NBA: Top-50 players of all-time
Rest of the Top-50 (Rings):
50. James Harden (0)
49. George Gervin (0)
48. Gary Payton (1)
47. Russell Westbrook (0)
46. Elvin Hayes (1)
45. Dwight Howard (0)
44. Dolph Schayes (1)
43. Bob Petit (1)
42. Dominique Wilkins (0)
41. Jason Kidd (1)
40. Reggie Miller (0)
39. Ray Allen (2)
38. Paul Pierce (1)
37. James Worthy (3)
36. Rick Barry (1)
35. Walt Frazier (2)
34. Bob Cousy (6)
33. Clyde Drexler (1)
32. Julius Erving (1)
31. Allen Iverson (0)
30. Steve Nash (0)
29. Isiah Thomas (2)
28. John Havlicek (8)
27. Chris Paul (0)
26. David Robinson (2)
25. Karl Malone (0)
24. Elgin Baylor (0)
23. Patrick Ewing (0)
22. John Stockton (0)
21. Dwyane Wade (3)
20. Dirk Nowitzki (1)
19. Moses Malone (1)
18. Stephen Curry (3)
17. Charles Barkley (0)
16. Kevin Garnett (1)
15. Scottie Pippen (6)
14. Jerry West (1)
13. Kevin Durant (2)
12. Oscar Robertson (1)
11. Hakeem Olajuwon (2)
10. Kobe Bryant (5 Rings, 1 MVP, 25.1 PPG & 4.7 APG, -3): It's a consensus thought that Kobe modeled his game after MJ and it's obvious when comparing their games. Unfortunately, it meant that he had to be held to the same standard as (arguably) the greatest to ever lace them up. That's how Kobe wants it, though, and his resume holds up pretty strong. Kobe boasts five rings, which is tied for fourth most among the top-10, trailing only Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Kobe won three straight titles in the early 2000s alongside Shaquille O'Neal, and was inarguably the best player on the Los Angeles Lakers during their NBA Finals runs from 2008-2010. Oh, and we can't forget that he actually dropped 81 points in a game.
9. Shaquille O'Neal (4 Rings, 1 MVP, 23.7 PPG & 10.9 RPG, -1): I think Shaq is one of the hardest players to rank as he can really appear from anywhere between 3-10, depending on the specific argument. Shaq is simply the most dominant player in the 2000s and was a menace to defenders. They couldn't contain him because of his massive size, and the rare player that could, was never able to match him talent-wise. He grabbed his first three rings with the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant, and then added another won a couple of years later in 2006 with the Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade. He averaged 23.7 points and 10.9 rebounds, and earned three Finals MVP awards during his outstanding career. It's still shocking that he has just one MVP trophy.
8. Wilt Chamberlain (2 Rings, 4 MVPs, 30.1 PPG & 22.9 RPG, +1): The greatest stats known to man both on and off the court! Is half of it true? Probably not. Do I care? Not at all. This dude put up 100 points in one single game, averaged 50 points and 20 rebounds one season, and led the league in assists another year (just because someone said he couldn’t pass). No matter how much of a bad teammate he might have been: Men lie, women lie, but numbers don’t! Wilt averaged 30.1 points per game to go along with 22.9 rebounds, which are both out of this world. His points per game average is tied with Michael Jordan for the most within the top-10 players, and his rebounds average is higher than anyone, including his rival Bill Russell.
7. Larry Bird (3 Rings, 3 MVPs, 24.3 PPG & 10.0 RPG, -1): Bird's career is often matched to Magic Johnson's since they came into the league at the same time, just months after battling it out in the NCAA Tournament national title game. Bird got the better of Magic for the Rookie of the Year, as he averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, while leading the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals before bowing out to the Philadelphia 76ers. Bird would get his first ring the year after that in 1981, and would go on to add two more in 1984 and 1986. Bird also won three straight league MVPs from 1984-1986. Unfortunately, his career was cut short due to back injuries or he'd likely be even higher on this list.
6. Tim Duncan (5 Rings, 2 MVPs, 19.0 PPG & 10.8 RPG, +5): Duncan's inclusion in the top six will definitely be the most controversial decision here. For me, his longevity is incredibly important, especially when considering he was an important piece for his entire NBA career. Timmy is by far the most complete big I've ever watched in my lifetime. After all, who wouldn't want a 6'10 dude with athleticism, elite footwork in the post, brilliant help ability on defense, and sensational rebounding ability? Duncan's defensive career is one of the most underrated ever. He spent 20 years papering over any defensive mistakes his teammates made with superior positioning and his knowledge of the game. He was still a defensive plus in his 20th (!) season.
5. Bill Russell (11 Rings, 5 MVPs, 15.1 PPG & 22.5 RPG, +0): If there’s only one thing that matters, then there is no other answer for G.O.A.T. than the great Bill Russell. His numbers weren’t as prolific as some of his counterparts, but the most important individual award of the year, the NBA Finals MVP, is named after him for a reason. He won 11 rings in his illustrious career and it's impossible to deny just how dominant of a defensive player and rebounder he was. Russell became known for his shot blocking and his career average of 22.5 rebounds per game speaks for itself. It's also important to note that he won three consecutive NBA MVP awards from 1961-1963 (and again in 1965), when a lot of people thought Wilt Chamberlain was more skilled.
4. Magic Johnson (5 Rings, 3 MVPs, 19.5 PPG & 11.2 APG, -1): The name says it all: Magic! The first unicorn, a 6’9 pass first behemoth of a point guard. He is the archetype for the LeBron James or Ben Simmons type of player. He led one of the best nicknamed and most prolific teams of the NBA. He is also probably the best passer to ever hit the hardwood. Magic's playmaking ability truly has to be watched to be fully understood. When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar got injured and had to miss Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals, Magic stepped in for him, operating as his team's point center. Magic did everything that night. He scored 42 points, had 15 rebounds, and gave out seven assists on the way to his first of five titles. Oh and did I mention he was a rookie at the time?
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6 Rings, 6 MVPs, 24.6 PPG & 11.2 RPG, +1): The greatest center of all time and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. His career longevity and the peak of his prime make everyone else look infantile. Even though he’s not brought up as often as he should be, Kareem is inarguably a top five player ever. Kareem is still the NBA's all-time scoring leader, a factoid that points to his incredible longevity. He played 20 seasons in the league and only shot under 50 percent from the field in his last (age 41) season. What I find most impressive about Kareem's career: He won Finals MVP 14 years apart. Add in the fact that he invented maybe the single most unstoppable move of all-time with the skyhook, and he certainly deserves his spot on this list.
2. LeBron James (3 Rings, 4 MVPs, 27.2 PPG & 7.4 RPG, +0): Imagine taking a 6'8 guy, giving him a 44-inch vertical, making him insanely strong, make him an above average three-point shooter, give him the basketball brain of a cyborg, the passing of a savant, and the creativity of a jazz musician. Add in the ability to guard every position and captain a defense, and you just created LeBron James. For a lot of people, no one has ever been as good as this guy. His ability to control every aspect of the game allows whatever team he decides to play for to be contenders instantly. The best part about LeBron's career? He doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. He's coming off a year where he averaged an incredible 27.5 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.6 rebounds.
1. Michael Jordan (6 Rings, 5 MVPs, 30.1 PPG & 5.3 APG, +0): One of the things that frustrate me about the conversation that we as sports fans have about Michael Jordan: We often mythologize a player who needs no mythology. The truth about his career proves his brilliance through and through. His skillset was absolutely absurd. He had an elite midrange game, an unstoppable post fadeaway, an incredibly tight handle, giant hands that allowed him to finish at the rim in all kinds of creative ways, and absolute shutdown defensive ability. Both No. 23’s are transcendent in their own right, but MJ holds on to the top spot for at least one more year. Jordan finished with six titles in eight years, five NBA MVPs, and an average of 30.1 points per game.
Photo Credit: Cavaliers Nation.
