One of the few who was snubbed but truly deserved to be named one of the NBA’s 50 greatest, Wilkins was an All-Star nine times and an All-NBA selection seven times. Nowitzki climbed up the charts in career all-time scoring, all the way to sixth place with 31,560 points. Pierce could score inside and out and was a fantastic defender as well. Eleven players (Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Robert Parish, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson and John Stockton) were active in the 1996–97 season, during which the team was announced. Teams were chosen from among all single-season individual teams. When Julius Erving simply could not win a title with 76ers, the addition of the 6-foot-10 center was the final piece that gave Dr. J his highly-coveted championship ring and it was Malone who took home the Finals MVP award. Every Knicks fan knows about Reed’s heroic effort in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals that galvanized his team to win against the Wilt Chamberlain-led Lakers. Despite his size, Iverson led the league in scoring four times, steals three times and minutes played seven times. Alongside the selection of the 50 greatest players was the selection of the Top 10 Coaches in NBA History. Career Averages: 26.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists, All-NBA: 3x First Team, 3x Second Team, 1x Third Team. His resume is filled with accolades and records broken that could fill an entire 200-page book. 11-time NBA All-Star. They have one child. Career Averages: 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 11.2 assists. The “Greatest of All Time” debate is discussed by the media almost every season because of James’ nightly exploits. But if you ask Isiah Thomas, the Pistons ringleader in the 1980’s who faced off against his Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar is the greatest player of all-time especially if you consider his dominance from his high school days to his college career and all the way to the professional ranks. Starting his career with the Portland Trail Blazers and going to the Finals twice with them, it wasn’t until he was traded to the Houston Rockets in 1995 when he won a championship. Malone is second all-time to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in career scoring with 36,928 points and seventh in career rebounds with 14,968. 11 championship rings. With the 6-foot-3 point guard around, no part of the court is a safe zone for defenders because he can make a shot from virtually every area of the court. His five championships cemented him as one of the greatest players to play the game. Some say he’s the greatest Laker of all time and after playing incredibly great for 20 years, Kobe Bryant deserves to at least be part of the argument. The Glove could hold his own against almost every guard in the NBA during the 90s. O'Neal was the last to be active in the NBA, retiring at the end of the 2010–11 season.[4]. Career Averages: 19.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, All-NBA: 10x First Team, 3x Second Team, 2x Third Team. Players were prohibited from voting for themselves. He was one of the greatest college basketball players in the country by the time he was a senior, sporting averages of 24.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in his final season with the Jayhawks. [1] Forty-seven of the fifty players were later assembled in Cleveland, during the halftime ceremony of the 1997 All-Star Game. Though he would battle Wilt Chamberlain as the most dominant big man in the game, the 6-foot-10 center wasn’t the scorer that his contemporary was. That’s the highest praise that Barkley has received from a coach. If there was a Defensive Player of the Year Award back in the 1960s, Russell would have won it every year that it was handed out. But, honestly, we’ve seen versions of these two great players in Kobe Bryant and Ben Simmons, respectively. Top 20 NBA "Bad Boys" of All-Time Miles Jasper Miles’ passions lie within the salary cap, collective bargaining, and labor relations between leagues and their players. He only won one MVP award even though there were at least two other instances when he could have won it. Don’t let his unassuming demeanor fool you. From The King to The Stifle Tower, here are the top 20 players in the NBA … Can you name the top NBA players of all-time according to an ESPN poll of experts from 2016? He led the Washington Bullets to three NBA Finals appearances and won an NBA title against the Supersonics in 1978. Career Averages: 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists, All-NBA: 2x First Team, 5x Second Team, 2x Third Team. Three other individuals both played for and coached honored teams, all of whom completed this "double" with a single franchise—K. Jordan owns numerous awards and records, most of which continue to endure to this day. There was nothing he couldn’t do on the hardwood as long as he set his mind to do it. His all-around game distinguished him and Jordan from other shooting guards. The forefather of today’s high-flyers, Elgin Baylor wowed fans with his nightly forays to the hoop. At 6-foot-9, Johnson was the biggest point guard that had ever graced the basketball court until the Sixers’ Ben Simmons came along. He started the game at center and played all five positions by the time the game was over, recording 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists. Kevin Garnett is the only player to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for six consecutive seasons, breaking Larry Bird’s mark of five consecutive. Six championships later (with no loss in the Finals), Jordan sits atop the discussion of the greatest player debate despite James’ continuous assault upon His Airness’ accomplishments. “Michael Jordan West” was one of the ways people would describe Clyde “The Glide” Drexler. Career Averages: 20.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists. They were chosen in 1996 by a panel of former players and coaches, current and former general managers, and media members. The 1995–96 Chicago Bulls had, at the moment, the best single-season record in NBA history with 72 wins. O’Neal is one of only three players to win the regular season MVP, All-Star Game MVP and Finals MVP awards in the same season (1999-2000). Career Averages: 16.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, All-NBA: 3x First Team, 2x Second Team, 2x Third Team. Because of that positional change, Duncan became arguably the greatest power forward to play basketball. I could’ve tied the two players at number 10 but I prefer to be definitive with my ranking. But can you imagine how many rings Chamberlain would have owned if he and Russell had not played simultaneously? In just his third season, Wade led the Heat to the 2006 title versus the Dallas Mavericks after going down 0-2 in the Finals. Jerry West was the best shooting guard during the NBA’s Golden Era. No one played a better complementary role to a bigger star than Scottie Pippen. The Dream Shake is ballet-like in its beauty and grace, leaving opponents scratching their heads in amazement and embarrassment. The Celtics won also eight straight titles under Russell’s leadership, still the longest current championship streak in league annals. Who deserves the title of the NBA's greatest player of all-time? He’s a 14-time All-Star and a 12-time All-NBA team member. He was the second real giant (after Mikan) on the hardwood and it was only the Celtics who truly humbled the league’s unstoppable mythical figure with the defensive prowess of Russell, their own immovable object. From The King to The Stifle Tower, here are the top 20 players in the NBA right now. Wilkins recorded 26,668 points for his career, 13th in the all-time scoring list. His excellence extends over two decades, winning six championships along the way. He entered the league as a teenager who could barely contain his excitement to be playing hoops as a career. Additionally, he exhibited coolness both on and off the court. Three-time First Team All-NBA. The 1973 MVP was the center of the Celtics championships in 1974 and 1976. It wasn’t until he won his first championship that he was taken seriously as one of the greatest players in the game. Regardless of a player’s position, if he is better than another player in the top 10 of another position, he can make it to this prestigious list. He also led the 1988-89 Lakers to the first back-to-back championship in 20 years. In Game 6 of the 2003 Finals, Duncan nearly recorded a quadruple-double when he accumulated 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and 8 blocks. The 7-footer changed the game as the NBA decided to widen the lane to limit his dominance over smaller players. The only unanimous MVP in league annals, Stephen Curry is arguably the greatest shooter to ever walk the hardwood floor. And that’s just for starters. [1] Three players were absent: Pete Maravich, who had died in 1988, at 40;[2] Shaquille O'Neal, who was recovering from a knee injury; and Jerry West, who was scheduled to have surgery for an ear infection and could not fly. 3 overall pick in the 1984 Draft, Jordan was a 10-time scoring champion, made All-NBA first team 10 times and was a 14-time NBA All-Star while winning six NBA championships. He was the Knicks’ ringleader who gave them their only two championships in franchise history. The list was compiled based upon unranked selection undertaken exclusively by members of the print and broadcast media who regularly cover the NBA. There wasn’t a better point guard in the league when Walt Frazier was on the floor in the 70’s. Looking at 6-foot-9 forward, you would never think that he can play in the NBA but, boy oh boy can he play! Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers: Five-time NBA champion, three-time NBA MVP, 12-time NBA All-Star, two-time Hall of Fame inductee; Oscar Robertson of the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks: NBA champion, NBA MVP, 12-time NBA All-Star, two-time Hall of Fame inductee; Bob Cousy of the Boston Celtics: Six-time NBA champion, NBA MVP, 12-time NBA All … Hayes also led the Bullets to a championship in the 1977-1978 season. He was also a five-time NBA Most Valuable Player. The latter player may or may not catch up to the former, but for now, Jordan sits on the throne with the rest of his peers honoring him for his accomplishments. Career Averages: 27.4 points, 13.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists. The Lakers would not have had Showtime in the 1980s without Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Pettit had a spectacular game with 50 points in Game 6 of the Finals, clinching the series with a 110-109 victory. No. It resulted in the Spurs winning championships in 1999 and 2003 after which he retired as one of the greatest big men ever. He successfully carried the torch from the Bill Russell era to the Larry Bird era, keeping the flame alive for the Boston faithful. The 6-foot-6 legend took the league by storm the moment he set foot on an NBA hardwood. When the playoffs came, his teammates knew that they could win any ballgame or series because of his mere presence. After joining the Nets in 2001, Kidd immediately turned the team’s fortunes around. 10 fingers. No one ever did more with what he had than Iverson who also added an MVP award to his resume. No one worked harder on those 1980s and 1990s Utah Jazz teams than Karl Malone. Robertson is the precursor to LeBron James but no one has played a more complete all-around game in history than the Big O. The individual accolades came anyway as he won five MVP Awards. He’s an 11-time All-Star and a member of several All-NBA teams. The Mailman delivered day in and day out, hardly missing any time on the court during his illustrious 19-year NBA career. No one was safe from Jordan’s competitive fire as he extinguished all comers on his way to winning six Finals MVPs to go along with his six rings. Jason Kidd carried one of the most unusual teams to the Finals when he led the New Jersey Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003. After only four years in the league, O’Neal carried the Orlando Magic franchise, an expansion team in 1989, to the 1995 NBA Finals. He played in 12 All-Star Games and led the league in scoring once and in rebounding twice. Johnson retired from the game prematurely in 1991 at 32 years old after contracting HIV. Russell’s philosophy was all about winning titles because, according to him, there were no politics when it came to winning. Without further ado, we look at top 10 NBA players of all time who have elevated the standard of the game for years to come. They eventually lost Game 6 but who knows if the Sonics could have won the series had he guarded His Airness from the start? He won the 1957 MVP and won six championships with Russell. Perhaps the most fluid big man ever, Hakeem Olajuwon was a man of a thousand moves in the low post. The Suns had a 29-53 record. Despite his lack of height (listed at 6-foot-6) while playing the power forward position, he led the league in rebounds in 1987. Bryant won the All-Star Game MVP a record four times (tied with Bob Petit) with one of them as co-winner with O’Neal. With today’s advanced statistics and record-keeping, we are able to track what players are doing that are historically great. Manning was the Big 8 Player of the Year three times, a Consensus First-Team All-American twice, and a Wooden Award winner in his senior season. Partner of iOne Digital / Cassius Network. The Captain won five more championships with Magic directing traffic during the Lakers Showtime era. As iconic as that image may be, fans should also remember that Reed was an MVP and Finals MVP twice and a seven-time All-Star. They soon won three titles in a row from 2000 to 2002. He’s one of the best we’ve seen period. He won a championship ring after Boston won its 17th title in 2008. The greatest player ever to lace a pair of basketball shoes is none other than Michael Jeffrey Jordan. Considered one of the greatest power forwards in the game, Elvin Hayes was both a scoring and rebounding machine. Menu. YOU MAY LIKE. Is he the greatest? AI is unquestionably a top 30 NBA player ever. He wasn’t simply part of a great team, he was an undoubted leader on the court, averaging 20.8 points per game for his career. His 38,837 points have stood the test of time. Who knows how much more he could have accomplished had he played five or more seasons? And though he was a very good offensive player, Pippen’s calling card was his defense. Career Averages: 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, All-NBA: 8x First Team, 2x Second Team, 4x Third Team. One of the most difficult decisions of ranking the top 50 players was booting Oscar Robertson out of the top 10. In the 1993-94 season when Jordan first retired, Pippen led the Bulls to a 55-25 record, won the All-Star Game MVP award and was a regular season MVP candidate, finishing third in the voting behind Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon and San Antonio’s David Robinson. As for why ESPN placed so many active guys on the list, keep in mind that it's their nature to be biased in favor of the modern era. Kidd led the league in assists five times including three straight from 1998-99 to 2000-01. Generously listed at 6-feet, Allen Iverson attacked the basket with reckless abandon as if he was eight inches taller. The selection of the players on this esteemed gathering of legends of the game was met with applause but it was also filled with controversy. Malone knows what it takes to win individually and with a team. 23 years since then, I have decided to dip my hand into the controversial listing with a list of my own and I made it even more controversial by ranking them. Atop the leaderboard of history-making and record-breaking is the kid from Akron who continues to add to his legacy with every game that he plays. And that’s from a white man who can’t run and can’t jump. Career Averages: 21.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists. But perhaps his greatest accomplishment was when he led the league in total assists in the 1968 season, averaging a career-high 8.6 assists per game. Bird overwhelms you with his cockiness, smarts, supreme confidence and ability to get off his shots with regularity. The NBA’s official list also needs updating since there have been a number of great players who have come along since then. In 1996, O’Neal left the Magic to join the Lakers where he would eventually team with coach Phil Jackson and fellow superstar Bryant to form one of the greatest trios in league history. O’Neal changed teams again in 2004, this time with the Heat who had up-and-coming superstar Wade in its roster. Tim Duncan was big enough and strong enough to play center in the NBA as he did in college but David Robinson was the incumbent at the position so he played power forward instead in a Twin Towers-combo that’s practically unmatched in league history. Career Averages: 21.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, All-NBA: 4x First Team, 2x Second Team, 4x Third Team. Share this article ... of these massive contracts being dished out to the league’s best players. LeBron James is the greatest player of all time. Stockton is also the NBA’s career leader in steals (3,265) and one of the most durable players in the game playing all 82 games of a season 16 times in his illustrious 19-year career. Career Averages: 24.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, All-NBA: 1x First Team, 4x Second Team, 2x Third Team. Though Olajuwon won “only” two championships, the way he dismantled premier centers such as David Robinson, Patrick Ewing and Shaquille O’Neal on his way to those titles propelled him to the top of the elite big men of his day. Dominique Wilkins was one of the most gifted, creative and ferocious dunkers on the court. The No. Career Averages: 23.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 8.3 assists. That pretty much sums up the legacy of Bill Russell, the man who owns the most championship rings in the game’s storied history. Just look at the accolades. Author: SI Staff Publish date: Feb 8, 2016. He was a 10-time All-Defensive Team member, often guarding the opponent’s best player. The Celtics legend is one of the most revered players to this day because of his intelligence, competitiveness and all-around ability to do just about anything on the court. The 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association History, also referred to as … For now, let’s just be witnesses and watch in awe of this phenomenon called LeBron James. Soccer. As of 2021[update], Wilt Chamberlain, Dave DeBusschere, Paul Arizin, Hal Greer, John Havlicek, George Mikan, Bill Sharman, Moses Malone, Dolph Schayes, Nate Thurmond, Wes Unseld and Elgin Baylor have all died. Career Averages: 22.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, All-NBA: 5x First Team, 5x Second Team, 1x Third Team. Top 30 Basketball Players Of All Time. Career Averages: 26.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists. Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Cincinnati Royals / Kansas City-Omaha / Kansas City Kings, "Pete Maravich, a Hall of Famer Who Set Basketball Marks, Dies", "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2012", "Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson amazes Knick legends with his hoops longevity", "1964–65 Boston Celtics Roster and Statistics", "1966–67 Philadelphia 76ers Roster and Statistics", "1969–70 New York Knicks Roster and Statistics", "1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Statistics", "1982–83 Philadelphia 76ers Roster and Statistics", "1985–86 Boston Celtics Roster and Statistics", "1986–87 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Statistics", "1988–89 Detroit Pistons Roster and Statistics", "1991–92 Chicago Bulls Roster and Statistics", "1995–96 Chicago Bulls Roster and Statistics", "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2011 – Mullin, Rodman, Gilmore and VanDerveer Headline Distinguished Group", National Basketball Association's 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, NBA 50 Greatest Players (50th Anniversary Team), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=50_Greatest_Players_in_NBA_History&oldid=1013717120, Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2021, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Denotes player who was active in the NBA at the time of induction, Denotes year of Basketball Hall of Fame induction, This page was last edited on 23 March 2021, at 02:04. As good as Bill Russell was, the one who held the keys to many of the Celtics championships in the 1960s was Bob Cousy. He led North Carolina to an NCAA championship as a freshman and was a two-time first-team All-American. Kyrie Irving, Nets get zapped with $25,000 fine over not speaking to media. Later, McAdoo would win his two championship rings with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982 and 1985 as a valuable player off the bench. Five have since died: Red Holzman in 1998, Red Auerbach in 2006, Chuck Daly in 2009, Jack Ramsay in 2014, and John Kundla in 2017. Career Averages: 27.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists, All-NBA: 13x First Team, 2x Second Team, 1x Third Team, All-Defensive: 5x First Team 1x Second Team. He is relentless on the court, taking no prisoners as though his life was on the line every time he attacked the rim. The playmaking point guards are almost a dying breed but it lives on in Chris Paul. That accomplishment alone is mind-boggling. He has dominated the NBA since he came into the league at the young age of 18, fresh out of high school. The Hall of Famers listed for each individual team are solely those inducted as players, and do not include those inducted in other roles. He has the most unstoppable fadeaway jumper off of one leg in league history. The Lakers playmaker ran the offense with a love for the game that was rarely seen and he orchestrated Showtime to perfection on the way to five championships in nine Finals appearances. Paul is a throwback to a time when point guards sought to create for others first and scoring second. When the lanky but athletic young shooting guard started his career, Jordan was thought of more as a scoring machine even though he was an excellent defender and a willing passer. Although Jackson was under contract to the Knicks as a player in their 1969–70 championship season, he did not play that season as he was recovering from spinal fusion surgery.[66]. Since then, back-to-back championships and three-peats became commonplace. None of it is a product of the imagination.
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