Jerry West was that lethal shooting the ball—an absurd 47.4 percent for his career—and retired after the 1974 season ranked in the top 5 in points scored, points per game, free throws made, and assists. With Kobe Bryant by his side (sort of), Shaq won three consecutive NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2000 to 2002. The Top 5 NBA Players of All-Time by Position, Top 10 Best Players Overall of All-Time. We all know what he’s done and will continue to do for at least a few more years. One of a select group of six players to break the 30,000-point plateau in career scoring, Nowitzki led the Dallas Mavericks to their first NBA championship in 2011. The greatest player of all time. Go Orange. They were chosen in 1996 by a panel of former players … 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Nate Archibald. Paul Arizin. Charles Barkley. Rick Barry. Elgin Baylor. Dave Bing. Standing at 6-foot-9, he was one of the hardest players to defend in the NBA. He’s one of the best rebounders of all time, as he averaged 22.3 RPG FOR HIS CAREER! 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. In Robinson’s case, his greatness was never flashy, but his presence and play helped propel the San Antonio Spurs dynasty, which was of course then carried on by Tim Duncan. 9. An eyes-in-the-back-of-his-head passer, he made everyone around him better. With his unique skillset offensively, it was on the defensive end where KG was at his best. by Gangsterls Plays Quiz Updated May 3, 2021 . This book is full of revelations: about fascinating personalities and their drive to win; about the wellsprings of motivation and competition at the highest levels; and about what it takes to bring out the best in ourselves and others. From opening a school in his hometown to building his own media empire, LeBron has consistently done everything we’ve expected from him and then some. Anybody else going to averaged 22.9 RPG during their career like Wilt did? 17 because of the way he changed the game. All the players on this list have a case for being the greatest of all-time. Covering NBA greats such as Bob Pettit, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant, this book will appeal to basketball fans of all generations, and to any NBA fan interested in the history of the game. Now immortalized in basketball’s Mount Olympus — the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame located in Springfield, Massachusetts — Boston Celtics legendary small forward Paul Pierce is undeniably ensconced among the greatest to ever play the game. Johnston was able to rack up more than 10,000 points and nearly 6,000 rebounds in his brief tenure, averaging 19.4 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. ... Maybe the upcoming 2019-20 season will provide new entries for the all-time best … His two Finals MVPs came 14 years apart, which speaks to his incredible longevity as an elite player. By The Capital Sports Report Staff. They breath different air than the rest of us and that’s ok. LeBron’s book isn’t finished yet and he could add a few more titles along the way, but let’s not also ignore everything he’s done over his career off the court. 1979-92: 24.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 6.3 apg, 145.8 Win Shares, 3-time MVP, 10-time All-NBA, 3-time champion. Maybe, just maybe LeBron James surpasses him in another four or five seasons, but it’s going take a herculean effort on The King’s part to supplant the greatest center ever whose longevity is practically unrivaled. Tim Duncan Career Accomplishments: 5x NBA Champion (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014), 3x NBA Finals MVP (1999, 2003, 2005), 2x NBA MVP (2002, 2003), 15x All-Star, 10x All-NBA First Team, 3x All-NBA Second Team, 8x All-Defensive First Team, 7x All-Defensive Second Team, Rookie of the Year (1998), Most All-Defensive Teams in NBA History, 14th All-Time … A 19-time All-Star who 15 times finished in the top 5 of the MVP voting, we’ll spare you from listing out all his accolades because you’d be scrolling this fine piece of #content for hours. And who do you give the nod to between three legendary point guards—Chris Paul, Steve Nash, and Jason Kidd—when there’s only room for one? Like Magic Johnson before him, Garnett raised the bar as to what a man of his size could do on the court. He earned just about every individual honor a superstar can earn, most especially six MVPs (one more than Russell and Jordan) and he’s still the only player in league history to win an MVP despite his team not making the playoffs. Bird’s been supplanted by someone else on that mythical list, but the Hick from French Lick is forever a Legend. In 2021, Russell Westbrook’s net worth is an estimated $170 million. 12. 1 / 21. #2 LeBron James. This man won three in a row, left to play baseball, then came back to win three in a row again, and then he came back one more time and was one of the oldest players to average 20 PPG and to score 40-plus in a game. The composition of players who make up the list of the greatest to ever step foot onto an NBA court will be debated for eternity. Kobe, a two-time scoring champ, is the fourth-leading scorer of all time and is in no danger of being caught by anyone any time soon. A three-time champion who won three consecutive MVPs in the mid-80s, Bird knocked down daggers like it was nothing and loved ripping out the hearts of his rivals while talking some of the most underrated trash. He almost averaged a triple-double his rookie season before his iconic campaign during the 1961-62 season when he was good for 30.8 PPG, 12.5 RPG, and 11.4 APG a night. Probably not, and efficiency is what keeps him in this spot. Zion Williamson, Pelicans. Tremont Waters 5’10 – Boston Celtics. Rushmore” hill because nobody changed the game like Wilt the Stilt did. Rate 5 stars Rate 4 stars Rate 3 stars Rate 2 stars Rate 1 star Support Sporcle. With a new Afterword by the author. “The absolute definitive work on the subject, a perfectly wonderful once-you-pick-it-up-you-won’t-be-able-to-put-it-down book.”—The Boston Globe “An Olympic hoops dream.”—Newsday “What ... the primary member of the 50/90/40 club, He played his entire professional career for Boston, winning three NBA … Found insideHut, Hut, Hike! This engaging volume serves as an introduction to some of the greatest athletes to grace the gridiron. After he and Kobe split, Shaq added a fourth crown while playing with Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat in 2006. Yes, that number is somehow correct. Indeedy. Players don’t choose the era they play in, all we can do is look at who dominated it. He was named Finals MVP twice and league MVP once. I can only imagine how that shit looked back in those days. Pete Maravich was one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. Who are the greatest players in the history of the National Basketball Association? —AC, You want to talk about underrated? For this list, he lands at No. ), yet I feel like he’s been underappreciated because of all those years carrying mid teams on his back in Minnesota. LeBron James, also known as King James is one of the greatest players in the history of basketball. They couldn’t guard him. There’s virtually no formula to stop him. He was overshadowed by Duncan, whose numbers are slightly better, but Garnett was by far the more fun player to watch. Stockton? Kidd? How good was Julius Erving in the ABA? These are only a few of the questions that have launched a thousand heated debates among NBA fans--and you can find the answers here, from the one and only "Mr. Stats. He finished his career averaging 19.5 points, 11.2 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game. Bogut is without a doubt Australia’s greatest NBA player of all-time.Drafted in 2005 to the Bucks with the first pick, the first Australian ever Drafted number one. Markus Howard 5’10 – Denver Nuggets. It was probably like watching an alien. Even more impressive for the context of Hakeem’s career is that he did all of this while big men ran the NBA (outside of Michael Jordan). The word legend is thrown around all too easily these days, but there can be no doubt that the NBA players featured in this book are the very best to have ever graced a basketball court. It’s the playoff excellence that helps elevate Duncan above the more physically and athletically gifted contemporary power forwards like Karl Malone and Kevin Garnett. When critics questioned his all-around ability, he became the game's most dominant defensive player at his position. When teams decided to close down th That outstanding performance earned Curry a unanimous selection as league MVP. Dr. J floated through the air as his lanky limbs cut to the rim and his hair blew in the wind. Kobe Bryant. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. 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. I like both lists, and they were compiled by folks with a lot more NBA know-how than I. Barkley started J-ing people up and shooting threes, forcing opponents to guard from all over the court and not just on the block. Haters will counter that Wilt played against a bunch of stiffs in the 60s and 70s when the idea that a 7’1” center could be the most athletic player on the court was reserved for comic books. The numbers all show that Malone is easily a top 20 player in NBA history. Almost up until deadline, we debated whether Shaquille O’Neal, inarguably one of the best big men in NBA history and a true disruptor on the court, deserved to be ranked higher than the late, great Kobe Bryant. Several weeks ago, SLAM magazine produced its list of 100 greatest NBA players of all time. 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. Jared Harper 5’10 – New York Knicks. The No.1 overall pick in the 1958 NBA Draft, the Rookie of the Year in 1959, an 11-time All-Star, and an astounding 10-time First-Team All-NBA selection, Baylor more than lived up to the hype when he entered the league and left it averaging 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds per game. From Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, young hoops fans can read about eleven legendary players in this exciting look at basketball's greatest slam-dunking, hoop-hanging superstars. A four-time MVP, ‘Wilt the Stilt’ was also a two-time NBA champion, winning one title with his hometown Philadelphia 76ers and a second with the Los Angeles Lakers. All Time Player Ranking In NBA History. LeBron James. Michael Jordan. 1997-2016: 19.0 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 2.2 bpg, 206.4 Win Shares, 2-time MVP, 15-time All-NBA, 5-time champion. While the Diesel collapsed defenses, Steph expands them, taking the 3-point philosophy of Mike D’Antoni and turning it up a couple notches. 1969-89: 24.6 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 2.6 bpg, 273.4 Win Shares, 6-time MVP, 15-time All-NBA, 6-time champion. J” Erving has caused some controversy in the basketball world. He’s made five All-NBA squads, four times he’s been named to one of the NBA’s All-Defense teams, he’s an All-Star MVP, and was the Most Improved Player of the Year in 2017. Shouldn’t that tell you something? “MJ” accomplished everything possible in the game, piling up on the stats and awards. Likewise, he is also 15 time NBA All-Star, 8 All NBA First team. The NBA GOAT criteria has some holes, but after years of listening to debates, looking at numbers, and observing trends, this is the result. Hakeem Olajuwon. We help YouTubers by driving traffic to them for free. Who will ever score 100 points in a game like Wilt did? When Michael Jordan picks you at Center in her all-time starting five you know you were a great player. There will never be another Michael Jordan. A five-time NBA champion and three-time MVP, Johnson’s career came to an abrupt end in 1991 after he revealed he was HIV-positive. 1 spot on this list when his career is over. Who is the shortest NBA player 2021? 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. Meta.reviews compiled its ranking of the best players, which takes into account not only sports records, but also achievements in public life, the film industry, and even the fight for human rights.. 5. So was this: Those Warriors teams remained dominant with Steph on the floor and Durant on the bench, but not the other way around. Instead, the politicking and petty attacks on each other’s basketball intelligence got really heated, over multiple Zoom calls and text threads, when we tried to properly rank Shaq and Kobe and a bunch of point guards toward the bottom of our 30 Best NBA Players of All Time list. Nobody could.” —AC, The Admiral. From dropping 41 in back-to-back games to the block in Game 7, LeBron leveled up in 2016. The five MVPs is also something to note. This book charts the progress of integration in basketball, from the first black professional basketball player in 1902 to the modern game. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Wilt Chamberlain. He agreed to participate in the film only after LeBron James won his third championship in 2016 and the notion that he might no longer be the greatest player in NBA history began to gain some momentum. Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs (1997-2016) Timothy Theodore Duncan is an American former professional basketball player and coach. Found inside – Page 1Showcasing one of professional basketball's best players, this book spotlights the life and career of hardcourt superstar LeBron James. Who is the best coach of all time? A member of the ultra-exclusive 50-40-90 shooting club, his 6-9 length and high release allowed him to get his shot off against anybody. Live footage of my top 10 players dunking over yours.. Magic made the game fun—that’s what made Magic so special as a player. Found insideFrom Bill Russell to Steph Curry, all the greatest take flight toward the hoop in this perfect book for young fans"--Page [4] cover. Unless noted otherwise, statistics courtesy of NBA.com , Basketball Reference , Team Rankings , and ESPN.com In 1994, the Hall of Fame centre became the only player in NBA history to be named MVP, defensive player of the year, and Finals MVP all in the same season. "The Big Dipper" scored 100 points in a single game. But broaden the field a bit more, and you can go way beyond Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Alerts. At his size, with his full-court speed, post game, ball skills and flare for the dramatic, it's fair to say we'll likely never see another player like Magic. Therefore, this team can make a case to be the greatest NBA team of all time, given their star power, roster composition, and overall achievements. Curry is easily one of the most influential players to lace ‘em up. Clutch" averaged more points per game for his career than Kobe Bryant, is the only player in team history to have led the NBA in both points and assists (albeit in separate seasons), made five All-Defensive Teams and won the first Finals MVP -- despite losing that series. 1996-2016: 25.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.7 apg, 172.7 Win Shares, 1-time MVP, 15-time All-NBA, 5-time champion. 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. Abdul-Jabbar wasn’t physically dominant the way Wilt or Shaquille O’Neal was, but his fluidity was something special for someone of his gargantuan size. —ZF, Before he was known as The Logo, his teammates called him Mr. In 251 playoff games, he averaged 19.9 PPG and 11.0 RPG. He reached a different plane of basketball greatness that only himself and Jordan occupy. He was the gold standard and wholly worthy of being cast as the league’s logo, even if he not so secretly disdains the honor. Found insideThe ultimate book for young sports fans is back with the past year's top sports stories, including the biggest wins from the thrilling Tokyo Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Updated March 16, 2021. —ZF, Crazy that Chuck is now underrated. For a guy his size to go out and drop 48 on the road against the heavily-favored Los Angeles Lakers is straight-up unbelievable. What a waste of a name if he didn’t make it.” Malone made that name synonymous with rebounding, winning, and ultimately, immortality. Kevin Garnett. He got 49 rebounds in a game, something most TEAMS in the NBA now can’t get. 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. A seven-footer who is also an exceptional shooter, Nowitzki’s effectiveness and versatility from outside the paint helped usher in a game-wide change in big man play. But the rest of this class left a lot to be desired. 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 … He was a two-time NBA MVP, appeared in 14 All-Star games, and made First Team All-NBA an insane 11 times. After starting his professional basketball career as a point guard with the Cincinnati Royals (now Sacramento Kings), Oscar ruled the NBA, topping the score chart in the 1960s. No guard has ever dominated the league like he did, which helps his case when you see him on the top of everyone’s list. Next on our list of the ‘best NBA players’ is Larry Bird, who is often considered the greatest Celtics player and small forward of all time. We felt as though we had to put our chips on the table to really begin that debate in earnest. 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. With all that being said, here are my top 11 NBA players of all time. One day, Michael Jordan may have to cede the title of greatest ever to LeBron James, or maybe even another challenger to the throne. He’ll then pull-up from halfcourt and make it 43.5 percent of the time. 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?? Praise or pillar the selections as you see fit. The former basketball star speaks out on Bill Russell, race relations, the NBA, sex, women, Kareen Abdul-Jabbar, and many other hot topics. Reprint. 4× NBA Most Valuable Player (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013) 15× NBA All-Star (2005–2019) 7 - Wilt Chamberlain. Regardless, you can’t deny how dominant of an offensive force the Greek Freak is in the paint, how incredible of a defender he’s worked to become, and how inspiring his journey from a skinny kid in Athens to NBA superstar is. There should be no shock that Dwyane Wade lands on this list. The former Philadelphia 76er great announced some of his favorite players of all time. Who are the best NBA players of all time? Larry Bird. That’s flat out impressive. —AD. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time." “When Timmy first got here, it was like mental telepathy. The arena on Biscayne will always reside in Wade County. Are games decided in the final few minutes? Does the team with the best player usually win?Thinking Basketball challenges a number of common beliefs about the game by taking a deep dive into the patterns and history of the NBA. Blocks and steals weren’t tallied back then, but there are researchers that claim Russell averaged anywhere between 8-12 blocks per game. Tim Duncan, the best rebounder the game’s seen since Moses Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, finished 9,000 boards behind Chamberlain despite playing five more seasons than the legendary lothario. A collection of profiles of some of the greatest basketball players, from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to James Worthy Not only is he the greatest winner in all of American sports, Russell is also both the smartest and best defensive player to ever pick up a basketball. 1. Top 10 Greatest NBA Players of All Time. —AC, Zeke’s legacy has been somewhat tarnished over the years by the opinions of his peers and the off-the-court issues he brought on himself while in the Knicks’ front office. He helped revolutionize the power forward position even more so than Tim Duncan did (he’s a center! What's more, Kobe could dominate on both ends, as evidenced by his 12 All-Defense selections. The captain of the “Showtime” Lakers should firmly be included on anyone’s NBA top 5 list. You can argue about competition level, but Chamberlain was basically the Babe Ruth of basketball during his era. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich put it best when the franchise retired Duncan’s jersey. And so on. But as great as he was in the regular-season, West shined in the playoffs. A no-brainer Naismith Hall of Famer inductee in 1977, the only thing missing from his sterling resume was a championship. 10. No single statistic is all-encompassing, and to be clear, some context is always needed. Despite going to nine NBA Finals with the Lakers, West won only one title in 1972. 20 Best NBA Players Of All Time – #20-16. Each matchup took into consideration many […] One of the greatest What Ifs in NBA history revolves around Bird’s back that he infamously injured while paving his mother’s driveway during the summer of 1985. Some will love the rankings, others will loathe them. West's only crime was sharing a league with Bill Russell. Top 10 RICHEST NBA Players of All Time Heres the official list of the richest NBA players in history. For now, however, His Royal Airness rests alone as the crown prince of basketball royalty. —AD, To me, Kevin Durant is the most skilled offensive player ever to play the game. Other impressive stats are that Robertson led the league in assists per game 7 times in 13 seasons, led the league in minutes per game once with 45.6 per game, and led the league in scoring once. 1. This article was gathered automatically by our news bot. The only player in history to come close to matching his winning is Michael Jordan. —ZO, Let’s get this out the way first: this isn’t a reactionary decision to Kobe Bryant’s passing. Pippen is inarguably one of the greatest defenders in NBA history having made 10 All-Defensive squads (8 First-Team selections) during his 17-year career and regularly stifled the opposition’s best player like it was nothing. —AC, The rare legend that bounced around the NBA during his days in the league, know that Malone playing for seven different franchises in the Association shouldn’t distract from the fact he is easily one of the best centers of all time. 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”? The year before, Curry won MVP honours while leading the Warriors to their first NBA championship in four decades. 1. We’re already seeing Steph’s impact on basketball as kids start launching from deep earlier than ever in their young careers and on the league with NBA teams putting the mid-range jumper out to pasture and fully embracing the 3-pointer. Now immortalized in basketball’s Mount Olympus — the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame located in Springfield, Massachusetts — Boston Celtics legendary small forward Paul Pierce is undeniably ensconced among the greatest to ever play the game. He's simply one of the five best players ever, period. 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. Since he wasn’t flashy, often was called dirty, wore those short shorts, wasn’t an athletic outlier, and benefited immensely from playing his entire career with Karl Malone, his brilliance is easily forgotten. Magic simply changed the game of basketball when he burst onto the NBA scene out of Michigan State in 1979. The NBA is a superstar-driven league. Magic Johnson is not the highest-ranked Laker on our list. Perfect for fans of Moneyball and The Book of Basketball, this vivid, thoroughly entertaining, and well-researched book explores the NBA’s surge in popularity in the 1970s and 1980s and its transformation into a global cultural ... Entire 19-year career with the 13th Overall pick what keeps him in the history of the greatest NBA players all... About best PGs in NBA history, assiduously ranked and finished top five in the of... For that stuff, as someone who personally has LeBron James has earned his on! The 5 greatest FOREIGN NBA players of all time, hundreds of legendary basketball players have stepped onto the.. Boards on a nightly basis at his Position all his teammates called the! 1956-69: 15.1 ppg, 7.4 apg, 172.7 Win Shares, 6-time MVP, 17-time,... 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