The top ten NBA players of all time is a big debate when it comes to sports. Everybody has their own opinion about who they think is better, but ten players stand out from the rest.
- Bill Russell
Everyone is familiar with the 11 time NBA champion! He was dominant in every aspect of the game. He averaged 15.1 points, 4.3 assists, and a staggering 22.5 rebounds per game! The best player the NBA has ever seen in his era. The reason he isn’t higher on my list is that his era was not as competitive as it is today. Besides this reason, he is still one of the best players of all time.
- Magic Johnson
Earvin Johnson Jr. AKA Magic Johnson was a once in a generation talent. His ability to pass, shoot, and be a lockdown defender helped him win 5 rings with the Lakers. His specialty was his ability to pass. He racked up 10,141 assists as well as 17,707 points.
- Shaquille O’neal
Everyone knows the giant himself, Shaq. He played 19 seasons for 6 different teams! The big man through those 19 seasons averaged 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game! He was also able to grab 4 championships.
- Tim Duncan
The man who made bank shots popular, with 1,934 made bank shots! He played on the Spurs his whole career from 1997 to 2015. He averaged 19 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3 assists. Though his stats aren’t the best he was a huge force in the game. In his long career he was able to earn 5 rings, 2 MVP’s, and 3 finals MVPs.
- Kobe Bryant
You’ve been living under a rock if you have never heard of the Black Mamba before. Kobe Bryant was famous for his mentality and his ability to score in every way. He averaged 25.0 points, 4.7 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game. Kobe Bryant has won 5 NBA championships, two-time finals MVP, 18 time all-star, and an MVP. Kobe was a huge inspiration for the upcoming generation of the NBA.
- Larry Bird
One of the best shooters the NBA has ever seen, Larry Bird was something else. He was able to score in every way. During his 13 season career he averaged 24.3 points, 6.3 assists, and 10 rebounds! Just by the stats alone you can tell he was great. The big bird won 3 MVPs, 3 rings, and 2 NBA finals MVPs! The bird was definitely something else.
- Wilt Chamberlain
If we want to talk about stats Wilt’s stats will blow your mind. This man averaged 30.1 points, 22.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists! If you aren’t impressed yet he holds the title for most points in a single game with… 100 POINTS! He also holds the record for most rebounds in a game with an impossible 55 rebounds! During his dominating career he racked up 2 rings, 4 MVPs, and one finals MVP. Wilt was definitely the most dominant player in history, but the reason he is not higher is because his era was not as talented as it is now.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Did you know the NCAA had to ban dunking for 10 years because Kareem was too dominant? This is true, no one could stop Kareem so the only way to stop him was to ban dunking. With his famous skyhook that was unguardable he was able to average 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Kareem was able to hold the scoring record for 38 years with 38,387 points! During his legendary career he was able to have a total of 6 MVPs, 6 time NBA champions, and a 19 time all star. Kareem and his sky hook were legendary.
- Michael Jordan
The biggest idol for NBA players was always MJ. Everyone wanted to be as great as him. The reason for this could be that he went 6-0 in the finals or that he averaged the most points in NBA history with 30.1. Some more of his accolades include, 6 finals MVPs, 5 MVPs, and a 14 time all star. Every part of his game was perfect, from shooting to defense, MJ was one of the greatest.
Honorable Mentions
Some of the honorable mentions include: Steph Curry, Hakeem Olajawon, Jerry West, Karl Malone, Oscar Robertson, Julius Erving. Though these players were great they didn’t make my list for many reasons.
- LeBron James
The king, the chosen one, The GOAT. LeBron is the best basketball player of all time. Everyone knew he would be great straight out of High School. LeBron has played 20 seasons and counting. Through those 20 seans he has won 4 Championships, 4 MVPs, 4 final MVPs, and a 19 time all star. We can’t forget that he holds the all time scoring record with 38,450 points! The reason that he is the GOAT of basketball is because of how dominant he has been through his whole career. LeBron is truly the GOAT.
