Michael Jordan, Alex English and the 900+ FGM All Star Non-Post Players

Throughout NBA history, dominant big men like Chamberlain, Jabbar, Moses and Karl Malone, McAdoo, O'Neal and Haywood made up-close baskets, down in the paint. Rarely have they ever hit 900 or more shots in a season, but the above players all did.

It would seem even more unlikely that a non-post player would hit for 900 or more actual field goals in a single NBA season. It has happened 29 times by only 11 different players. Fifteen of the times were by only two different players. These are the 11 players ranked in order from least times over 900 FG's (includes three pointers) made in a season to most.

These are the greatest non-post shooter-scorers from any and everywhere on an NBA court ever.   

11. Dominique Wilkins (One Time)

This electrifying small forward surprisingly only hit more than 900 field goals in a season once. In 1988, Wilkins connected on 909 shots from the field. Wilkins was fouled a lot during his career because he was hard to contain, but in 1988 he was uncontainable.  

10. Larry Bird (One Time)

The consummate team-player and champion, Larry Bird distributed, rebounded, played defense and found myriad ways to score.

In 1984-85, Bird connected on 918 field goals and was second in the league in scoring per game and in total points.

9. Mark Aguirre (One Time)

The two-time world champ scored when needed for the Pistons during the repeat. Before that, when he was with the Mavericks, he was a scoring machine.

In 1983-84, Aguirre connected on 925 shots from the field. Aguiree hit those shots from mostly mid-range, but he could hit the long shot and his heft helped him score down low, even though he was maybe 6'6".

8. Kobe Bryant (One Time)

A non-post player hitting over 900 field goals had not happened since 1997, but in 2006 Bryant had a doozy of a scoring season. He finished the season by hitting 978 shots from the field.

As was evidenced in his 81-point game, he hit these shots from literally everywhere.

7. Nate 'Tiny' Archibald (One Time)

Nate Archibald came from UTEP as a 5'11" point guard. The Kings knew he could score and pass, but they were in for one of the most amazing seasons by any player ever in 1972-73.

This minuscule guard became the only player ever (to this day) to lead the NBA in scoring and assists in the same season. This was 38 years ago!

Archibald ran the team flawlessly and he personally connected on an astonishing 1,028 shots from the field. Taking into consideration that he only weighed 155 pounds makes this single-season feat possibly the greatest single regular season by an individual of all-time.  

6. Adrian Dantley (Two Times)

Adrian Dantley was somewhat of a down-low sf/sg but he also hit from the outside often. In 1982, while playing for the Jazz, Dantley hit 909 shots from the field.

The season before that, 1980-81, Dantley connected on 914 shots from the field. He was holding down the fort before Karl Malone and Stockton took over.

5. Elgin Baylor (Two Times)

In 1962-63, Elgin Baylor created, established and still holds the Lakers all-time team record for field goals made by a player in a single season when he recorded 1,029 FGM. That is the only time in Lakers history that a player hit over 1,000 FGs in a season.

He hit over 900 in 1960-61 when he made 931 shots from the field. He was an inside force, but here we review his as a small forward.

4. Rick Barry (Two Times)

In 1967, Barry connected on an amazing 1,011 field goals for the season and a whole eight years later he connected on 1,028 from the field in 1974-75. Barry lifted his team to a title that year in an amazing personal season.

3. George Gervin (Three Times)

The smooth operator known as "The Iceman" scored more points per minute for his career than any player in NBA history ASIDE from Michael Jordan. It showed as the jump shooter hit on 947 field goals in the 1978-79 season for SA.

In 1981-82, Gervin connected on 993 field goals for SA.

In 1979-80, Gervin shot beautifully on his way to 1,028 field goals made for the regular season.

2. Alex English (Six Times)

Alex English scored more total points than ANY plyer in the entire 1980s and here is how: He was simply an amazing sharpshooter. His field goal percentage was so high that if he were in today's league I could easily see him averaging at least 35 points per game.

In 1984, he hit 907 field goals.

In 1989, he connected on 924 field goals.

In 1985, he made 939 field goals.

English hit 951 field goals in 1985-86.

In 1983, English connected on 959 shots from the field.

In 1986-87, Englsh hit an awesome 965 shots from the field but was overshadowed in 1987 by this man......

1. Michael Jordan (Nine Times)

Michael Jordan hit over 900 field goals in a season nine times, which is an all-time NBA record regardless of position. Eat your heart out Wilt, because the man with the highest scoring average in NBA history was a 6'5", 200 pound shooting guard.

In 1996, at age 33, Michael Jordan hit on 916 shots from the field.

In 1997, at age 34, MJ made 920 shots from the field, and was on his way to his fifth ring.

In Jordan's second title season he had already hit 943 shots from the field in the regular season.

In 'Air's' 1989 season he averaged eight assists per game to go with 966 hit field goals on the season.

Jordan took the Bulls to their first title in 1991 when he hit 990 regular season FGs.

In the third year of his three-peat (1993) Jordan hit on 992 shots from the field.

In 1990, Jordan connected on an outstanding 1,034 field goals.

In 1988, Jordan was Defensive Player of the Year and (WTF?) he also hit on 1,069 FG shots.

In 1987, Michael Jordan made 1,098 field goals.

SCORING MACHINE

Michael earned his rep as the greatest, not by myth, because his production was reality.