Player Efficiency Rating (PER)
The all-in-one per-minute efficiency metric developed by John Hollinger. League average is 15.0.
Career PER
LeBron Peak PER
Jordan Peak PER
Season-by-Season PER
LeBron James
| Season | Team | GP | PER |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-04 | CLE | 79 | 18.3 |
| 2004-05 | CLE | 80 | 25.7 |
| 2005-06 | CLE | 79 | 28.1 |
| 2006-07 | CLE | 78 | 24.5 |
| 2007-08 | CLE | 75 | 29.1 |
| 2008-09 | CLE | 81 | 31.7 |
| 2009-10 | CLE | 76 | 31.1 |
| 2010-11 | MIA | 79 | 27.3 |
| 2011-12 | MIA | 62 | 30.7 |
| 2012-13 | MIA | 76 | 31.6 |
| 2013-14 | MIA | 77 | 29.3 |
| 2014-15 | CLE | 69 | 25.9 |
| 2015-16 | CLE | 76 | 27.5 |
| 2016-17 | CLE | 74 | 27 |
| 2017-18 | CLE | 82 | 28.6 |
| 2018-19 | LAL | 55 | 25.6 |
| 2019-20 | LAL | 67 | 25.5 |
| 2020-21 | LAL | 45 | 24.2 |
| 2021-22 | LAL | 56 | 26.2 |
| 2022-23 | LAL | 55 | 23.9 |
| 2023-24 | LAL | 71 | 23.7 |
| 2024-25 | LAL | 70 | 22.7 |
| 2025-26 | LAL | 40 | 20.1 |
Michael Jordan
| Season | Team | GP | PER |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-85 | CHI | 82 | 25.8 |
| 1985-86 | CHI | 18 | 27.5 |
| 1986-87 | CHI | 82 | 29.8 |
| 1987-88 | CHI | 82 | 31.7 |
| 1988-89 | CHI | 81 | 31.1 |
| 1989-90 | CHI | 82 | 31.2 |
| 1990-91 | CHI | 82 | 31.6 |
| 1991-92 | CHI | 80 | 27.7 |
| 1992-93 | CHI | 78 | 29.7 |
| 1994-95 | CHI | 17 | 22.1 |
| 1995-96 | CHI | 82 | 29.4 |
| 1996-97 | CHI | 82 | 27.8 |
| 1997-98 | CHI | 82 | 25.2 |
| 2001-02 | WAS | 60 | 20.7 |
| 2002-03 | WAS | 82 | 19.3 |
Regular Season vs Playoffs
PER can shift in the playoffs as competition intensifies and game pace changes.
LeBron
Jordan
Analysis
Player Efficiency Rating (PER) is the single most-cited advanced statistic in basketball. Developed by John Hollinger, it condenses a player's per-minute contributions into a single number where 15.0 represents the league average. A PER above 20 is excellent; above 25 is MVP-caliber; above 27 is historically elite.
Michael Jordan holds the all-time career PER record at 27.9, a mark that has stood for over two decades. LeBron James ranks second all-time at 26.7. The gap between them is remarkably small — less than one full point — which speaks to LeBron's incredible consistency over 22 seasons.
Jordan's PER advantage comes largely from his otherworldly scoring efficiency and volume. In his prime (1987-1993), Jordan regularly posted PER values above 30, including a career-best 31.7 in 1987-88. LeBron's PER has been more consistent, staying above 25 for the majority of his career and peaking at 31.7 in 2008-09.
Context matters: PER was designed to measure offensive contribution more than defense. Jordan's DPOY-level defense is partially captured but understated. Similarly, LeBron's elite passing and floor-raising abilities are somewhat underweighted. Both players are far above the "elite" threshold, and the PER gap between them is smaller than the gap between either of them and the third-ranked player all-time.
FAQ
What is PER?
PER (Player Efficiency Rating) is a per-minute rating developed by John Hollinger that sums up all of a player's positive contributions and subtracts the negative ones. The league average is always 15.0. It accounts for scoring, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers, and shooting efficiency.
Who has the higher career PER, LeBron or Jordan?
Jordan has the higher career PER at 27.9 compared to LeBron's 26.7. Jordan holds the all-time career record, with LeBron ranking second.
What is a good PER?
A PER of 15.0 is league average. A PER above 20 is considered very good (borderline All-Star). Above 25 is MVP-caliber. Above 27 is historically elite. Both LeBron and Jordan are above 27 for their careers, which is extraordinary.