With more than 75 years of rich basketball history, the National Basketball Association has produced great teams, compelling rivalries, and developed the best NBA players. Players have showcased their skills during playoffs, different styles of play, and colorful antics on the court. So, it isn’t surprising that fans and pundits will often talk about their favorite moments, even their best players of all time. In this article, we’ll look at our picks of all-time top greatest NBA players.
Creating a ‘best list’ is always challenging since these NBA players have played in different seasons and times. In addition, we all have our biases regarding great play during finals and playoffs, professionalism, and reliability on and off the court. But for this list, we review and assess the profile and contributions of the top 10 NBA players of all time. Just a note: this list does not aim to replace or diminish the ranking of others. It’s our way of continuing the debate and our collective passion for the NBA and the top NBA players who help spread the popularity of the game.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest player to have played in the NBA. His ‘Airness’ is a recognizable figure on and off the court. However, what’s exciting about Jordan is that his popularity goes beyond the basketball court. He may not have the size of Kareem or the power of Shaq, but there’s flexibility and fire in Jordan that makes him a star.
Jordan played for 15 seasons in the NBA and was an NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls six times. In addition, he was also the Finals MVP six times and has collected ten NBA scoring titles and many more awards on the court. However, perhaps his most outstanding contribution is not what he achieved on-court but off-court. Jordan helped drive basketball’s global popularity and has become a cultural icon in the process.
LeBron James
LeBron James is one of the greatest players in the league. James’ domination of the game started before he joined the NBA. Before James joined the league, he played basketball in high school and was featured in Slam, a popular sports publication. However, upon entering the club, he immediately showed his skills on the court as the heir to the great Michael Jordan. As one of the greatest players, James recorded several achievements, including giving a championship to the Cleveland Cavaliers after a 52-year drought. In addition, he has won three more titles, four NBA MVP awards, Finals MVP awards, and other citations.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem is a former professional player who played for 20 seasons. During his long career, he only played for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers, where he had tremendous success. As one of the best centers in the business, Abdul-Jabbar won the NBA All-Star a record 19 times, the MVP award six times, and was a regular pick on the All-NBA Team. He was dominant in the paint, particularly in running his team’s defense.
In addition, he was known for his strict fitness regime, thus making him one of the most durable players of his time. Abdul-Jabbar is regarded as one of the greatest NBA players and highly respected by players and coaches.
Shaquille O’Neal
O’Neal, commonly called ‘Shaq’, is a former professional basketball player and sports analyst. He played center for his team and was one of the most dominant centers to have joined the league. O’Neal played professional basketball for 19 years and has played for several teams, including Orlando Magic, the Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers. Upon turning professional with the Magic, O’Neal immediately became a dominant center and won the Rookie of the Year Award (1992-93). After four years with the Magic, O’Neal signed a deal to play for the LA Lakers. O’Neal and his teammates won three consecutive NBA Finals championships with the Lakers team.
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant was the shooting guard for the LA Lakers and one of its players when he died in a helicopter crash with his daughter. Bryan has spent his entire 20-year professional career with the NBA Lakers team. As the team’s best player during his time, Bryant won five championships and was the 2008 Most Valuable Player. In addition, Bryant was an 18-time All-Star team member, a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, and a regular of the All-Defensive Team. Bryant was posthumously voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020 and was part of the league’s 7th Anniversary Team in 2021.
Larry Bird
Larry Bird is a former professional player and coach of the National Basketball Association and one of the league’s best players and shooters. A resident of Indiana, Bird, was a local basketball star and started his career in college basketball. Bird became a pro in 1978 but decided to stay in college and helped his college team remain undefeated for the rest of the season. His performance led to a finals match-up against the team of Magic Johnson, which was the start of a career-long rivalry that extended to the professional league.
Larry Bird is one of the greatest NBA players of all time and was named into the league’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996 and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In ESPN’s Sports Century List of 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century, Bird ranked 30th.
Earvin Johnson Jr.
Earvin ‘Magic Johnson’ is regarded as one of the league’s best players and the greatest point guard. Magic Johnson played 13 seasons in the NBA, spending most of his professional career with the outstanding LA Lakers team. He started his passion for the game during high school and college, where he helped his team win the championships. Johnson was drafted by the LA Lakers during the 1979 draft and soon led the team to five titles. Johnson collected several awards as a professional basketball player, including three MVP Awards, three Finals MVPs, and 12 final appearances. In addition, Johnson also holds the record for the most career assists in the playoffs.
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore Duncan is one of the few retired professional players who played for just one team: the San Antonio Spurs. During his 19-year stint with the Spurs, Duncan showed the skills and professionalism that made him the greatest power forward player in the league and one of the best NBA players. Like many successful NBA players, Duncan started his career during high school and college. In high school, he played for the St. Dunstan’s Episcopal, and during college, he was a player of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. As part of the San Antonio Spurs, Duncan helped the team win five championships, and he was a two-time MVP, a three-time Finals MVP, and a consistent All-Defensive Team member.
Bill Russell
William Felton Russell was an American professional basketball player who played center for the Bost Celtics from 1056 to 1969. Russell is considered one of the league’s greatest players and was the central pillar of the Celtic’s run for 11 NBA Championships. In addition to his professionalism and skills on the court, Russell has become a cultural icon. He played at a time when there were few blacks in the sport. Russell was the first black basketball player to achieve superstar status in the league and its first black coach. In 2011, Russell received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama for contributing to the game and the civil rights movement.
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a former Nigerian American professional basketball player that also made a mark in the league. Also called ‘the Dream’, Olajuwon played center for the Houston Rockets and joined the Toronto Raptors. Olajuwon led the Rockets to a back-to-back championship in 1994 and 1995 and became the first non-American to be elected part of the NBA All-Star and to start in the All-Star game. He was also the first player in the league’s history to win the MVP, Finals MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year in one season.
