Michael Jordan vs. Yao Ming: NBA Rankings Comparison

The ultimate statistical showdown: compare Michael Jordan and Yao Ming all-time NBA rankings. Explore their historical standing across total and per-game stats, regular season and playoffs. Who ranks higher?

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings / Games against each other

This in-depth analysis goes beyond basic career numbers to provide an unparalleled look at where Michael Jordan, with a career spanning 15 seasons from 1985 to 2003, and Yao Ming, with 8 seasons played from 2003 to 2011, stand among the league's historical elite..

Dive into a meticulous breakdown of their positions in every major statistical category—from scoring and rebounding to assists, steals, and blocks—across both regular season and their entire playoff careers. Our comprehensive tables offer side-by-side rankings, value comparisons, and key differences, ensuring you have all the definitive data to assess their historical impact.

First, review a concise summary of how they rank in NBA history in the main categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks) for both total and per-game stats, and below, you can then explore in detail all their stats and their historical rankings.

Michael Jordan vs. Yao Ming
Total Stats, Rankings Summary

Career Totals
Season Playoffs
Michael Jordan Yao Ming Michael Jordan Yao Ming
Points
5th
+300th
2nd
+300th
Rebounds
141st
+300th
40th
+300th
Assists
52nd
+300th
13th
+300th
Steals
4th
+300th
3rd
+300th
Blocks
126th
120th
34th
223rd
Years158134

Michael Jordan vs. Yao Ming
Per Game Stats, Rankings Summary

Career Per Game
Season Playoffs
Michael Jordan Yao Ming Michael Jordan Yao Ming
Points
1st
98th
1st
95th
Rebounds
+300th
87th
278th
84th
Assists
108th
+300th
69th
+300th
Steals
3rd
+300th
11th
+300th
Blocks
234th
31st
195th
67th

Comparisons on this page:

Their rankings for:
Season Totals - Playoffs Totals /
Season Per Game - Playoffs Per Game

Note: per game rankings include players with a minimum of games played

Career Totals,
Regular Season Rankings

Stats Rankings:

Michael Jordan Yao Ming Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Points
5th
+300th
+295 32,292 vs. 9,24723,045
Rebounds
141st
+300th
+159 6,672 vs. 4,4942,178
Assists
52nd
+300th
+248 5,633 vs. 7694,864
Steals
4th
+300th
+296 2,514 vs. 1892,325
Blocks
126th
120th
6 893 vs. 92027
Offensive Rebounds
177th
+300th
+123 1,668 vs. 1,233435
Defensive Rebounds
94th
260th
166 5,004 vs. 3,2611,743
Field Goals Made
5th
+300th
+295 12,192 vs. 3,3808,812
Field Goals Attempted
5th
+300th
+295 24,537 vs. 6,44518,092
3-Pointers Made
+300th
+300th
581 vs. 2579
3-Pointers Attempted
+300th
+300th
1,778 vs. 101,768
Free Throws Made
8th
265th
257 7,327 vs. 2,4854,842
Free Throws Attempted
12th
+300th
+288 8,772 vs. 2,9845,788

Games and Years:

Michael Jordan Yao Ming Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Games Played
108th
+300th
1,072 vs. 486586
Seasons
133rd
+300th
15 vs. 87

Rankings by Points Scored:

Michael Jordan Yao Ming Rk Diff. Values Diff.
40+ point games
2nd
278th
276 173 vs. 2171
50+ point games
2nd
-
31 vs. 031
60+ point games
4th
-
4 vs. 04
70+ point games
-
-
0 vs. 00

Career Totals,
Playoffs Rankings

Stats Rankings:

Michael Jordan Yao Ming Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Points
2nd
+300th
+298 5,987 vs. 5555,432
Rebounds
40th
+300th
+260 1,152 vs. 261891
Assists
13th
+300th
+287 1,022 vs. 29993
Steals
3rd
+300th
+297 376 vs. 9367
Blocks
34th
223rd
189 158 vs. 42116
Offensive Rebounds
36th
+300th
+264 305 vs. 76229
Defensive Rebounds
32nd
+300th
+268 847 vs. 185662
Field Goals Made
3rd
+300th
+297 2,188 vs. 1951,993
Field Goals Attempted
3rd
+300th
+297 4,497 vs. 3764,121
3-Pointers Made
63rd
+300th
+237 148 vs. 0148
3-Pointers Attempted
52nd
+300th
+248 446 vs. 0446
Free Throws Made
2nd
300th
298 1,463 vs. 1651,298
Free Throws Attempted
3rd
+300th
+297 1,766 vs. 1981,568

Games and Years:

Michael Jordan Yao Ming Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Games Played
19th
+300th
179 vs. 28151
Playoffs
45th
+300th
13 vs. 49

Rankings by Points Scored:

Michael Jordan Yao Ming Rk Diff. Values Diff.
40+ point games
1st
-
38 vs. 038
50+ point games
1st
-
8 vs. 08
60+ point games
1st
-
1 vs. 01
70+ point games
-
-
0 vs. 00

Career Per Game Averages,
Regular Season Rankings

Stats Rankings:

Michael Jordan Yao Ming Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Points per game
1st
98th
97 30.12 vs. 19.0311.10
Rebounds per game
+300th
87th
+213 6.22 vs. 9.253.02
Assists per game
108th
+300th
+192 5.25 vs. 1.583.67
Steals per game
3rd
+300th
+297 2.35 vs. 0.391.96
Blocks per game
234th
31st
203 0.83 vs. 1.891.06
Offensive Rebounds per game
+300th
89th
+211 1.56 vs. 2.540.98
Defensive Rebounds per game
187th
50th
137 4.67 vs. 6.712.04
Field Goals Made per game
2nd
125th
123 11.37 vs. 6.954.42
Field Goals Attempted per game
2nd
223rd
221 22.89 vs. 13.269.63
3-Pointers Made per game
+300th
+300th
0.54 vs. 0.000.54
3-Pointers Attempted per game
+300th
+300th
1.66 vs. 0.021.64
Free Throws Made per game
10th
48th
38 6.83 vs. 5.111.72
Free Throws Attempted per game
19th
69th
50 8.18 vs. 6.142.04

Career Per Game Averages,
Playoffs Rankings

Stats Rankings:

Michael Jordan Yao Ming Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Points per game
1st
95th
94 33.45 vs. 19.8213.63
Rebounds per game
278th
84th
194 6.44 vs. 9.322.89
Assists per game
69th
+300th
+231 5.71 vs. 1.044.67
Steals per game
11th
+300th
+289 2.10 vs. 0.321.78
Blocks per game
195th
67th
128 0.88 vs. 1.500.62
Offensive Rebounds per game
+300th
84th
+216 1.70 vs. 2.711.01
Defensive Rebounds per game
184th
59th
125 4.73 vs. 6.611.88
Field Goals Made per game
1st
131st
130 12.22 vs. 6.965.26
Field Goals Attempted per game
2nd
212nd
210 25.12 vs. 13.4311.69
3-Pointers Made per game
+300th
+300th
0.83 vs. 0.000.83
3-Pointers Attempted per game
+300th
+300th
2.49 vs. 0.002.49
Free Throws Made per game
3rd
37th
34 8.17 vs. 5.892.28
Free Throws Attempted per game
8th
48th
40 9.87 vs. 7.072.79

Note: the per game rankings on this page respect the minimums usually applied by the NBA for all-time leaders, 400 games for regular season stats unless the player reached these thresholds before: 10,000 points; 4,000 rebounds; 2,000 assists; 625 steals; 500 blocks; 250 3-pointers made. Also 3 minimum games for the Playoffs are applied.