My Top 10 NBA Players of All-Time

This is a list of my top 10 NBA players of All Time.

Honorable Mention: Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem was DOMINANT. He could body anyone he wanted in the post and won the Finals back to back in 94 and 95, winning finals MVP in both. Hakeem spent 17 seasons of his illustrious career in Houston where he averaged 22.5 ppg, 19.4 rebs per game, and 3.2 blocks per game. He spent a dismal last season in Toronto where he didn’t get many minutes and didn’t play as well as he had in the prime of his career.

10: Wilt Chamberlain

Many would say that Wilt is top 5 all time but I don’t think so. Wilt is best known for his 100 point game and his 48 inch vertical. In 1961 -1962 Wilt averaged 50.4 points per game, 25.7 rebound per game, and 48.5 minutes per game, he didn’t win MVP. The amount of minutes he was getting is why I have him lower on this list than expected. He was playing over 48 minutes per game which would have given him an insanely high usage rate. The pace of play was also much faster in his era. He was a giant and was very athletically gifted. This was very impressive but not top 5 impressive.

9: Kevin Durant

Many view Kevin Durant’s move to Golden State as a very dishonorable thing to do, but we learned this postseason that Kevin Durant may have been holding up the Warriors Dynasty. Kevin went down with a calf strain back in mid May and the Warriors looked as if they could survive without him as they swept Portland, who barely made it this far, scraping by the Nuggets in 7. The Warriors went 1-4 in the Finals when he didn’t play and 1-0 when he did play. Not to mention the fact that he had been a consistent contributor to their Offense for the past 2 years and had won finals MVP in the past 2 years. He was able to keep Lebron in check and score on him with consistency through his 2 finals with the Warriors and had they had him to guard Kawhi the Warriors may be NBA champions right now. KD signed with the Nets this offseason, teaming up with Kyrie Irving in the biggest sports market in the world. If KD can come back strong from his achilles injury and win a championship with Kyrie then he can cement his legacy as a top 10 player of all time.

8: Tim Duncan

Tim Duncan is a simple man off the court, polos, jeans, and sneakers, but on the court his game was anything but simple. He had a mean post game and his fade-away was unmatched by any other big man. Tim Duncan will give you 25 and 15 every night, rain, shine, or zombie apocalypse. His greatness was in his consistency and the respect he drew from other bigs. He was also a very clutch player who excelled in big moments. He won an astounding 5 finals with the Spurs and helped build a team under Greg Popovich that made the playoffs in all of his years there. Tim is now an assistant coach on the Spurs, adding to Greg Popovich’s uber-talented coaching staff. He was a great player overall and a stand up guy, giving him #8 on this list.

7: Bill Russell

Bill Russell was different. He was the best rebounder of all time and one of the most winningest players. He won 11 championships in 13 years as a member of the Celtics dynasty that lasted from the late 50s to early 70s. He once snagged 40 rebounds in a finals game, an NBA record and almost impossible in today’s game. He wore #6 with the Celtics and his number now hangs in the rafters of TD Garden reminding everyone who visits the Garden of his greatness.  

6: Larry Bird

“He couldn’t play in today’s NBA,” They said, “He’s too weak.” They said. Larry Bird was one of the best shooters in the NBA and he doesn’t get his dues. He played with a 3 point line during his career but this was around the birth of it, many rejected it and so did Bird, shooting only 1.9 threes per game through his career. Had he shot the ball in the same quantity that James Harden does today he could have scored over 40 points per game. He was a great scorer without the 3 point line and was the best mid range shooter ever. Larry Legend is one of the best offensive players in the history of the NBA.

5: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an all time great, he is forever enshrined in the Hall of Fame. He played in the NBA for 20 seasons with the Bucks for his first 6 seasons and then 14 seasons with the Lakers. He was a 19 time all-star and he won 6 NBA Finals. Kareem was also the anchor of most of his defenses, being selected onto the all-defensive team eleven times. His number 33 is hanging in the rafters of Staples Center and Fiserv Forum. He is not higher on this list because he had almost not shot from outside of 15 feet.

4: Magic Johnson

Magic was in my opinion the greatest passer of all-time, you could have the entire defense surrounding you and Magic could still get you the ball. Magic was a cornerstone of the Lakers franchise for years. Magic was one of the better scores in the league too . He could score on anyone from Scottie Pippen to Bill Russell. Magic was also a good shooter, he shot 52% from the field in his career. His career was shortened by an illness and he played PF in the last season of his career where he played at a subpar level.

3: Lebron James

LeBron James is the ideal NBA player, he can play and guard any position on the court, he can score from anywhere inside of 30 feet, and can carry a team on his back for entire seasons. Lebron has one small flaw, he can very easily turn a locker room with good chemistry into a a wasteland of big trades and locker room drama. Lebron did this with the Lakers, he had a great young core and was a championship contender and then the AD trade rumors started. Later in the season LeBron went down with a groin injury and the Lakers crashed. His teammates didn’t have faith in one another and this led to them not being able to play together. Lebron has had success in Cleveland and in Miami. Lebron has built great relationships with other stars and this may play a large factor in free agency. He was also able to acquire Anthony Davis which is sure to attract another big name free agent like Kemba Walker or Jimmy Butler. Lebron is overall 3-5 in NBA finals, but you can’t blame him, he has always had injury plagued teams or has had little help in trying to achieve NBA Finals Immortality. In conclusion LeBron is one of the best NBA players of all time but his locker room presence brings him down on my list.LeBron James is the ideal NBA player, he can play and guard any position on the court, he can score from anywhere inside of 30 feet, and can carry a team on his back for entire seasons. Lebron has one small flaw, he can very easily turn a locker room with good chemistry into a a wasteland of big trades and locker room drama. Lebron did this with the Lakers, he had a great young core and was a championship contender and then the AD trade rumors started. Later in the season LeBron went down with a groin injury and the Lakers crashed. His teammates didn’t have faith in one another and this led to them not being able to play together. LeBron was able to secure AD in a trade that traded away their young core but put them in contention for a title.

2: Kobe Bryant

The Mamba Mentality is something that every sports player wants to adopt, the mentality that getting better is all that there is and that he is the best player on the court for every minute he is out there. Kobe started his career as the 13th overall selection by the Hornets ans was traded to the Lakers on draft night. He was a flashy young player who wore #8 for the first half of his career, three peating with Shaq, but this didn’t come without criticism. Shaq and Kobe didn’t get along in the end and Shaq was traded to the Heat. Kobe even had trade rumors but shot down any trade that was offered to the Lakers. Kobe was a different player in the second half or his career. He wore 24 and changed his play style. Early Kobe was a young, athletic, energetic player who got most of his scoring on the inside and could pull of insane dunks. Kobe towards the end of his career created his shots and shot in a higher quantity in the mid range, trying to take advantage of a league that was actively forgetting about the mid range shot. Kobe’s give rings and the magic of his game put him at number 2 on my top 10 list.

1: Michael Jordan

His Airness, MJ was the goat. Michael was drafted at third to a faltering Bulls franchise in need of a savior. Michael came in and made an immediate impact, winning ROY and lifting the Bulls to a playoff berth. Michael had many a magical moment in the NBA, his game winner against the Jazz, the back to back championships, and his leap from the free throw line in the dunk contest. Michael could score from anywhere within 25 feet. He could leave the ground and soar in for a dunk, he could snap your ankles and drain a mid range shot as you fell, or he could shoot a contested three right over your hands and into the basket. Michael was also one of the greatest defenders ever, earning DPOY and all team first defense honors in his career. Many put Michael behind LeBron, citing Michael’s retirements and his gambling, trying to taint his reputation but he is unequivocally the best player ever.