Joe Caldwell vs. Michael Jordan Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Michael Jordan and Joe Caldwell, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season

Who had the better rookie season? Who had best stats in their 10th season? Who won a championship first? These questions and many others, are answered here.

Joe Caldwell played 6 years in the NBA, 9 less than Michael Jordan, who played 15. Joe Caldwell had the first of his seasons in 1964-65, while Michael Jordan had his rookie season in 1984-85. With that starting point, here you can take a look at each of their seasons side by side and compare how their careers evolved in achivements, awards and championships won, the stats they recorded both in the Regular Season and the Playoffs and how their teams performed in the postseason.

Their Careers

Player
Total Seasons Playoffs Played NBA Years
Joe Caldwell 6 5 1964-65 to 1969-70
Michael Jordan 15 13 1984-85 to 2002-03

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15

Rookie Season

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season 1964-651984-85
Team Detroit PistonsChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement Rookie of the Year
Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayBulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 66 23.4 10.7 - - 6.7 1.8 - - - 2.6 4.4 11.8 .374 - - - 2.0 3.2 .614
Michael Jordan 82 38.3 28.2 2.0 4.5 6.5 5.9 2.4 0.8 3.5 3.5 10.2 19.8 .515 0.1 0.6 .173 7.7 9.1 .845
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 4 42.8 29.3 1.8 4.0 5.8 8.5 2.8 1.0 3.8 3.8 8.5 19.5 .436 0.3 2.0 .125 12.0 14.5 .828

Season 2

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season 1965-661985-86
Team Detroit Pistons, St. Louis HawksChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Hawks Lost West Div FinalsBulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 79 23.5 12.7 - - 5.5 1.6 - - - 2.6 5.2 11.9 .438 - - - 2.3 3.2 .705
Michael Jordan 18 25.1 22.7 1.3 2.3 3.6 2.9 2.1 1.2 2.5 2.6 8.3 18.2 .457 0.2 1.0 .167 5.8 6.9 .840
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 10 31.5 18.7 - - 5.5 1.6 - - - 2.9 7.8 16.9 .462 - - - 3.1 4.9 .633
Michael Jordan 3 45.0 43.7 1.7 4.7 6.3 5.7 2.3 1.3 4.7 4.3 16.0 31.7 .505 0.3 0.3 1.000 11.3 13.0 .872

Season 3

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season 1966-671986-87
Team St. Louis HawksChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Hawks Lost West Div FinalsBulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 81 27.9 13.8 - - 5.5 2.0 - - - 2.8 5.7 13.3 .426 - - - 2.5 3.8 .649
Michael Jordan 82 40.0 37.1 2.0 3.2 5.2 4.6 2.9 1.5 3.3 2.9 13.4 27.8 .482 0.1 0.8 .182 10.2 11.9 .857
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 9 24.1 12.2 - - 4.3 1.4 - - - 3.0 4.7 11.7 .400 - - - 2.9 4.3 .667
Michael Jordan 3 42.7 35.7 2.3 4.7 7.0 6.0 2.0 2.3 2.7 3.7 11.7 28.0 .417 0.7 1.7 .400 11.7 13.0 .897

Season 4

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season 1967-681987-88
Team St. Louis HawksChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Defensive Player of the Year
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement Steals Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs Hawks Lost West Div SemisBulls Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 79 33.4 16.4 - - 4.3 3.0 - - - 2.6 7.1 15.4 .463 - - - 2.1 3.7 .569
Michael Jordan 82 40.4 35.0 1.7 3.8 5.5 5.9 3.2 1.6 3.1 3.3 13.0 24.4 .535 0.1 0.6 .132 8.8 10.5 .841
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 6 24.7 5.3 - - 3.5 2.5 - - - 1.7 2.5 7.7 .326 - - - 0.3 2.5 .133
Michael Jordan 10 42.7 36.3 2.3 4.8 7.1 4.7 2.4 1.1 3.9 3.8 13.8 26.0 .531 0.1 0.3 .333 8.6 9.9 .869

Season 5

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season 1968-691988-89
Team Atlanta HawksChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Hawks Lost West Div FinalsBulls Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 81 33.6 15.8 - - 3.7 4.0 - - - 2.9 6.9 13.7 .507 - - - 2.0 3.7 .537
Michael Jordan 81 40.2 32.5 1.8 6.2 8.0 8.0 2.9 0.8 3.6 3.0 11.9 22.2 .538 0.3 1.2 .276 8.3 9.8 .850
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 11 36.7 14.7 - - 5.0 3.4 - - - 3.6 5.9 12.2 .485 - - - 2.9 6.3 .464
Michael Jordan 17 42.2 34.8 1.5 5.5 7.0 7.6 2.5 0.8 4.0 3.8 11.7 22.9 .510 0.6 2.1 .286 10.8 13.5 .799

Season 6

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season 1969-701989-90
Team Atlanta HawksChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement Steals Leader
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Hawks Lost West Div FinalsBulls Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 82 34.8 21.1 - - 5.0 3.5 - - - 3.1 8.2 16.2 .507 - - - 4.6 6.7 .688
Michael Jordan 82 39.0 33.6 1.7 5.1 6.9 6.3 2.8 0.7 3.0 2.9 12.6 24.0 .526 1.1 3.0 .376 7.2 8.5 .848
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 9 43.7 25.0 - - 5.0 4.2 - - - 3.8 10.3 22.0 .470 - - - 4.3 6.7 .650
Michael Jordan 16 42.1 36.7 1.5 5.7 7.2 6.8 2.8 0.9 3.5 3.4 13.7 26.6 .514 1.0 3.1 .320 8.3 9.9 .836

Season 7

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season -1990-91
Team -Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
-Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -NBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 82 37.0 31.5 1.4 4.6 6.0 5.5 2.7 1.0 2.5 2.8 12.1 22.4 .539 0.4 1.1 .312 7.0 8.2 .851
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 17 40.5 31.1 1.1 5.3 6.4 8.4 2.4 1.4 2.5 3.1 11.6 22.1 .524 0.6 1.5 .385 7.4 8.7 .845

Season 8

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season -1991-92
Team -Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
-Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -NBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 80 38.8 30.1 1.1 5.3 6.4 6.1 2.3 0.9 2.5 2.5 11.8 22.7 .519 0.3 1.3 .270 6.1 7.4 .832
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 22 41.8 34.5 1.7 4.5 6.2 5.8 2.0 0.7 3.7 2.8 13.2 26.4 .499 0.8 2.0 .386 7.4 8.6 .857

Season 9

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season -1992-93
Team -Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement Steals Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -NBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 78 39.3 32.6 1.7 5.0 6.7 5.5 2.8 0.8 2.7 2.4 12.7 25.7 .495 1.0 2.9 .352 6.1 7.3 .837
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 19 41.2 35.1 1.7 5.1 6.7 6.0 2.1 0.9 2.4 3.1 13.2 27.8 .475 1.5 3.8 .389 7.2 8.9 .805

Note: Michael Jordan didn't play in 1993-94.

Season 10

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season -1994-95
Team -Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Bulls Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 17 39.3 26.9 1.5 5.4 6.9 5.3 1.8 0.8 2.1 2.8 9.8 23.8 .411 0.9 1.9 .500 6.4 8.0 .801
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 10 42.0 31.5 2.0 4.5 6.5 4.5 2.3 1.4 4.1 3.0 12.0 24.8 .484 1.1 3.0 .367 6.4 7.9 .810

Season 11

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season -1995-96
Team -Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
-Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs -NBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 82 37.7 30.4 1.8 4.8 6.6 4.3 2.2 0.5 2.4 2.4 11.2 22.6 .495 1.4 3.2 .427 6.7 8.0 .834
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 18 40.7 30.7 1.7 3.2 4.9 4.1 1.8 0.3 2.3 2.7 10.4 22.6 .459 1.4 3.4 .403 8.5 10.4 .818

Season 12

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season -1996-97
Team -Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -NBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 82 37.9 29.6 1.4 4.5 5.9 4.3 1.7 0.5 2.0 1.9 11.2 23.1 .486 1.4 3.6 .374 5.9 7.0 .833
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 19 42.3 31.1 2.2 5.7 7.9 4.8 1.6 0.9 2.6 2.4 11.9 26.2 .456 0.7 3.5 .194 6.5 7.8 .831

Season 13

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season -1997-98
Team -Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
-Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs -NBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 82 38.8 28.7 1.6 4.2 5.8 3.5 1.7 0.5 2.3 1.8 10.7 23.1 .465 0.4 1.5 .238 6.9 8.8 .784
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 21 41.5 32.4 1.6 3.5 5.1 3.5 1.5 0.6 2.1 2.2 11.6 25.0 .462 0.6 2.0 .302 8.6 10.6 .812

Note: Michael Jordan didn't play in 1998-99, 1999-00 and 2000-01.

Season 14

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season -2001-02
Team -Washington Wizards
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 60 34.9 22.9 0.8 4.8 5.7 5.2 1.4 0.4 2.7 2.0 9.2 22.1 .416 0.2 0.9 .189 4.4 5.6 .790
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan ------- --- ----------

Season 15

Joe Caldwell Michael Jordan
Season -2002-03
Team -Washington Wizards
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan 82 37.0 20.0 0.9 5.2 6.1 3.8 1.5 0.5 2.1 2.1 8.3 18.6 .445 0.2 0.7 .291 3.2 4.0 .821
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Michael Jordan ------- --- ----------