But decisions had to be made before deadline. At his peak, he was a dominant rim protector and an automatic double-team in the post, silently shredding defenses with his footwork, touch and pinpoint passing. … – 02 20. Many players made the NBA and played in this league. Likewise, he is also 15 time NBA All-Star, 8 All NBA First team. 3 during his career. Magic Johnson is arguably the greatest point guard to ever play the game. That may have cost him some jewelry -- he lost in the Finals eight times -- but his numbers hold up to anybody in Lakers history. A five-time league MVP and six-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, the Hall of Fame legend boasts the highest scoring average in league history in both regular season play and the playoffs. We may never see a 7’1”, 365-pound big that was as explosive, athletic, and quick as Shaq. A true dominant force on both sides of the ball, it’s still bewildering to watch old highlights and see how smooth Olajuwon was able to move in the paint for a player his size. Dominant seems like the only adjective to describe Shaq’s career. 4 YEARS AGO・NBA・5:02 share. Sure, his game has holes, and Bucks haters will say their run to the title was a breeze. Accolades: Hall of Fame, 14x All-Star, 10x scoring leader, 9x All-Defensive Team, Defensive Player of the Year, 6x NBA Champion. It’s guaranteed to get hardcore basketball fans in their feelings and, in our humble opinion, do a much better job than some of those other rankings floating around the interwebs that shall remain nameless. Robinson was a guy who really did it all, and his numbers prove that. Who is the best player of basketball? —AC, If you know The Big Fundamental’s backstory then you know the idea that he would become one of basketball’s greatest power forwards is preposterous. Who else is going to average 50.4 PPG for a season like Wilt did in the 1961-62 season? Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. A collection of profiles of some of the greatest basketball players, from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to James Worthy by Kofi Bofah on March 4, 2019. COMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. All Time Player Ranking In NBA History. We all know Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, and at least a handful of other stars can mess around and get a triple-double practically whenever they want. Splitting his time between the Bucks and Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar won three MVPs with each franchise and five of his six rings in Los Angeles. Written especially for young readers, Becoming Kareem chronicles how Kareem Abdul-Jabbar become the icon and legend he is today, both on and off the court. All you really need to know is that Abdul-Jabbar is the greatest center and it’s not even a debate. Ranking the 25 greatest players in NBA history Charles Barkley. Social media can be a blessing and a curse so please don’t buy into the nonsense that Bryant wasn’t as great as he was. The final two of those titles cemented Bryant in this top … But broaden the field a bit more, and you can go way beyond Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Sometimes I watch his reverse layup during the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the 1980 Finals against the Lakers and try to figure out how the hell he was able to stay in the air that long. All with a smile on his face and a cigar about to be lit. Sports Quiz / Top 100 NBA Players of All time Random Sports or Basketball Quiz Can you name the Top 100 NBA Players of All time as of 2021?? In Elgin Baylor: The Man Who Changed Basketball, Bijan C. Bayne tells the story of how a kid from the streets of segregated Washington, DC, who didn’t attend college until he was over twenty, revolutionized basketball and stood up for his ... Few guys in the league have ever affected the game in all facets like Antetokounmpo does, even if that 3-point shot forever remains a work in progress. Early in his career he was quicker and stronger than everyone else, but as he got older he was able to add more finesse to his game. An all-timer still carving out his place in the game, with only one spot to go. There is no better 5-on-5 basketball player than LeBron James. When you have more championship rings than fingers, you've earned your place in the top four. Thomas was a diabolical general who was able to score whenever he wanted and put his team on his back to will them to victory. Just look at the accolades. Bailey Howell was a six-time All-Star who finally made the Hall of Fame 26 years after retiring. Save it for future reference. Magic Johnson. Probably agreed with half of it, but was so respectful he wouldn’t say anything until later.” After hashing things out, Pop often let Duncan have his way. Rate 5 stars Rate 4 stars Rate 3 stars Rate 2 stars Rate 1 star Support Sporcle. Even with all those accomplishments people try to tear him down with advanced statistics like usage rate and efficiency. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time." But to get a clearer picture of the greatest NBA players of all time (this does not include the ABA era), all-time rankings from 15 different advanced statistics were used. The 5 Greatest NBA Players of All Time By Position. 2003-present: 27.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 7.4 apg, 236.1 Win Shares, 4-time MVP, 15-time All-NBA, 3-time champion. The Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James debate will never cease, but the fact that LeBron has already made it to this level is pretty damn amazing. —AC, You want to talk about underrated? The Mailman is undoubtedly one of the best NBA players of all time, from an individual’s standpoint. To me, that’s absolutely silly for a guy who still managed to win just as many or more titles than Bird, LeBron, Wilt, Magic, and Shaq. People forget that he dominated for years as a 6’6” power forward. His hybrid play, like Magic Johnson’s, was way ahead of its time. Obviously, Leonard’s regular-season resume isn’t as strong as others on this list due to injuries and being in that Spurs system, but his playoff performances smokes a lot of people on this list as well. The Warriors never win three titles without Curry. But now that he’s earned his first championship, Antetokounmpo’s entered rarified air. LeBron James, also known as King James is one of the greatest players in the history of basketball. He played at the highest level on both sides of the floor and like Bill Russell before him knew exactly what he had to do to help his team win day in and day out. Best Scorers EverJerry West. Ahhhh fan voting, you have failed me again. Take a moment and look at the NBA logo. ...Allen Iverson. Of the top 50 all-time leading scorers in nba history, here's the list of players 6'0" or shorter: Allen Iverson.Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk Nowitzki marveled basketball fans from around the world playing on the Dallas Mavericks for over two decades. : Live COVID-19 updates, Astronauts complete NASA spacewalk to prepare for International Space Station power boost. With such amazing numbers, you will always see him in the top 10 NBA player of all time. “He’s an enigma in some ways. Jared Harper 5’10 – New York Knicks. He appeared in the Finals in nine of his first 12 NBA seasons, winning five times. —ZF, While we can argue all day and night about the value of the triple-double in today’s position-less game, when Oscar Robertson became the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double over a season it was nothing short of monumental. NBA Teams by First 3 Letters 2. 1. He dropped over 30,000 points in his career, won a NBA MVP award, made 14 All-Star appearances, and racked up countless other honors over his career. As each individual involved in this incredibly difficult and necessary endeavor lobbied for the player they thought deserved proper billing, we quickly realized it was going to be hellacious coming to a consensus. He won All-Star Game MVP honors in 2013, led … In 1997, the 50 greatest NBA players of all time were assembled at Gund Arena during the halftime ceremony of the NBA All-Star Game. Pomerantz portrays the other legendary figures in this story: the Warriors’ elegant coach Frank McGuire; the beloved, if rumpled, team owner Eddie Gottlieb; and the irreverent p.a. announcer Dave “the Zink” Zinkoff, who handed out ... Resume: 21 seasons, 1 NBA championship, 1 regular season MVP Award, 9-time All-NBA selection, 15-time NBA All-Star, NBA All-Star Game MVP, 1 Defensive Player … —AC, Elgin Baylor never won a ring. His career will undoubtedly always be tied to the failures to win a ring, but the production was always there for Malone. Sports historian Robert W. Cohen has chosen the best to ever wear the uniform, and he provides a short biographical profile, key stats, and details about each players exploits on the court. JOHN HAVLICEK: The Boston Celtics all-time great is one of four players in league history to have won eight or more NBA titles. Who are the greatest players in the history of the National Basketball Association? He is one of the best rebounders to ever play the game, coming in at number eight all-time on the total rebounding list. The Admiral was able to do it all and then some. He won five championships during his time with the Lakers, and he made 12 All-Star teams. —AD, Some of us are willing to die on the “Wilt Chamberlain Belongs on the NBA’s Mt. The Bad Boys wreaked havoc on the NBA’s Holy Trinity of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan and most of the damage that was done was on the orders of the 6’1” point god. When the Complex Sports crew started to put together this list, we didn’t waffle over whether LeBron deserved to be ranked higher than MJ. He could become the first player to be a Finals MVP with three different teams. For myself, I’ll never forget Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals. By The Capital Sports Report Staff. Famous for his ‘skyhook’ shot, this high-scoring Hall of Fame centre set records by winning six NBA MVP awards and earning 19 All-Star selections. Ranking the 10 best NBA teams heading into the 2018-19 season 10. New Orleans Pelicans 9. Denver Nuggets 8. Toronto Raptors 7. Los Angeles Lakers 6. Utah Jazz 5. Oklahoma City Thunder 4. Philadelphia 76ers 3. Houston Rockets 2. Boston Celtics 1. Golden State Warriors NBA Top 5 Scorers per Letter 1. What's more, Kobe could dominate on both ends, as evidenced by his 12 All-Defense selections. "Traces the life of one of the most legendary basketball players in the history of the sport, drawing upon interviews with Jordan's friends, family, and teammates, and following his career from college to the NBA."--Provide by publisher. Feb 10, 2018. And let’s be honest, you’re being naive if you don’t think he has a chance to take the No. Did he always channel his talents in the most productive directions? 10. The moments he delivered in South Beach will live in basketball infamy. Did you really watch Kobe Bryant for 20 years and say to yourself, “Well he’s not that efficient so I don’t think he’s great as he’s portrayed”? —AC, Yet another tough ranking. He’s a 7’ guard. Wilt Chamberlain is ranked higher on this list because his numbers are just too ridiculous, but he couldn’t beat Bill even with Jerry West and Elgin Baylor’s help. Now just look at the NBA today. Kevin Durant Net Worth: $170 Million Kevin Durant with the Warriors in 2019. So was this: Those Warriors teams remained dominant with Steph on the floor and Durant on the bench, but not the other way around. Kobe Bryant. Facundo Campazzo 5’10 – Denver Nuggets. J’ went on to win a third title and a fourth MVP award after joining the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers. Greatest NBA Players of All Time. He is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. —AC, As someone who personally has LeBron James as No. An NBA champion with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1971, ‘The Big O’ was a brilliant point guard who could beat you with his scoring, by setting up his teammates with assists, or by picking up a pile of rebounds. The only man to score 100 points in a single NBA game, and the only one to average 50 points per game over an entire season, Hall of Fame legend Wilt Chamberlain also managed to lead the league in assists one year, showing he was more than just a relentless scoring machine. Erving is the bridge between the NBA's ground-bound past and it's high-flying present, the first in a long line of forwards who could beat you just as easily above the rim as they could beneath it. Are games decided in the final few minutes? 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