Anthony Davis. View player profile, bio, stats, news and video highlights. Most obsessively competitive to the detriment of ever having normal human relations with anybody? Stats: 18.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.9 APG in 13 seasons with Baltimore Bullets (1967-68 to 1971-72) and New York Knicks (1971-72 to 1979-80). Then head over and vote on the best NBA players of the 2010s. 2. He wasnt as athletic as the other big men, but till the end of his career, he made a major impact on both ends of the floor, including in his last NBA Finals win in 2014. Let us look at the Top 10 NBA Players of All Time. Oh jeez, this guy. All with a smile on his face and a cigar about to be lit. Now hes the first unanimous MVP in league history (which is pretty stupid, but still) and has four rings to go with another MVP. You could go on and on with former and current NBA stars talking about why Iverson was so great and means so much to them. Its 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. Despite having . It was probably like watching an alien. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG in 15 seasons with Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1958-59 to 1972-73). Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, two-time All-Star MVP, 1990 Finals MVP, 1984-85 assists champ, two-time NBA champion. Join our linker program. Even despite losing in the second round to the Boston Celtics this season, Giannis became the first NBA player in history, Few guys in the league have everaffected the game in all facets like Antetokounmpo does, even if that 3-point shot forever remains a work in progress. Wilt Chamberlain is ranked higher on this list because his numbers are just too ridiculous, but he couldnt beat Bill even with Jerry West and Elgin Baylors help. Accomplishments: Nine-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1980 All-Star MVP, four-time NBA scoring champ. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 10-time All-Defensive team, 1994 All-Star MVP, 1994-95 steals champ, six-time NBA champion. 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. Stats: 23.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 8.5 APG in 13 seasons with Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-09 to 2018-19), Houston Rockets (2019-20) and Washington Wizards (2020-21)*. His college career is practically unmatched, but since were talking professional basketball here know that he was the only player other than Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell to win an MVP between 1960 and 68. Bill Russell 11. The leading scorer in National Basketball Association (NBA) history is just the 10th-best player ever? Thediscourse never diesand were here for it. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He was the gold standard and wholly worthy of being cast as the leagues logo, even if he not so secretly disdains the honor. RIP Mamba. The most notable of his scoring feats came on March 2, 1962, when he put up an astounding 100 points in a game, an NBA record that will likely never be broken. Stats: 13.1 PPG, 10.5 APG, 2.2 SPG in 19 seasons with Utah Jazz (1984-85 to 2002-03); NBA's career leader in total assists and steals. ONeal was physically and statistically unlike any center the NBA has seen. George Mikan, standing at 6-foot-10, won four of the first five NBA championships as one of the best centers of all time. Ervings career numbers are just as impressive as his plays. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG in 13 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1981-82 to 1993-94). In 251 playoff games, he averaged 19.9 PPG and 11.0 RPG. Who will ever score 100 points in a game like Wilt did? Three-time firstteam All-NBA. Stats: 21.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.4 BPG in 17 seasons with New York Knicks (1985-86 to 1999-00), Seattle SuperSonics (2000-01) and Orlando Magic (2001-02). The NBA merged with the ABA in 76 because of the Doctor (there were a bunch of other great playerstoolike George Gervin) and he continued to take another league by storm after winning two chips with the Nets in the ABA. Abdul-Jabbar wasnt physically dominant the way Wilt or Shaquille ONeal was, but his fluidity was something special for someone of his gargantuan size. He had to get famous. A 19-time All-Star who 15 times finished in the top 5 of the MVP voting, well spare you from listing out all his accolades because youd be scrolling this fine piece of #contentfor hours. Kobe Bryant. Shaquille ONeal is widely known around the NBA and outside the NBA as the most dominant player and athlete. 0. And hes not all style and flair either. 17 because of the way he changed the game. We can talk about the way Kobe impacted the game and the culture of basketball but that shouldnt even be a measurement. Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. AC, Way more than just a sidekick to you know who, Scottie Pippens greatness is sadly taken for granted by many, including those who saw it with their own two eyes along with the ones basing their assessments solely on what they saw in The Last Dance. During his early years in the NBA, Kevin Garnett was undoubtedly one of the nicest players in the league. LeBron James: . Now just look at the NBA today. Moreover, he not only faced the incredible pressure of being anointed The Chosen One by Sports Illustrated as a teenager, but hes actually exceeded the lofty expectations set for him. Others argued it should be about the numbers andthat awardsdont always end up belonging to the most deserved individual. Who do I think was the greatest? What? Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, four-time NBA champion. Unlike most players in the NBA, David Robinson spent his entire NBA career with one team, the San Antonio Spurs. Absolutely. AC, Yet another tough ranking. The Black Mamba. And who do you give the nod to betweenthree legendary point guardsChris Paul, Steve Nash, and Jason Kiddwhen theres only room for one? A Dream Team member andtwo-time gold medal winner who was skilled enough to be considered one of the 50 greatestby the NBA in 1996,andone of the 75 greatest players ever in 2021, Pippen did so much more than his averages indicated (16.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 5.2 APG). The Celtics had played for 10 seasons before Russell joined the team, never once reaching a championship series in that time. This list is, naturally, incredibly subjective, and shouldnt be taken too seriously. The list of the top 10 greatest basketball players of all time is incomplete without Larry Bird. His career will undoubtedly always be tied to the failures to win a ring, but the production was always there for Malone. Accomplishments: 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 12-time All-Defensive team, 2007-08 MVP, two-time Finals MVP, four-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, five-time NBA champion. When you think of LeBron James, youthink of greatness. He averaged24.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 2.0 SPG, and 1.7 BPG. Not only did Russell win 11 NBA titles, the last two were as player-coach and hes undefeated in Game 7s, going 10-0 when its win or go home time. AC, Zekes legacy has been somewhattarnished over the yearsby the opinions of his peers and the off-the-court issues he brought on himself while in theKnicks front office. Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 1999-2000 MVP, 1992-93 Rookie of the Year, three-time All-Star MVP, three-time Finals MVP, two-time scoring champ, four-time NBA champion. Bill Russell might have more titles, Wilt Chamberlain might have all those untouchable records, but Abdul-Jabbar was offensively skilled in ways Russell never was and retired as the league leader in nine statistical categories thanks to an impressive staying power Chamberlain couldnt match. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 6'9, 250, power forward, NBA: 2009-Let's stick with combine numbers for Blake Griffin. Dominant. We could go through all the stats and the awards to prove why James should be where he is on this list, but theres really no need. Stats: 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG in 18 seasons with Phoenix Suns (1996-97 to 1997-98; 2004-05 to 2011-12), Dallas Mavericks (1998-99 to 2003-04) and Los Angeles Lakers (2012-13 to 2013-14). AC, Flash! The younger generationsgetsto enjoy the Chuckster in ways older NBA fans never imagined. He and Larry Bird literally saved the league in the 80s and while they couldnt have been more different stylistically theres no argument whose influence on the game of basketball was greater. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.9 APG in 10 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (2011-12 to 2017-18), Toronto Raptors (2018-19) and LA Clippers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. Tim Duncan (1997-2016) Points: 931 15x NBA All-star, 10x all NBA 1st team, 3x all NBA 2nd team, 2x NBA MVP (2002-03),. Haters will counter that Wilt played against a bunch of stiffs in the 60s and 70s when the idea that a 71 center could be the most athletic player on the court was reserved forcomic books. Knock us all you want, but well rest easy knowing Antetokounmpo belongs here as a newly minted NBA immortal. 10. (2023) Table of Contents 10. He dropped over 30,000 points in his career, won anMVP award, made 14 All-Star appearances, earned a spot on the NBAs 75thanniversary squad,and racked up countless other honors over his career. Accomplishments: 19 points, 10.8 rebounds, three assists, 2.2 blocks, 15-time All-Star, 1997-98 Rookie of the Year, two-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP, five-time NBA Champion, Hall of Fame Class of 2020. Where else do you find so many people nearly seven-feet tall gathered together in one place? But Robertsonbroke the mold almost 20 years before Magic Johnson made his debut. Tim Duncan Tim Duncan, probably the most incredible power forward of all time, takes the number 10 spot on our list. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1985-86 scoring champ. Still, Malone is the No. Oscar Robertson once asked. Wilt Chamberlain 5. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, four-time All-Defensive team, two-time MVP, 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year, 2016-17 Most Improved Player, 2021 Finals MVP, 2021 NBA champion. 6'10.75" 6'11" 402: Deni Avdija WAS | SF-0.25: 6'8.75" 6'8.5" 403: Mason Plumlee LAC | C-0.25: 6'11.25" 6'11" 404: Ty Jerome . Like Magic Johnson before him, Garnett raised the bar as to what a man of his sizecould do on the court. Malone won one championship, three MVP awards, and one NBA. Stats: 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.0 BPG in 14 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1989-90 to 2002-03). ZO, Call it an overreaction if you foolishly insist, but with all the accolades and the company he now keeps after that epic run through the 2021 NBA Finals, Greek Freak absolutely belongs on thislist. A guy this young isnt supposed to have so many accolades on his, , especially after he entered the league as such a project. The winning, the endorsements, the shoes, the legacy. 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