Those qualities also helped him earn five MVP awards and 11 All-NBA selections. He won two championships with the Knicks, and he made seven All-Star teams, seven All-Defensive teams and six All-NBA teams. 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. Oscar Robertson 12. Here at CBS Sports, we recently took a look at the top 15 players in NBA history, with Jordan firmly at the top. Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 6.5 APG in 11 seasons with Golden State Warriors (2009-10 to 2020-21)*. His fast breaks and no-look passes catapulted the NBA from an era when Finals games weren't televised live to the global game it is today. The Suns, in turn, became one of the great teams to never win a title. To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. Check out some of his season's best highlights. 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). LeBron James or Michael Jordan? Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1968 All-Star MVP, 1967 NBA champion. 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. -- 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. The four-time MVP and three-time champion has reinvented how an athlete's prime should be viewed; he had the Lakers in the thick of a title hunt as a 35-year-old playing in his 17th season. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, three-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP, two-time All-Star MVP, four-time assists champ, two-time steals champ, five-time NBA champion. Larry Bird 6. Paul has been named to eight All-NBA teams, including to the first team four times. Louis Hawks (1954-55 to 1964-65). Bill Russell 3. It is always nice to be nominated, but there can be only a select few who make the cut. His 9,336 career points are fourth-best all-time. -- 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. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, 10-time NBA champion. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1995 NBA champion. Stats: 18.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG in 18 seasons with Indiana Pacers (1987-88 to 2004-05). When it comes to the most successful NBA franchise, the Los Angeles Lakers . It has been 25 years since the league unveiled its list of the 50 greatest players in NBA history, which tipped off a season-long celebration of the NBA's 50th anniversary in 1996. -- 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. He made the Knicks title contenders despite never truly having a second superstar to play alongside him in his prime. 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. Damian Lillard 70. The Mailman is undoubtedly one of the best NBA players of all time, from an individual's standpoint. ESPN created a list of the top 100 NBA players of all time by polling a group of experts. 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. Stats: 19.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.0 APG in 19 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1997-98 to 2015-16). -- 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 always delivered on the basketball court. 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. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 2016-17 MVP, two-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, three-time assists champ. Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, 1974 Finals MVP, eight-time NBA champion. 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). Stats: 16.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.7 APG in 17 seasons with Seattle SuperSonics (1990-91 to 2002-03), Milwaukee Bucks (2002-03), Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04), Boston Celtics (2004-05) and Miami Heat (2005-06 to 2006-07). 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. NBA Awards Watch: Who are the leaders for MVP, Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year? Chris Paul has been nothing short of an MVP-caliber player for the Thunder in his first season with the team. The complete list of players is in alphabetical order below. 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. Robertson is still the only player in NBA history who sits in the top 10 in points per game and assists per game. If not, you surely must have caught the response when John Stockton (#19) and Scottie Pippen (#25) appeared before Isiah Thomas (#26)? -- Snellings, 1985-2003 Utah Jazz; 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers, They didn't call Karl Malone "The Mailman" for no reason. 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. 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: 23.1 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.8 APG in seven seasons with Minneapolis Lakers (1948-49 to 1955-56). Stats: 21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 3.1 BPG in 18 seasons with Houston Rockets (1984-85 to 2000-01) and Toronto Raptors (2001-02); NBA's career leader in total blocks. 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). Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, two-time Finals MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, 2020 All-Star MVP, 2014-15 steals champ, two-time NBA champion. -- 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. ESPN's panel of NBA experts are revealing their top 74 players in the league's 74-year history. 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 rebounding champ, six-time NBA champion. Steph Curry, Kevin Durant lead NBA quotes of the week. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, four-time All-Defensive team, two-time MVP, two-time All-Star MVP. Kwame Brown. -- 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. Nowitzki shattered the "soft Euro" stereotype by leading Dallas to the 2010-11 title as the Mavs' lone All-Star. -- 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. Top 32 nations not at the World Cup. ESPN's NBA expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, taking into consideration both total career value and peak performance. Boykins played for ten different NBA teams over his 14-year career from 1999-2012. His staggering total of 38,387 points has looked unbreakable for decades. Then head over and vote on the best NBA players of the 2010s. -- Pelton, Ranking the top 74 NBA players of all time: Nos. The 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time 50 Paul Arizin Paul Vathis/AP Stalwart jump shooter from the Philadelphia Warriors. 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. The second shortest player in NBA history, Earl Boykins was two inches taller than Muggsy at 5'5". 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). 49. Stats: 27.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 4.3 APG in 14 seasons with Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (1958-59 to 1971-72). 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. Accomplishments: Nine-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1980 All-Star MVP, four-time NBA scoring champ. He also ranks second in offensive and . The list of 10 through 1 crowns the exceptional performers who have their own cases to be the greatest ever. Barry earned the 1965-66 Rookie of the Year award and became the league scoring champ a year later, averaging 35.6 points. *All stats/accomplishments for active players are entering the 2021-22 season. Ranges, Not Absolutes Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 2012-13 scoring champ. He led the Bullets to four NBA Finals appearances, delivering the only NBA championship to the nation's capital after he was Finals MVP in 1978. 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. Tony Parker 68. Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets: Two-time NBA champion, NBA MVP, 10-time NBA All-Star. One. By kNABERnossi Plays - /5 - RATE QUIZ MORE INFO Classic Best Score? TrueHoop TV: Is small forward a dying position in the NBA? Pau Gasol 62. 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). Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, 1967-68 Rookie of the Year, 1973 NBA champion. He won four scoring titles and shot 50.4% from the floor over his ABA and NBA career. www.espn.com The Top Twenty: Eleven players . Undersized for a center at 6-foot-9, Cowens became a fan favorite in Boston by compensating with skill, quickness and hustle. 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. 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 20 First Names: NBA Players. The top 5 basketball players of all time are: Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Michael Jordan.#larrybird #kobebryant #lebronja. 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. 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. -- 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. Lebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers: Three-time NBA champion, four-time NBA MVP, 16-time NBA All-Star. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, seven-time All-Defensive team, 1975 All-Star MVP, two-time NBA champion. Shaq was also known as "Diesel" due to the fact that he was a hulk of a man. 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. career laurels: 11 nba champion (1957, 1959-1966, 1968, 1969); 5 nba most valuable player (1958, 1961-1963, 1965); 12 nba all-star (1958-1969); nba all-star game mvp (1963); 3. Fantasy 30: Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle and other NBA notes, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Fantasy 30: Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle and other NBA notes. Malone's statue is planted outside of Salt Lake City's Vivint Smart Home Arena, next to that of his running mate, John Stockton. Old school or new school? 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. ESPN's NBA expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, taking into consideration both total career value and peak performance. Westbrook addressed what the . -- 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. He is third in career assists and led the league in that category five of his 18 seasons. Stats: 16.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 6.7 APG in 15 seasons with St. Louis Hawks (1960-61 to 1967-68), Seattle SuperSonics (1968-69 to 1971-72), Cleveland Cavaliers (1972-73 to 1973-74) and Portland Trail Blazers (1974-75). -- MacMahon, 1960-70 Cincinnati Royals; 1970-74 Milwaukee Bucks, "The Big O" burst onto the scene as a rookie in 1960, and by the time his sophomore season was wrapped up, he had become the first player to average a triple-double in a single season. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 1976-77 scoring champ. 1959-62 Philadelphia Warriors, 1962-65 San Francisco Warriors; 1965-68 Philadelphia 76ers; 1968-73 Los Angeles Lakers. "Mamba mentality" became more than a kitschy catchphrase after Bryant died; it is now a blueprint for how to chase your dreams. 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. Kareem fit all that criteria and more. Kobe Bryant 9. Subscribe to ESPN+ http://espnplus.com/. 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. -- 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." Stats: 22.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.4 APG in 16 seasons with Miami Heat (2003-04 to 2015-16; 2017-18 to 2018-19), Chicago Bulls (2016-17) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18). 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). Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1988 Finals MVP, three-time NBA champion. O'Neal became an All-Star 15 times and earned the 1999-2000 MVP award. 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. 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. 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. 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. Mount Mutombo led the league in blocks from 1993-94 to 1995-96 and was Defensive Player of the Year four times. He was a seven-time All-Star who still ranks second in Knicks history in total rebounds. No disrespect to players who didn't make it into the top 10. 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. 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. Bill Russell. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, two-time NBA champion. He won the rebounding title for Philadelphia in 1986-87, despite generously being listed at 6-6. -- 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. 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. Before "Giannis" became a household name, he was often called "The Greek Freak" by those who couldn't pronounce his last name. Wilkins' Hawks didn't advance far in the playoffs; they kept running into the Celtics, Pistons and Bucks in the 1980s. 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. 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). Billy Cunningham. 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) . Stats: 18.7 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 1.8 APG in 10 seasons with New York Knicks (1964-65 to 1973-74). Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-Defensive team. 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. With one of the best fallaway jumpers a big man has ever had, Ewing led the Knicks to 13 straight postseasons. 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 . Fantasy 30: Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle and other NBA notes, Supplemental Privacy Policy for Singapore. -- Lopez, 2011-18 San Antonio Spurs; 2018-19 Toronto Raptors; 2019-20 LA Clippers, 18.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.4 3s PG, Leonard has already played nine seasons, but it feels like he's just getting going. Stats: 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG in 13 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1979-80 to 1990-91; 1995-96). -- Friedell, 2008-19 Oklahoma City Thunder; 2019-20 Houston Rockets, 23.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 8.3 APG, 1.8 Steals PG, 1.1 3s PG, In a purely statistical vacuum, Westbrook is as impactful a player as the league has ever seen. Moses Malone 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. 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? -- 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. Payton made nine All-NBA appearances and peaked at third in MVP voting in 1997-98, capping his career with a championship as a reserve for the 2005-06 Heat. 8. Top 50 NBA Players of All-Time Top 50 NBA Players of All-Time By Jason Guilbault | Aug 28, 2021, 12:34pm 1. 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. Over the rich and long history of the NBA, many players have flaunted their talents in the . Reed swept that season's MVP awards, winning honors for the regular season, Finals and All-Star Game. 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. 4. All-Time #NBArank: The 10 greatest centers in NBA history, Photos: Classic action shots of league's best centers, 5-on-5: Debating the NBA's top centers of all time, TrueHoop TV: The "power forwardization" of the center position, All-Time #NBArank 91-100: Harden, Love make the Top 100 cut, All-Time #NBArank 81-90: Yao, Billups, Bosh, Mullin make list, All-Time #NBArank 71-80: Blake's place among the greats, All-Time #NBArank 61-70: T-Mac, C-Webb, Vinsanity, Dwight, All-Time #NBArank 51-60: Melo, Reggie, Pau, TP miss Top 50, All-Time #NBArank 46-50: Iverson, Westbrook land in Top 50, All-Time #NBArank 41-45: Payton, Pierce and Nique, All-Time #NBArank 36-40: Clyde The Glide, Frazier and Cousy, All-Time #NBArank 31-35: Kidd, Ewing, McHale among greats, All-Time #NBArank 26-30: Isiah, Wade, Hondo, CP3, Nash. 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). -- Bontemps, 1969-75 Milwaukee Bucks; 1975-89 Los Angeles Lakers, No one in NBA history can match Abdul-Jabbar's lengthy list of achievements. -- Tim Bontemps, 2001-18 San Antonio Spurs; 2018-19 Charlotte Hornets, Parker was a relatively small point guard who did a lot of his damage in the paint, using his quickness to penetrate and his pretty, feathery, teardrop floater to finish over the trees. -- McMenamin. The 7-footer just couldn't deliver a championship during an era ruled by Michael Jordan. Carter will likely be remembered for two things in his NBA career: his dunks early on and his longevity late. 2 scorer, behind the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The latter group tends to rank James lower due to his 4-6 record in the championship series. There's little doubt Dirk Nowitzi is the Mavericks' best and most important player of all time. 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. The Oakland, California, native already has a Rookie of the Year trophy, a first-team All-NBA selection and five All-Star appearances among his career accomplishments. Profile Quizzes Subscribed Subscribe? Accomplishments: Six-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 2012-13 Rookie of the Year. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, 1992-93 MVP, 1991 All-Star MVP, 1986-87 rebounding champ. -- Tim MacMahon. The result is our all-time NBA Top 100. Vote up the best basketball player ever, and those who follow close behind. Curry's ability to hit shots from all over the floor changed the way the game is played. Love him or hate him, Thomas is one of the greatest players in NBA history. 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. -- 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. Lebron James Image Credit- NBA LeBron James is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). But fans won't forget his duel with Larry Bird in Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals. His best years seem to be ahead of him. The debate over whether that stubborn single-mindedness helped or actually hurt his team will be part of NBA chatter forever. -- Tim Bontemps. 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: 23.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.8 APG in 18 seasons with Denver Nuggets (2003-04 to 2010-11), New York Knicks (2010-11 to 2016-17), Oklahoma City Thunder (2017-18), Houston Rockets (2018-19), Portland Trail Blazers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. 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)*. 74 through 41. Despite winning 12 fewer games, the Celtics would break through as champions the following season and add another title in 1976. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, five-time All-Defensive team, 1969 Finals MVP, 1972 All-Star MVP, 1969-70 scoring champ, 1971-72 assists champ, 1972 NBA champion. Mourning was twice named Defensive Player of the Year in his first eight seasons, and he averaged 21.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.8 blocks at the peak of his game from 1998-2000, his only two All-NBA seasons. Take a look back at James Harden's dynamic MVP season in 2017-18. In an era in which steals and blocks . 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. 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. Magic Johnson 5. 1. 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: Nine-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1985-86 scoring champ. 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