigTimeBecks3500]

It’s hard to overlook the sheer numbers wilt put up.

 

[TCPUKChamps]

Garnett 2003-04

 

[Freetaxreturn]

80’s Lakers 🍺

 

[bigblueinsanity]

It’s hard to overlook the sheer numbers wilt put up.

The list should probably be just 5 of his seasons. It's absurd what he did and how little credit he gets for it

 

[WildcatFan1982]

The list should probably be just 5 of his seasons. It's absurd what he did and how little credit he gets for it

There weren't any other tall people back then!

 

[wildcat1973]

Not enough love for Alcindor/Kareem here.

 

[AustinTXCat]

Honorable mention: Rick Barry, 1974-1975.

Only player in history to lead NBA, ABA and NCAA in scoring during one season or another. Won NBA title with GSW. Famous for underhand free throw technique.

Fun fact: Rick Barry's third and current wife, Lynn, earned her masters from UK and served as assistant Lady Cats basketball coach from 1981-1983.

 

[Nbacats]

Going to need to add Jokic's current season by the end of the season

 

[BMoore2]

This covers almost all of the possible candidates:

Bird, 1985-1986
Curry, 2014-2015
Curry, 2015-2016
Dr. J, 1973-1974
Duncan, 2003-2004
Hakeem, 1993-1994
Jordan, 1987-1988
Jordan, 1990-1991
Jordan, 1991-1992
Jordan, 1992-1993
Jordan, 1995-1996
Jordan, 1996-1997
Jordan, 1997-1998
Kareem, 1970-1971
Kareem, 1979-1980
LeBron, 2011-2012
LeBron, 2012-2013
LeBron, 2015-2016
Magic, 1979-1980
Magic, 1986-1987
Mikan, 1948-1949
Shaq, 1999-2000
Robertson, 1963-1964
Wilt, 1961-1962
Wilt, 1963-1964
Wilt, 1966-1967

I'm basing my criteria off of personal accomplishments, team accomplishments, and popularity/cultural influence, in that order.

At the moment I'm going with:

Jordan, 1990-1991
Jordan, 1995-1996
Shaq, 1999-2000
Wilt, 1961-1962
LeBron, 2011-2012

Who ya got?

Jordan, period. He had the highest PER in both the regular season and playoffs, as well as the greatest number of win shares-both regular season and playoffs. Pick any of his seasons beyond 1986-87, and you’ve got an all-time great individual season.

 

[Kooky Kats]

Wilt averaging 50/gm for a season is ridiculous… plus all the associated poontang puts him waaaay on top. Eff Jordan.

 

[Ron Mehico]

There weren't any other tall people back then!

What cracks me up is hearing younger people talk about how much better “athletes” are today. As if human beings have somehow evolved in the last 40 years into a super human from the old tortoise like man of the 1900s. Nothing points out how ridiculous this is better than the 100m dash. The very first one held was in 1912 and the record was 10.6. That was wearing GD chuck taylors on a dirt track after practicing for a month. 109 years later, after PEDS, rubber tracks, millions in equipment and decades of training the record is….9.6! Wow, a whole second faster wow!!

 

[ukalum1988]

No Bill Russell???

 

[J_Dee]

No Bill Russell???

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/russebi01.html

Overall, 1962-1963 was probably his best season.

Spoiler

78 games, 44.9 MPG
16.8 PPG, .432 FG%, .555 FT%
23.6 RPG
4.5 APG
18.2 PER, 13.5 WS (led the league in DWS, with 12.6)
All-Star, All-Star MVP
All-NBA First Team
MVP

Wilt led him (and the rest of the league) in minutes played (47.6), FG% (.528), RPG (24.3), PPG (44.8), WS (20.9), and PER (31.8). Boston won the Finals though (over Cincy and the Lakers):

13 playoff games, 47.5 MPG
20.3 PPG, .453 FG%, .661 FT%
25.1 RPG
5.1 APG
Championship

That's a great season but IMHO it doesn't hold up to most of the ones listed above.

 

[MrHotDice]

Red Auerbach says give me Bill Russell

 

[vhcat70]

Need to reduce the point totals of three-point shots by 1/3 to get all players on equal scoring footing.

Not sure how valuable Wilt would be today in the 3 point shot game. But valuable, yes. Not near so many blocks. And he easily missed the most FT's in NBA history: 5800.

 

[berniecarbo]

Red Auerbach says give me Bill Russell

Actually he also said give me Wilt. Back in the day, some of the mountain resorts of the northeast hired basketball players for jobs such as bell hops and they entertained the guests by playing games at night. Wilt was one of those bell hops and Red was the athletic director and basketball coach at the resort where Wilt worked. In those days, the NBA had territorial picks. Red tried to get Wilt to go to a college in the Boston area so he could draft Wilt for the Celtics. Kansas offered more money.