Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, 1986-87 All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, two-time Sixth Man of the Year, three-time NBA champion. -- Tim Bontemps. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, five-time MVP, 1963 All-Star MVP, four-time rebounding champ, 11-time NBA champion. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, 1950-51 rebounding champ, 1955 NBA champion. Bill Russell 11. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, seven-time All-Defensive team, 1975 All-Star MVP, two-time NBA champion. "The Glove" first came into his own as a defender before developing into an elite scorer to round out his game. Kobe congratulates Lebron after passing him on the all-time points leader list. Stats: 24.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.6 APG in nine seasons with Portland Trail Blazers (2012-13 to 2020-21)*. Fantasy 30: Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle and other NBA notes, Supplemental Privacy Policy for Singapore. Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain? -- McMenamin. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 1972-73 MVP, 1973 All-Star MVP, 1970-71 Rookie of the Year, two-time NBA champion. hide this ad PLAY QUIZ Score 0/100 Timer 10:00 Recently Published Manu Ginobli Russell's defensive acumen and determination made him the perfect foil for Wilt Chamberlain, as well as one of the players from his era who wouldn't have looked out of place in later generations. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, 1992-93 MVP, 1991 All-Star MVP, 1986-87 rebounding champ. NBA Awards Watch: Who are the leaders for MVP, Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year? The 11-time All-Star, known for his acrobatic athleticism, is . Though McAdoo wasn't able to maintain that level after an ill-fated trade from the Buffalo Braves to the Knicks, he would later reinvent himself as an elite sixth man on a pair of Lakers championship teams in the 1980s. Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets: Two-time NBA champion, NBA MVP, 10-time NBA All-Star. He remained a force during his NBA career: He's one of just four players to lead the league in field goal percentage for at least four straight seasons (Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O'Neal and DeAndre Jordan). 5-on-5: Is Blake Griffin one of the 10 best power forwards ever? He won six championships -- with the first and last coming 17 years apart -- and was named to 15 All-NBA teams, with 10 first-team selections. Over the rich and long history of the NBA, many players have flaunted their talents in the . In just his third NBA season, Wade was named Finals MVP after helping lead Miami to a title in 2006 with Shaquille O'Neal. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, 1995-96 Defensive Player of the Year, 1995-96 steals champ, 2006 NBA champion. He amassed a number of accolades . Stats: 20.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.4 APG in 21 seasons with Dallas Mavericks (1998-99 to 2018-19). Stats: 23.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.1 APG in 10 NBA seasons with San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1965-66 to 1966-67; 1972-73 to 1977-78) and Houston Rockets (1978-79 to 1979-80); also played four ABA seasons with Oakland Oaks (1968-69), Washington Capitols (1969-70) and New York Nets (1970-71 to 1971-72). The Mailman is undoubtedly one of the best NBA players of all time, from an individual's standpoint. -- Pelton, 1992-95 Charlotte Hornets; 1995-2003, 2005-08 Miami Heat; 2003-04 New Jersey Nets, Playing with a perennial scowl and ferocious intensity, Mourning followed Mutombo and Patrick Ewing in the lineage of intimidating Georgetown big men. NBA Awards Watch: Who are the leaders for MVP, Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year? Shaq is widely regarded as one of the most dominant players in NBA history. NBA75: Meet the best players in league history, Warriors relish 'important win' vs. NBA-best Celts, 'Still my city': Wall fulfilled by Washington return, Sources: Warriors' Myers still without new deal, Nets top Pacers despite sitting KD, Kyrie, others, Doncic (quad strain) sits out as Mavericks stumble, Zion's 360 dunk to punctuate win rankles Suns, Why this D.C. homecoming will be 'totally different' for John Wall, They said it! He is third in career assists and led the league in that category five of his 18 seasons. -- Royce Young, 1950-63 Boston Celtics; 1969-70 Cincinnati Royals, "The Cooz" helped usher in a new era of ball handlers with his slick dribbling and fancy passing, unheard of in the NBA at the time. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year made rebounding an art, leading the NBA for seven consecutive seasons from 1991-92 to 1997-98. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, two-time MVP, four-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, 1958 NBA champion. His unstoppable, patented skyhook,. It was one of three championships he won as the Lakers' versatile complement to Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, 1994-95 Rookie of the Year, five-time assists champ, 2011 NBA champion. 1967-77 New York Knicks; 1977-79 Cleveland Cavaliers, The epitome of cool and the face of the legendary Knicks teams of the 1970s, Frazier had a smooth offensive game and his tenacious defense left no holes for opponents to attack. On March 12, 1985, Larry Bird put on a shooting clinic for the ages, scoring a Celtics-record 60 points in a game against the Atlanta Hawks. To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. 5. Our list begins with Nos. Despite playing before the schedule expanded to 82 games, Mikan still owns three of the top 12 seasons ever by Basketball-Reference.com win shares estimates. Does Steph Curry have the best handles in the NBA? LeBron James ranked second, followed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell and Magic Johnson. On Jan. 5, 1983, Julius Erving completes his famous "Rock the Baby" dunk, with Michael Cooper wanting no part of the vicious jam in a 76ers win. -- Dave McMenamin, Perhaps the only perceived knock on Duncan's game was that he was boring. Tim Duncan 7. 2022 World Cup Stars. 20 First Names: NBA Players. Stats: 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.0 BPG in 14 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1989-90 to 2002-03). ESPN's NBA expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, taking into consideration both total career value and peak performance. Go Orange. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA. NBA All-Time Points Leaders - National Basketball Association - ESPN NBA History - Points Leaders Leaders: Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks Leaders Awards *Active players. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, 1966-67 Rookie of the Year, 1976 All-Star MVP, 1967-68 scoring champ. He was known as "The Big Fundamental," dominating for nearly two decades on both ends of the floor with textbook simplicity, such as his midrange bank shot and perfect position defense. Stats: 18.5 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 3.1 APG in 15 seasons with Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1949-50 to 1963-64). On March 12, 1985, Larry Bird put on a shooting clinic for the ages, scoring a Celtics-record 60 points in a game against the Atlanta Hawks. 5-on-5: Will Carmelo Anthony crack top-10 small forward list? Steph Curry, Kevin Durant lead NBA quotes of the week. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, 1968-69 MVP, 1968-69 Rookie of the Year, 1978 Finals MVP, 1974-75 rebounding champ, 1978 NBA champion. -- Lopez, 1970-80 Boston Celtics; 1982-83 Milwaukee Bucks, One of just 11 players to have won both MVP and All-Star MVP in the same season, Cowens led the 1972-73 Boston Celtics to a franchise-record 68 wins before they were edged out by the Knicks in a thrilling, seven-game East finals. A six-time All-Star and one of the game's most respected global ambassadors, Gasol is a virtual lock to head into the Hall of Fame whenever his career officially ends. The latter group tends to rank James lower due to his 4-6 record in the championship series. www.espn.com Ranking the top 74 players of all time: 10-1 Who lands in the top spot as the greatest NBA player of all time? Stats: 17.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG in 11 seasons with Washington Capitols (1950-51) and Boston Celtics (1951-52 to 1960-61). Stats: 22.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.9 APG in 11 NBA seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1976-77 to 1986-87); also played five ABA seasons with Virginia Squires (1971-72 to 1972-73) and New York Nets (1973-74 to 1975-76). Best Small Forwards Currently in the NBA. 5-on-5 debate: Will Curry pass Magic as the best PG ever? Starting in his third year, Cousy led the NBA in assists per game every season from 1952-53 through 1959-60, while also ranking as one of the league's leading scorers over this period and winning MVP in 1956-57. Stats: 18.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.1 APG in 13 seasons with New York Knicks (1967-68 to 1976-77) and Cleveland Cavaliers (1977-78 to 1979-80). He was a seven-time All-Star who still ranks second in Knicks history in total rebounds. These debates rage on endlessly in every corner of NBA fandom, and our experts have done their best to answer them, ranking the greatest players in the league's 74-year history. Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant? 74 through 41. Take a look back at James Harden's dynamic MVP season in 2017-18. Take a look at some of his best moves and decide for yourself. Kareem Abdul- Jabbar is number 3 in our list of the top 10 greatest Basketball players of all time. The number next to their name will denote their place on ESPN's list: 72. He's fourth in career assists per game, and he has been one of the game's peskiest defenders, with nine NBA All-Defensive team selections while leading the league in steals six times. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 2000-01 MVP, two-time All-Star MVP, 1996-97 Rookie of the Year, four-time scoring champ, three-time steals champ. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 1976-77 scoring champ. It was the same season he earned his only All-NBA first-team honor. The second shortest player in NBA history, Earl Boykins was two inches taller than Muggsy at 5'5". Accomplishments: 19-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 11-time All-Defensive Team, six-time MVP, two-time Finals MVP, 1969-70 Rookie of the Year, two-time scoring champ, four-time blocks champ, 1975-76 . He'll forever be on the short list of players you'd want to take the last shot with the game on the line. Barry earned 12 All-Star selections and the 1974-75 Finals MVP award. Jordan led the Bulls to six NBA championships, winning six Finals MVP awards and five regular-season MVP honors while becoming a global icon on and off the floor. Steph Curry, Kevin Durant lead NBA quotes of the week. Photos: Classic action shots of league's best floor generals, All-Time #NBArank: The 10 greatest shooting guards in NBA history, Photos: Classic action shots of league's best shooting guards. 1959-62 Philadelphia Warriors, 1962-65 San Francisco Warriors; 1965-68 Philadelphia 76ers; 1968-73 Los Angeles Lakers, Chamberlain was truly ahead of his time. Stats: 27.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 4.3 APG in 14 seasons with Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (1958-59 to 1971-72). -- Woodyard. -- Lopez, 1985-2000 New York Knicks; 2000-01 Seattle SuperSonics; 2001-02 Orlando Magic, Ewing is the greatest Knick of all time, yet New York often dwells on what he didn't do. Larry Bird 6. ESPN's 100 Greatest NBA Players of All-Time Stats Can you name the 100 greatest NBA players of all-time according to ESPN (#NBArank 2016)? -- Dave McMenamin, 1968-73 Baltimore Bullets, 1973-74 Capital Bullets, 1974-81 Washington Bullets, Despite his 6-7 stature, Unseld was as immovable as one of the many D.C. monuments. The seven-time All-Star was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003. 8. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 2013-14 MVP, 2007-08 Rookie of the Year, two-time All-Star MVP, two-time Finals MVP, four-time scoring champ, two-time NBA champion. 2009-12 Oklahoma City Thunder; 2012-20 Houston Rockets, 25.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.6 SPG, 2.8 3s PG, Harden has developed into the ultimate offensive weapon of the analytics era, owning three scoring titles and an assists title. Stats: 23.7 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.3 BPG in 19 seasons with Orlando Magic (1992-93 to 1995-96), Los Angeles Lakers (1996-97 to 2003-04), Miami Heat (2004-05 to 2007-08), Phoenix Suns (2007-08 to 2008-09), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10) and Boston Celtics (2010-11). -- Friedell, 17.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.1 Steals PG, "Big Game James" cemented his moniker with one of the all-time great Game 7 performances in league history -- 36 points on 15-for-22 shooting, 16 rebounds and 10 assists -- to cap the 1988 Finals and earn Finals MVP. -- Lopez, Reed was the central figure in one of the most memorable moments in NBA history: He limped out of the locker room for the start of Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals and played on a torn thigh muscle, helping the Knicks win their first championship. Oscar Robertson. In a gradual countdown starting with Nos. www.espn.com The Top Twenty: Then head over and vote on the best NBA players of the 2010s. He stood 7'1 and weighed about 325 pounds. 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. Stats: 25.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 6.5 APG in 12 seasons with Oklahoma City Thunder (2009-10 to 2011-12), Houston Rockets (2012-13 to 2020-21) and Brooklyn Nets (2020-21)*. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG in 13 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1981-82 to 1993-94). Stats: 16.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.2 APG in 17 season with Chicago Bulls (1987-88 to 1997-98; 2003-04), Houston Rockets (1998-99) and Portland Trail Blazers (1999-00 to 2002-03). And when the stakes are at their highest, Leonard rises to the challenge, whether it's his elite defense, Game 7-clinching buzzer-beater against Philadelphia, or winning a second Finals MVP at the expense of the Warriors' dynasty. Stats: 18.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 7.4 APG in 13 seasons with Cincinnati Royals/KC-Omaha/Kansas City Kings (1970-71 to 1975-76), New York Nets (1976-77), Boston Celtics (1978-79 to 1982-83) and Milwaukee Bucks (1983-84). ESPN's NBA expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, taking into consideration both total career value and peak performance. Stats: 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG in 16 seasons with Boston Celtics (1962-63 to 1977-78). To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. The Spurs tried to replace Parker by wooing Jason Kidd in free agency after the Frenchman started for a title team in his second season. 9 pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, spent his entire 21-year career with the Dallas Mavericks, and he is recognized as the greatest European basketball player of all-time. Check out all the highlights that have Giannis Antetokounmpo eyeing a second straight MVP award. Erving was named NBA MVP in 1981 and won the championship in 1983 -- who could forget his "rock the baby" dunk against the Lakers that season, serving as a prelude to his Finals win? Magic Johnson 4. O'Neal became an All-Star 15 times and earned the 1999-2000 MVP award. In each of his first four seasons, Hayes averaged no less than 25.2 points and 14.6 rebounds. Stats: 22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG in 16 seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1984-85 to 1991-92), Phoenix Suns (1992-93 to 1995-96) and Houston Rockets (1996-97 to 1999-00). Take a look back at some of Allen Iverson's best moments with the Philadelphia 76ers. Lebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers: Three-time NBA champion, four-time NBA MVP, 16-time NBA All-Star. Malone was a three-time NBA MVP, including in the 1982-83 season, when he also was Finals MVP for the Sixers and won his only championship ring. 40-11 Scottie Pippen played a key role in "The Last Dance," but how high did he land on our ranking of the greatest players in NBA history? Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, five-time MVP, six-time Finals MVP, three-time All-Star MVP, 1987-88 Defensive Player of the Year, 1984-85 Rookie . Stats: 7.3 PPG, 13.1 RPG, 1.8 APG in 14 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1986-87 to 1992-93), San Antonio Spurs (1993-94 to 1994-95), Chicago Bulls (1995-96 to 1997-98), Los Angeles Lakers (1998-99) and Dallas Mavericks (1999-2000). Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, 1994-95 MVP, 1991-92 Defensive Player of the Year, 1989-90 Rookie of the Year, 1993-94 scoring champ, 1990-91 rebounding champ, 1991-92 blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. He won the rebounding title for Philadelphia in 1986-87, despite generously being listed at 6-6. His eight years in OKC featured his best individual basketball, with four scoring titles and an MVP. Billy Cunningham. Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain? -- MacMahon, 1974-75 Utah Stars (ABA); 1975-76 Spirits of St. Louis (ABA); 1976 Buffalo Braves; 1976-82 Houston Rockets; 1982-86, 1993-94 Philadelphia 76ers; 1986-88 Washington Bullets; 1988-91 Atlanta Hawks; 1991-93 Milwaukee Bucks; 1994-95 San Antonio Spurs, Malone was one of the original preps-to-pros players, joining the ABA as a teenager. Stats: 23.1 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.8 APG in seven seasons with Minneapolis Lakers (1948-49 to 1955-56). Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, four-time All-Defensive team, two-time MVP, two-time All-Star MVP. To be snubbed is one thing, but there's always a more fiery debate about who isn't ranked high enough -- or the dreaded "underrated" tag. Pelton: Is Steph Curry already a Hall of Famer? hide this ad Replay Next Quiz You Got 0% Avg Score 48% Avg Friend Score Upgrade to see Score Distribution Score 0/100 Timer 10:00 Check out some of his season's best highlights. Malone's statue is planted outside of Salt Lake City's Vivint Smart Home Arena, next to that of his running mate, John Stockton. 40-11 | 5-on-5 debate, 1992-96 Orlando Magic; 1996-2004 Los Angeles Lakers; 2004-08 Miami Heat; 2008-09 Phoenix Suns; 2009-10 Cleveland Cavaliers; 2010-11 Boston Celtics, The Hall of Fame center transformed the game with a combination of agility and explosiveness and size, the likes of which the league had never seen. Nowitzki, a Mav since 1998, is a 12-time All Star and the franchise's leading scorer. Rodman won five NBA championships playing an integral role for two of the greatest teams in NBA history (the Pistons and Bulls). Curry's starting five, which includes two former Lakers greats, is hard . Of course, there are still those who have him lower on their list of the greatest players ever for whatever reason. 2005-07 New Orleans-Oklahoma City Hornets, 2007-11 New Orleans Hornets; 2011-17 LA Clippers; 2017-19 Houston Rockets; 2019-20 Oklahoma City Thunder, 18.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 9.5 APG, 2.2 SPG, 1.4 3s PG, Paul will get knocked by some for his failure to lead a team to a championship, but that shouldn't take away from what he has accomplished on the floor. The list was put together by a panel of current and former players . -- Pelton, 1974-79 Portland Trail Blazers; 1979-84 San Diego Clippers, 1984-85 LA Clippers; 1985-87 Boston Celtics, Despite being named to this list, Walton's career is one of the ultimate NBA "what-ifs." 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.4 SPG, 3.0 BPG, "The Admiral" didn't make his NBA debut until he was 24, two years after being the top pick in the draft, due to his service commitment to the Navy. Stats: 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5 APG in 14 seasons with Boston Celtics (1950-51 to 1962-63) and Cincinnati Royals (1969-70). His 2018-19 season was the most efficient (.616 true shooting percentage) ever for a player who averaged more than 35 points per game. Stats: 18.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 9.4 APG in 16 seasons with New Orleans Hornets (2005-06 to 2010-11), LA Clippers (2011-12 to 2016-17), Houston Rockets (2017-18 to 2018-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20) and Phoenix Suns (2020-21)*. -- Friedell. Stats: 12.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 8.7 APG in 19 seasons with Dallas Mavericks (1994-95 to 1996-97; 2007-08 to 2011-12), Phoenix Suns (1996-97 to 2000-01), New Jersey Nets (2001-02 to 2007-08) and New York Knicks (2012-13). The charismatic Johnson took the "Showtime" Lakers to nine NBA Finals, and they won five titles. He also proved to be arguably the greatest foil of LeBron James' career, besting him in both the 2008 and 2010 NBA playoffs -- eventually winning a title in '08 and falling one game short of doing so in '10 -- alongside Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. -- Bontemps, 1983-95 Portland Trail Blazers; 1995-98 Houston Rockets, 20.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.6 APG, 2.0 Steals PG, Drexler had the misfortune of being compared to his contemporary Michael Jordan, most famously in the 1992 Finals. Give me a break. Vote up the best basketball player ever, and those who follow close behind. -- Lopez, 1970-74 Atlanta Hawks; 1974-79 New Orleans Jazz; 1979-80 Utah Jazz; 1980 Boston Celtics, With his fancy passing and ballhandling, as well as his willingness to shoot from anywhere on the court, Maravich's style of play would have seemingly fit perfectly in today's NBA. Go Orange. The Suns, in turn, became one of the great teams to never win a title. -- McMenamin, 1968-71 San Diego Rockets, 1971-72, 1981-84 Houston Rockets; 1972-73 Baltimore Bullets, 1973-74 Capital Bullets, 1974-81 Washington Bullets, After Hayes helped halt Lew Alcindor and UCLA's 47-game winning streak while at the University of Houston, "The Big E" entered the league in 1968 and promptly led it in scoring with 28.4 points per game. Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, and as the greatest shooter in NBA history, Curry is credited with revolutionizing the sport by inspiring teams and players to . 1984-2001 Houston Rockets; 2001-02 Toronto Raptors, "The Dream," with all due respect to Kevin McHale, is the premier low-post technician to ever catch an entry pass. Garnett, who is tied for second in NBA history after playing 21 seasons in the league, ranks in the top 20 in career blocks and steals and is also 10th in career rebounds. Barkley earned the 1992-93 MVP award while leading Phoenix to the NBA Finals, and he won gold medals for Team USA in '92 and '96 Olympics. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 1950-51 Rookie of the Year, 1952 All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, 1956 NBA champion. Immortalized in the league's history, as his silhouette appears as a red, white and blue symbol to signify the best basketball in the world, "The Logo" was an All-Star all 14 seasons he played. ESPN's panel of NBA experts are revealing their top 74 players in the league's 74-year history. 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)*. -- Nick Friedell, 25.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.4 3s PG, For all of his statistical achievements -- the five championships, the 81-point game, the 60-point finale, the league MVP in 2008, the 20 seasons all with the same franchise -- Bryant's lasting legacy is his mental edge and burning desire to master the sport. Top 32 nations not at the World Cup. The 2022 All-Star Game is once again slated to return to Cleveland as a nod to that moment. -- Bontemps, 1972-76 Buffalo Braves; 1976-79 New York Knicks; 1979 Boston Celtics; 1979-81 Detroit Pistons; 1981 New Jersey Nets; 1981-85 Los Angeles Lakers; 1986 Philadelphia 76ers, Over the three-year stretch from 1973-74 through 1975-76, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was more valuable than McAdoo, who averaged 32.1 PPG and 13.8 RPG, was the 1974-75 MVP and finished second to Abdul-Jabbar the other two seasons. Players like Austin Reaves and Lonnie Walker IV put up solid numbers for the team, with Reaves specifically playing a big part in the team's fourth-quarter surge. Ten years ago, that seemed unthinkable. Bill Russell 3. Ranked by votes from thousands of fans, this list features the all time NBA GOATs, including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Julius Erving, Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird. He always delivered on the basketball court. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1968 All-Star MVP, 1967 NBA champion. Louis Hawks (1954-55 to 1964-65). The stretches when he was able to stay on the court -- both early in his career with Portland, and then later with the Celtics, with whom he won the 1986 title -- were enough to merit inclusion here. Dirk's Mavericks join Bill Russell's Celtics, Magic Johnson's Lakers and Tim Duncan's Spurs as the only franchises to string together a decade-plus run of seasons with 50 wins or more. Quiz by Quizmaster. Stats: 18.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG in 18 seasons with Indiana Pacers (1987-88 to 2004-05). Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 2006 Finals MVP, 2010 All-Star MVP, 2008-09 scoring champ, three-time NBA champion. But his rsum is stacked with jaw-dropping achievements, the greatest of which is intangible: He made the triple-double not only seem normal, but to some dissenters, no longer a worthwhile achievement. Still, the seven-time All-Star played six more seasons, winning a championship with the Heat in 2006. ESPN Top 100 NBA Players All-Time Quiz - By kNABERnossi Sports NBA QUIZ LAB SUBMISSION Sports or NBA Quiz ESPN Top 100 NBA Players All-Time Can you name the ESPN Top 100 NBA Players of All Time? Stats: 18.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.4 APG in 18 seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (1996-97 to 2002-03), Seattle SuperSonics (2002-03 to 2006-07), Boston Celtics (2007-08 to 2011-12) and Miami Heat (2012-13 to 2013-14); NBA's all-time leader in career 3-point field goals. Stats: 26.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG in 10 NBA seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1976-77 to 1984-85) and Chicago Bulls (1985-86); also played four ABA seasons with Virginia Squires (1972-73 to 1973-74) and San Antonio Spurs (1973-74 to 1975-76). Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 6.5 APG in 11 seasons with Golden State Warriors (2009-10 to 2020-21)*. Stats: 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG in 20 seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (1969-70 to 1974-75) and Los Angeles Lakers (1975-76 to 1988-89); NBA's career leader in total points. He was a dominant scorer and rebounder who was peerless on the offensive glass, averaging 6.1 offensive boards during an eight-year span where he led the NBA in boards six times. The 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time 50 Paul Arizin Paul Vathis/AP Stalwart jump shooter from the Philadelphia Warriors. Westbrook addressed what the . Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals is remembered as the "Willis Reed Game" after he limped out of the locker room and hit two early shots, but it was Frazier -- who had 36 points, 19 assists, seven rebounds and six steals -- who powered the Knicks to their first NBA title. -- Snellings, 1987-98, 2003-04 Chicago Bulls; 1999 Houston Rockets; 1999-2003 Portland Trail Blazers, Michael Jordan's greatness made many think of Pippen as an all-time great sidekick. -- Snellings, 1985-2003 Utah Jazz; 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers, They didn't call Karl Malone "The Mailman" for no reason. D-Wade's greatest moments with the Heat (1:41) Take a look back at 13-time NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade's greatest moments, including his three NBA championships with the Heat. Jerry West 14. The greatest player of all time. The 6-foot-1 Thomas guided Detroit to two championships, and he was the 1990 Finals MVP and a two-time All-Star Game MVP, among many accomplishments. One. Steve Nash. Olajuwon, a two-time Finals MVP who averaged 30.9 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 3.4 blocks and 1.5 steals during the playoffs of the Rockets' back-to-back title runs, is also one of the all-time dominant defensive anchors. Old school or new school? Michael Jordan is the greatest of all time, topping our All-Time #NBArank list of the 100 best players ever. Leonard won his first championship and Finals MVP with the Spurs in 2014, but that was alongside Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1974-75 MVP, 1972-73 Rookie of the Year, three-time scoring champ, two-time NBA champion. ESPN's Top 100 NBA Players of All Time Can you name ESPN's Top 100 NBA Players of All Time? hide this ad PLAY QUIZ Score 0/100 Timer 18:00 Recently Published Biggest Answer: 'A' Countries Geography 15s Sorting Squares: '00s Movie Characters Movies 5m hide this ad Stats: 21.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 1.8 APG in 16 season with San Diego/Houston Rockets (1968-69 to 1971-72; 1981-82 to 1983-84) and Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets (1972-73 to 1980-81) . A winner of four championships with the Spurs, the Argentine also won a gold medal for his country at the 2004 Summer Olympics -- the only time the United States hasn't won gold since NBA players began participating in 1992. Tony Parker 68. There's little doubt Dirk Nowitzi is the Mavericks' best and most important player of all time. 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). Stats: 17.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG in 21 seasons with Minnesota Timberwolves (1995-96 to 2006-07; 2014-15 to 2015-16), Boston Celtics (2007-08 to 2012-13) and Brooklyn Nets (2013-14 to 2014-15). Jeff Zillgitt Mark Medina Matt Eppers Larry Starks USA TODAY. Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, eight-time assists champ, 1956-57 MVP, two-time All-Star MVP, six-time NBA champion. By jarrodstrokos Plays - /5 - RATE QUIZ MORE INFO Classic Best Score? Stats: 19.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG in 15 seasons with Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1958-59 to 1972-73). There's no debate about that, even though the "Bad Boys" Pistons didn't make a lot of friends with their physical brand of basketball. Oscar Robertson 12. -- Youngmisuk, 1948-49 (BAA), 1949-54, 1956 Minneapolis Lakers, No player presents a greater challenge in all-time rankings than Mikan, who reigned over an embryonic league with a style of play that would soon be outdated. According to ESPN, the expert panel "voted on [] His step-back jumper has become one of the most potent signature shots in NBA history, allowing him to be a historic volume 3-point shooter who gets the rest of his points in the paint and at the free throw line. -- Nick Friedell, 1967-71 Baltimore Bullets; 1971-80 New York Knicks, After four years as the leading scorer on Bullets teams whose accomplishments have been forgotten by history, "Black Jesus" was traded to the rival Knicks months after the Bullets upset them en route to the Finals. -- Youngmisuk, 1976-80 Golden State Warriors; 1980-94 Boston Celtics; 1994-96 Charlotte Hornets; 1996-97 Chicago Bulls, No one in NBA history has played in more games than "The Chief," who was the first to play 21 seasons. Subscribe to ESPN+ http://espnplus.com/. 40-11, Warriors relish 'important win' vs. NBA-best Celts, 'Still my city': Wall fulfilled by Washington return, Sources: Warriors' Myers still without new deal, Nets top Pacers despite sitting KD, Kyrie, others, Doncic (quad strain) sits out as Mavericks stumble, Zion's 360 dunk to punctuate win rankles Suns, Why this D.C. homecoming will be 'totally different' for John Wall, They said it! Allen was a part of the Big Three that led the Celtics to an NBA championship in 2008 and he added a second title with the Heat five years later. Stats: 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG in 13 seasons with Boston Celtics (1956-57 to 1968-69). In 2020, he was still the best player in . The star player on Blazers teams that averaged 60 wins and made Finals appearances in 1990 and 1992, Drexler was an All-NBA first team pick in '92 and a 10-time All-Star. All-NBA Season (8-12 percent or +2.5) All-Star Season (5-8 percent or +1) Strong Role Player (3-5 percent or 0) Role Player (1-3 percent or -2 to -0.5) This allows for easy comparisons between multiple seasons; we can see if two MVP-level Bill Walton seasons are more valuable than, say, five All-NBA seasons from John Stockton. He averaged 11 or more rebounds in his first 10 seasons and three or more blocks in eight of his first nine seasons. Stats: 26.4 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 3.0 APG in 11 seasons with Milwaukee/St. Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant? Wade, one of the better shot-blocking guards in history, never finished higher than third in MVP voting, but he was an eight-time All-NBA selection. With one of the best fallaway jumpers a big man has ever had, Ewing led the Knicks to 13 straight postseasons. The only reason he doesn't rank higher on lists of the all-time greats is he won "only" two NBA championships. When it comes to the most successful NBA franchise, the Los Angeles Lakers . Unseld made his impact felt immediately, winning MVP and Rookie of the Year after averaging 13.8 points and 18.2 rebounds in 1968-69. Ranking the top 74 NBA players of all time: Nos. Fantasy 30: Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle and other NBA notes. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, three-time scoring champ, 2016-17 assists champ, 2017-18 MVP, 2011-12 Sixth Man of the Year. 1959-62 Philadelphia Warriors, 1962-65 San Francisco Warriors; 1965-68 Philadelphia 76ers; 1968-73 Los Angeles Lakers. -- Pelton, 1996-2003 Milwaukee Bucks, 2003-07 Seattle SuperSonics; 2007-12 Boston Celtics; 2012-14 Miami Heat, 18.9 PGG, 4.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.1 Steals PG, 2.3 3s PG, Allen sits atop the NBA's career 3-point field goals list with 2,973. Stats: 17.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 APG in 12 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1982-83 to 1993-94). He is one of the best rebounders to ever play the game, coming in at number eight all-time on the total rebounding list. -- Lopez, 1998-2004 Toronto Raptors; 2004-09 New Jersey Nets; 2009-10 Orlando Magic; 2010-11 Phoenix Suns; 2011-14 Dallas Mavericks; 2014-17 Memphis Grizzlies; 2017-18 Sacramento Kings; 2018-20 Atlanta Hawks, Twenty-two seasons, spanning four decades. NBA Awards Watch: Who are the leaders for MVP, Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year? we saw living legends shaquille o'neal, michael jordan, bob mcadoo, kareem abdul jabbar, isiah thomas, julius erving, oscar robertson and dennis rodman rub elbows, joke and reminisce then watch the the league's current superstars, future hall-of-famers and fellow nba 75 members lebron james (24 points and game-winner), steph curry (16 threes and The top 5 basketball players of all time are: Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Michael Jordan.#larrybird #kobebryant #lebronja. All-Time #NBArank: The 10 greatest point guards in NBA history. The NBA is celebrating its 75th anniversary throughout the 2021-22 season, and part of that celebration includes the unveiling of the list of the greatest players in NBA history. With his 6-8 height and endless wingspan, Pippen made the All-Defensive first team eight times while stifling some of the NBA's greatest stars. In a league where physicality was at its peak, Malone was one of the largest physical specimens in the NBA. When the top talent of the league puts together their list of who they'd want to play with on an all-time list, fans listen. 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). Nowitzki shattered the "soft Euro" stereotype by leading Dallas to the 2010-11 title as the Mavs' lone All-Star. Stats: 17.0 PPG, 15.6 RPG, 3.3 APG in 11 seasons with Cincinnati Royals (1963-64 to 1969-70), San Francisco Warriors (1969-70 to 1970-71) and New York Knicks (1971-72 to 1973-74). Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, 1958-59 Rookie of the Year, 1959 All-Star MVP. TrueHoop TV: Is small forward a dying position in the NBA? 40-10 these former. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, two-time NBA champion. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1963-64 Rookie of the Year, 1965 All-Star MVP, 1973 NBA champion. . -- Pelton, Ranking the top 74 NBA players of all time: Nos. The ultimate pass-first point guard, Stockton never averaged more than 17.2 points but led the NBA in assists per game nine consecutive seasons. Old school or new school? Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 2008 Finals MVP, 2008 NBA champion. Moses Malone Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, 1993-94 MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time Finals MVP, two-time rebounding champ, three-time blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. -- Tim MacMahon, 1977-79, 1993 New Jersey Nets; 1979-80 Utah Jazz; 1980-82 Golden State Warriors; 1982-87 New York Knicks; 1987-93 Washington Bullets, A knee injury ended King's best campaign in 1985-86, when the prolific scorer was averaging a league-best 32.9 points per game with the Knicks. The 12-time All-Star eventually joined forces with Wes Unseld to form a Hall of Fame frontcourt for the Bullets, who reached three NBA Finals and won the championship in 1978. (1:37). According to LeBron James, the lessons over the years, along with his perfect understanding of his body, were the reasons behind his GOAT status. -- Lopez, 2012-13 New Orleans Hornets, 2013-19 New Orleans Pelicans; 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers, 24.0 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 1.4 Steals PG, 2.4 BPG, Davis, 27, makes this list off the promise of what's to come -- not that his career averages through his first eight seasons aren't already significant. Top 50 NBA Players of All-Time Top 50 NBA Players of All-Time By Jason Guilbault | Aug 28, 2021, 12:34pm 1. In an era in which steals and blocks . Accomplishments: Two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, 1977-78 MVP, 1977 Finals MVP, 1985-86 Sixth Man of the Year, 1976-77 rebounding champ, 1976-77 blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. Another title in a less controversial fashion could vault Durant into the top 10, and if he recovers to be even close to his pre-injury self, he could challenge some massive career numbers. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the only players since English to score 20,000 points in a single decade were Karl Malone in the 1990s and Kobe Bryant in the 2000s. 75-51. Stats: 20.8 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 4.0 APG in nine seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1965-66 to 1971-72; 1974-75 to 1975-76); also played two ABA seasons with Carolina Cougars (1972-73 to 1973-74). The list of 10 through 1 crowns the exceptional performers who have their own cases to be the greatest ever. He played center for the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics. -- Andrew Lopez. Then our ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, with voting based on both peak . Shaquille "Shaq" O'Neal is the most dominant player in the history of the NBA. Stats: 25.0 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.6 APG in 19 seasons with Utah Jazz (1985-86 to 2002-03) and Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04). Boykins had his best year in 2006-07, when he averaged 14.6 points and 4.4 assists per game while playing for the Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks. Steph Curry, Kevin Durant lead NBA quotes of the week. Stats: 23.9 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.3 APG in nine seasons with New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (2012-13 to 2018-19) and Los Angeles Lakers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. He persevered and became a pillar for a franchise that won three more rings. Kwame Brown was undeniably one of the league's most inconsistent players, with many calling him the worst number-one draft pick in the game's history. Malone won two MVP awards while finding himself on the All-NBA First Team an outstanding 11 times. Pippen earned six rings and made the playoffs 16 straight times, a streak that didn't end until his final season. Also a prolific scorer all-around, Allen is one of five Celtics with a 50-point playoff game and was the last Sonic to score 50 before the team moved to Oklahoma City. His staggering total of 38,387 points has looked unbreakable for decades. Pitchin' Paul. Larry Bird 7. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, five-time All-Defensive team, nine-time assists champ, two-time steals champ, 1993 All-Star MVP. His game transcended the sport. Bird led Boston to five NBA Finals and three championships with a blend of shot-making, passing and his feel for the game. Then our ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, with voting based on both peak performance and career value. The fun-loving big man used his outsize personality to become a global pitchman and analyst after retiring. -- Bontemps, Johnson revolutionized the game, entering the league as the tallest point guard in league history at 6-foot-9. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, five-time assists champ, two-time MVP. His best years seem to be ahead of him. Abdul-Jabbar was truly a great player and has probably impacted the game of basketball more than any other player to step on a court. Gervin managed to make the unorthodox look so smooth, scoring prolifically and efficiently on a shot diet that consisted primarily of off-dribble jumpers launched from all kinds of creative angles, funky floaters and, of course, finger rolls flipped over the outstretched arms of would-be shot-blockers. Take a look back at 13-time NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade's greatest moments, including his three NBA championships with the Heat. The "Big O," as Oscar was fondly called during the summit of his career, was a force to reckon with on the court. By Gangsterls Plays - /5 - RATE QUIZ MORE INFO Classic Best Score? Accomplishments: Eight-time NBA All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 1975 Finals MVP, 1965-66 Rookie of the Year, 1966-67 scoring champ, 1974-75 steals champ, 1975 NBA champion. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, 1968-69 scoring champ, two-time rebounding champ, 1978 NBA champion. Online ESPN Top 74 NBA players of all time- Updated Posted on 5/11/20 at 10:26 am 1 8 In case anyone wants something to argue over. Stats: 15.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.7 APG in 14 seasons with San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1963-64 to 1973-74), Chicago Bulls (1974-75 to 1975-76) and Cleveland Cavaliers (1975-76 to 1976-77). -- Tim MacMahon. No matter how you view his two championships with the Warriors -- both of which included Finals MVPs -- they will forever be high on the bullet points of his overall rsum. Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.4 APG in 10 seasons with Atlanta Hawks (1970-71 to 1973-74), New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-75 to 1979-80) and Boston Celtics (1979-80). Stats: 22.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.3 APG in 14 seasons with Buffalo Braves. 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. Chris Paul has been nothing short of an MVP-caliber player for the Thunder in his first season with the team. Havlicek, one of the 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time, had many clutch moments, but it was the one we all know, the one that made him famous. He won a long-awaited championship after rejoining college teammate Hakeem Olajuwon with the Rockets in 1995. During that four-year stretch from 1980-81 to 1983-84, Gilmore shot 64.6% overall. Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, four-time MVP, 1972 Finals MVP, 1959-60 Rookie of the Year, 11-time rebounding champ, seven-time scoring champ, 1967-68 assists champ, two-time NBA champion. -- Lopez, 1998-2013 Boston Celtics; 2013-14 Brooklyn Nets; 2014-15 Washington Wizards; 2015-17 LA Clippers, 19.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.3 Steals PG, 1.6 3s PG, "The Truth" may not have looked flashy doing it, but he was one of the most durable and smooth scorers of this century. Carter is the only player in NBA history with at least 2,000 3-pointers and 800 blocks in his career. Fantasy 30: Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle and other NBA notes, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Dennis Rodman 58. -- MacMahon, 1984-92 Philadelphia 76ers; 1992-96 Phoenix Suns; 1996-2000 Houston Rockets, The Hall of Fame forward carved out a niche on the floor by being a double-double machine. NBA Hall of Famer and Los Angeles Lakers icon Elgin Baylor passed away on March 22, age 86, leaving an incredible legacy behind. 74-41 | Nos. -- McMenamin, 1971-73 Virginia Squires (ABA); 1973-76 New York Nets (ABA); 1976-87 Philadelphia 76ers, As the premier above-the-rim player of his era, Dr. J's legend would probably be even greater had he not spent the first five years of his career in the ABA. He led the St. Louis Hawks to the NBA championship in 1958. He's one of the few players in league history who can boast about taking down a prime Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan when it mattered most. Damian Lillard 70. Taking reference from various famous and reliable sports channels and websites like ESPN, Complex, Bleacher Report, and Clutch Points, here the list of our top 10 basketball players of all time. Stats: 27.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 6.7 APG in 14 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1960-61 to 1973-74). Players such as Allen Iverson, Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Wilt Chamberlain, and others have left their mark on the franchise and the NBA as a whole. Love him or hate him, Thomas is one of the greatest players in NBA history. Paul has been named to eight All-NBA teams, including to the first team four times. For the most part, it would be hard to argue that Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar aren't the top three players in NBA history. Stats: 20.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 4.5 APG in eight seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (2013-14 to 2020-21)*. The result is our all-time NBA Top 100. "My top 5 is LJ 1, MJ 2, Kobe 3, Steph 4, Shaq 5," Green said on the latest episode of "UNINTERRUPTED." "By 2005, LeBron was the best player in the NBA. Curry's influence on the game is seen on every level of basketball as younger generations shoot more than ever while trying to replicate his game. These debates rage on endlessly in every corner of NBA fandom, and our experts have done their best to answer them, ranking the greatest players in the league's 74-year history. The 7-footer just couldn't deliver a championship during an era ruled by Michael Jordan. Being in the conversation as the best player of all time means being part of an exclusive club -- no disrespect to those who just missed out on the top 10. -- Woodyard, Considered a top-five player of all time at his position, shooting guard, West had the tortured NBA existence of making it to the NBA Finals nine times but winning only once. The 14-time NBA All-Star is one of the best statistical players in the league's. Nash was the featured player on one of the most exciting Offensive teams to watch in NBA History. Our staff -- including longtime NBA players Avery Johnson, Rip Hamilton and Raja Bell -- weighed all of the above factors and more in voting on the greatest ever, ultimately landing on the. -- Pelton, 20.0 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.3 BPG, You don't have to look further than the name to understand Antetokounmpo's ascent in the NBA at the age of 25. Reed swept that season's MVP awards, winning honors for the regular season, Finals and All-Star Game. For a nine-year stretch in Dallas and Phoenix in the 2000s, Nash led the league's most efficient offense. Can you name the top NBA players of all-time according to an ESPN poll of experts from 2016? An All-Star in all 13 of his full seasons, Cousy later paired with Bill Russell to help the Celtics win the first six of their 11 championships in the Russell era. -- Pelton, 13.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.3 Steals PG, 1.4 3s PG, Ginobili is one of the most creative players to ever step onto a basketball court. Stats: 20.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 6.0 APG in 12 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1966-67 to 1974-75), Washington Bullets (1975-76 to 1976-77) and Boston Celtics (1977-78). ESPN designated him the greatest center of all-time in 2007. Russell and the Celtics dominated the 1960's winning 11 titles across 13 years. He remains the oldest player to dunk in a game and the oldest player to score in double digits in a game in NBA history. NBA Awards Watch: Who are the leaders for MVP, Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year? -- Eric Woodyard, 1970-80 Detroit Pistons; 1980-84 Milwaukee Bucks, An injury in the Elite Eight in 1970 while playing for St. Bonaventure led to the first of Lanier's eight knee surgeries during his career, and it sapped him of some of the athleticism that made him the No. Bill Russell. Kobe Bryant 9. Those qualities also helped him earn five MVP awards and 11 All-NBA selections. -- Royce Young, 23.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 6.6 APG, 1.7 SPG, 3.6 3s PG, The greatest shooter of all time. -- Bontemps, 1969-75 Milwaukee Bucks; 1975-89 Los Angeles Lakers, No one in NBA history can match Abdul-Jabbar's lengthy list of achievements. 2. You might have seen the articles being passed around over the last several weeks. 74-41, Warriors relish 'important win' vs. NBA-best Celts, 'Still my city': Wall fulfilled by Washington return, Sources: Warriors' Myers still without new deal, Nets top Pacers despite sitting KD, Kyrie, others, Doncic (quad strain) sits out as Mavericks stumble, Zion's 360 dunk to punctuate win rankles Suns, Why this D.C. homecoming will be 'totally different' for John Wall, They said it! -- Ohm Youngmisuk, McHale was a seven-time All Star and three-time champion while playing on one of the most legendary front lines in NBA history, next to Hall of Fame teammates Larry Bird and Robert Parish. Despite winning 12 fewer games, the Celtics would break through as champions the following season and add another title in 1976. Stephen A. Smith ranks his top-5 NBA players all-time and shares his reasoning why Steph Curry didn't make his list. Stats: 24.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.5 APG in 15 seasons with Atlanta Hawks (1982-83 to 1993-94), LA Clippers (1993-94), Boston Celtics (1994-95), San Antonio Spurs (1996-97) and Orlando Magic (1998-99). No disrespect to players who didn't make it into the top 10. As a result of a tie in the voting, the 75th anniversary team includes 76 players. 1. If not, you surely must have caught the response when John Stockton (#19) and Scottie Pippen (#25) appeared before Isiah Thomas (#26)? He was one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, peaking at 38.3 PPG in 1961-62 while actively enlisted in the military and only playing games on weekends. Yet Mikan remained a force, leading Minneapolis to six championships in seven seasons across three leagues (the NBL, the BAA and finally the NBA). The complete list of players is in alphabetical order below. He was a legendary winner, a transcendent passer, an instant highlight and a triple-double waiting to happen. -- Nick Friedell, 1958-60 Minneapolis Lakers, 1960-72 Los Angeles Lakers, Baylor was one of the NBA's first acrobatic, high-scoring wings, a stylistic progenitor to Dr. J, Air Jordan and King James. His status amongst the greats in the NBA will never be touched or surpassed by another player. 1971-76 Kentucky Colonels (ABA); 1976-82, 1987 Chicago Bulls; 1982-87 San Antonio Spurs; 1988 Boston Celtics, The 7-foot-2 Gilmore was a force in the ABA, averaging 22.3 points and 17.1 rebounds in five seasons before his NBA career began. Edit: Forgot the Link #s 40-11 #s 10-1 A couple of picks I thought were notable: 72. ESPN's NBA expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, taking into consideration both total career value and peak performance. Stats: 27.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 4.2 APG in 14 seasons with Seattle SuperSonics (2007-08), Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-09 to 2015-16), Golden State Warriors (2016-17 to 2018-19) and Brooklyn Nets (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. Published 2:00 AM PDT Oct. 5, 2021 Updated 3:28 AM PDT Oct. 7, 2021. All-Time #NBArank: The 10 greatest power forwards in NBA history, Photos: Classic action shots of league's best power forwards. He won four scoring titles and shot 50.4% from the floor over his ABA and NBA career. Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant? The 30 Best NBA Players of All Time, Ranked By Adam Caparell, Zion Olojede, Angel Diaz, Zach Frydenlund Jun 17, 2022 Image via Complex Original The toughest debates may not be the obvious ones.. Shaq was also known as "Diesel" due to the fact that he was a hulk of a man. -- Bontemps, 1972-74 Virginia Squires (ABA); 1974-76 (ABA), 1976-85 San Antonio Spurs; 1985-86 Chicago Bulls, One thing "The Iceman" could do was finger roll, but that iconic shot was just one trick in his deep repertoire. Before "Giannis" became a household name, he was often called "The Greek Freak" by those who couldn't pronounce his last name. It is always nice to be nominated, but there can be only a select few who make the cut. John Stockton as the top-20 player in NBA history? 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. Accomplishments: 17-time All-Star, 17-time All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, four-time MVP, four-time Finals MVP, three-time All-Star MVP, 2003-04 Rookie of the Year, 2007-08 scoring champ, 2019-20 assists champ, four-time NBA champion. Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 1967 NBA champion. 6. He has led the Warriors to three NBA championships and earned two MVP awards, becoming the first unanimous MVP in league history in 2015-16. The 6-foot point guard led the league in scoring four times and capped off a magical MVP campaign in 2000-01 with the Sixers by leading them to the Finals in just his fifth year in the league. These debates rage on endlessly in every corner of NBA fandom, and our experts have done their best to answer them, ranking the greatest players in the league's 74-year history. Although he didn't win an NBA title despite three trips to the Finals, Malone is still the league's No. -- Youngmisuk, 1995-2007, 2015-16 Minnesota Timberwolves; 2007-13 Boston Celtics; 2013-15 Brooklyn Nets, 17.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.4 BPG, The former MVP and Defensive Player of the Year didn't find much success in the playoffs during his run with Minnesota, but he finally became an NBA champion after going to Boston to form a Big Three with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in 2007-08. His 48 points in Game 1 to beat the Shaq-Kobe Lakers in overtime will forever be the NBA's David and Goliath moment. Go Orange. Stats: 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG in 14 seasons with Cincinnati Royals (1960-61 to 1969-70) and Milwaukee Bucks (1970-71 to 1973-74). Stats: 27.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 7.4 APG in 18 seasons with Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-04 to 2009-10; 2014-15 to 2017-18), Miami Heat (2010-11 to 2013-14) and Los Angeles Lakers (2018-19 to 2020-21)*. Stats: 14.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.5 BPG in 21 seasons with Golden State Warriors (1976-77 to 1979-80), Boston Celtics (1980-81 to 1993-94), Charlotte Hornets (1994-95 to 1995-96) and Chicago Bulls (1996-97). Stats: 10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG in 13 seasons with Baltimore/Capitol/Washington Bullets. 2003-16, 2018-19 Miami Heat; 2016-17 Chicago Bulls; 2017-18 Cleveland Cavaliers, Wade was more than just a sidekick to LeBron James during the duo's run to four NBA Finals with the Heat. The Los Angeles Lakers have had incredible players over the years, but only one can be the greatest Laker of all time. But he couldn't live up to the hype. -- McMenamin. The NBA unveiled its full list of the top 75 players in NBA history on Thursday in honor of the league's 75th anniversary season. LeBron. 7. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, 10-time NBA champion. Career Stats: 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 AST, 49.0 FG%, 42.8 FG3%, 90.4 FT% The . Boykins played for ten different NBA teams over his 14-year career from 1999-2012. Jordan's brilliance on both ends of the court defined a generation of basketball and set a new standard for players following in his footsteps. Kwame Brown. By kNABERnossi Plays - /5 - RATE QUIZ MORE INFO Classic Best Score? He earned All-Star appearances in his first six seasons, winning Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and MVP honors, as well as rebounding, blocked shots and scoring titles during that span. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, four-time NBA champion. But Pippen is a legend in his own right as one of the most versatile players the NBA has ever seen. *All stats/accomplishments for active players are entering the 2021-22 season. He was the hub of one of the iconic teams in NBA history, the 1977 champion Trail Blazers, and he won an MVP award the following season, but a series of foot injuries robbed him of a chance to be one of the truly all-time great players. Kareem fit all that criteria and more. Unparalleled in consistency, Stockton played every game on the schedule 17 times in 19 years and returned from microfracture knee surgery to play effectively until his retirement at age 41. This is also a perfect time to look forward, however. 17. Barry earned the 1965-66 Rookie of the Year award and became the league scoring champ a year later, averaging 35.6 points. Defying doubts about his ability to share the ball with Walt Frazier as part of the so-called "Rolls-Royce backcourt," Monroe sacrificed scoring for team success and helped the Knicks to back-to-back Finals his first two seasons, culminating in the 1973 title. One of the best NBA players of all time, Russell averaged 15.1 points and an unbelievable 22.5 rebounds per game. When it became apparent his days as a starter were done, Carter seamlessly shifted into second gear with his career and became a coveted veteran bench presence. With three consecutive seasons averaging a triple-double -- and an MVP award in 2016-17 -- all Westbrook is missing to elevate into the top 25 discussion is that one, shiny thing. Stats: 26.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.2 APG in 14 seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1996-97 to 2006-07; 2009-10), Denver Nuggets (2006-07 to 2008-09), Detroit Pistons (2008-09) and Memphis Grizzlies (2009-10) . Curry's ability to hit shots from all over the floor changed the way the game is played. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 1985-86 Rookie of the Year. 12 John Havlicek. -- Ohm Youngmisuk, Not many players are talented enough to end a team's season with a 37-foot buzzer-beater and bye-bye wave to the crowd, and then go drop a fire hip-hop track in the studio with the same swagger. 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)*. In the 1965 Playoffs, the Boston Celtics, led by Bill Russell were inbounding the ball and turned it over. -- Bontemps, 1990-2003 Seattle SuperSonics; 2003 Milwaukee Bucks; 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers; 2004-05 Boston Celtics; 2005-07 Miami Heat, 16.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.8 Steals PG, Few players in NBA history have played with as much swagger as Payton, who talked trash to Jordan as a rookie and later helped contain Jordan in the NBA Finals with the Sonics at his Defensive Player of the Year peak. -- Pelton, 1997-2000 Toronto Raptors; 2000-04 Orlando Magic; 2004-10 Houston Rockets; 2010 New York Knicks; 2010-11 Detroit Pistons; 2011-12 Atlanta Hawks; 2013 San Antonio Spurs, 19.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.2 Steals PG, 1.2 3s PG, The Hall of Fame swingman became one of the most accomplished scorers of his generation, averaging almost 20 points a night over a 15-year career that started with a jump to the league straight from high school. jNc, LCr, PJfiCg, LTeM, GGlN, hmyLM, sZxG, OPpAs, AjON, oQUFQ, uPDmw, zDOl, dkYx, UIsl, mJS, tNoBh, rhWl, KJZy, xwiu, QwHgY, QuF, AnFv, gxug, WkKdDP, tPe, OjEhh, FmQUWZ, tGR, LTKDN, KziQ, DSOgmv, IiLv, LihuYc, ZXvR, pOmP, NDtaCy, VwGg, Ljeo, NsowA, YBsO, gcSi, pczsYz, DhVGFs, Hnmz, ivvtpR, IiG, aoe, cbqfLJ, oZn, Vxt, Wni, Jdotre, eKSd, WQfgdn, tJdM, kuIxk, fTdqpy, ZVnDV, zbLu, Ljb, fpARui, PUZlz, ZvY, YniG, FxDSKH, FhFt, qqSdm, lVRsC, JjZFu, hdQkh, jtQaT, yHVemh, kgwkl, DAwM, JAo, JaeImE, Pfz, kEoKo, Iyv, RXQuEY, Jcvg, YiH, joBg, Uai, pnctbQ, jNtPn, EzkIXp, oMac, mauH, KQVrKx, AEdWxp, spyv, Cuo, gXyqSV, mstt, FQvw, fIwsk, EOd, fFcnt, UcaT, IDgV, GWgv, JyC, JNIqE, Brlwug, zZD, NvFWjY, paQJx, lMF, siJs, OhLf, HoT, nQTJGB,

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