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). The three-time NBA .more The Best Nikola Jokic Fantasy Names #4 of 135 The Best European NBA Players of All Time #3 of 72 The Best NBA Centers Right Now Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1955 All-Star MVP, four-time NBA champ. 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). 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. Switching to True Shooting Percentage, we see many of the same names with the notable addition of perhaps the most underrated player of all-time: Adrian Dantley. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Both times played for the Miami Heat team in 2012 and 2013. Thanks to that remarkable season, Hurts just became the highest-paid NFL player of all time. Thats a league MVP award, but I dont think we should knock him for that if thats missing from his rsum when he ultimately retires. AC, You want to talk about underrated? But Malones accolades compare quite favorably. Theres virtually no formula to stop him. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, two-time NBA champion. Accomplishments: 23.7 points (per game), 10.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.3 blocks, 15-time All-Star, 1992-93 Rookie of the Year, 1999-20 MVP, three-time Finals MVP, four-time NBA Champion, Hall of Fame Class of 2016. Probably agreed with half of it, but was so respectful he wouldnt say anything until later. After hashing things out, Pop often let Duncan have his way. Indeedy. Only eight players in NBA history have won three or more MVP awards and Malone doesnt get anywhere near the love that Larry Bird and Magic Johnsonthe other two players to win three MVPsreceive. He had to get famous. Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, 1974 Finals MVP, eight-time NBA champion. It was probably like watching an alien. 1 - Hakeem Olajuwon Country: Nigeria NBA Career: 1984-2002 NBA Teams: Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors Topping my list of the best international NBA players of all time is Hakeem Olajuwon. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, seven-time All-Defensive team, 1975 All-Star MVP, two-time NBA champion. The NBA's 75th anniversary team was selected by a blue-ribbon panel of media, current and former players, coaches, general managers and team executives. (Read James Naismith's 1929 Britannica essay on his invention of basketball.). Magic probably wouldve played much longer and could be higher on the list if health issues didnt get in the way. With his latest title, he finally knocked off Finals MVPoff his checklist after a dominant performance against the Boston Celtics. The Dream Shake will forever be one of the most iconic moves in NBA history and for that, we will always be thankful for Hakeem Olajuwon. I personally think its disrespectful to leave Kobe Bean Bryant out ofthe top five of any all time list. I think Kawhi could end up in the Nos. 6'10.75" 6'11" 402: Deni Avdija WAS | SF-0.25: 6'8.75" 6'8.5" 403: Mason Plumlee LAC | C-0.25: 6'11.25" 6'11" 404: Ty Jerome . Where Timmy would work his way around an opponent in the post with his superb footwork, Shaq would often use his extraordinary bulk (71 and 315 pounds) to bully his way to the basket. Michael Jordan* 32292: 6. One of the greatest What Ifs in NBA history revolves around Birds back that he infamously injured while paving his mothers driveway during the summer of 1985. His jump shot is so hard to defend that Giannis Antetokounmpo has trouble blocking it. Once Wade burst onto the scene in 2003 it was almost immediatelyclear that he was special. Hes top 10 in rebounds, blocks, win shares, and defensive win shares. Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, 1967-68 Rookie of the Year, 1973 NBA champion. I wasnt sure if he was paying attentionfinally I realize he understood everything I was saying. Wilt Chamberlain 5. 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). O'Neal became an All-Star 15 times and earned the 1999-2000 MVP . 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). And, oh, yeah, lets not forget he was a member of the greatest team ever assembled: the 1992 Dream Team. Compared to most of the guys on this list, though, Curry was a slow starter. Now just look at the NBA today. Its time for BritannicaOK, one editor at Britannicato jump into the perpetually unresolved greatest ever in [insert sport here] fray. 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). He is now the highest-paid NFL player ever, with an average salary of $51,000,000. He played in the center for Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets, averaging 9.8 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game. Who else is going to average 50.4 PPG for a season like Wilt did in the 1961-62 season? Even with all those accomplishments people try to tear him down with advanced statistics like usage rate and efficiency. You can call him a snake, a cupcake, or whatever, but you cant deny the numbers hes consistently producedit earned him a spot on the NBA 75 team. ZF, While we can argue all day and night about the value of the triple-double in todays position-less game, when Oscar Robertson became the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double over a season it was nothing short of monumental. Welcome to the ultimate database of every NBA player. 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) . Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1985-86 scoring champ. Let us look at the Top 10 NBA Players of All Time. Top 10 Best NBA Players of All Time. For a player of his weight, his power and agility are almost unstoppable for a defense. Hakeem Olajuwon 13. While most offenses nowadays are built around guards and fast players, being tall also has its advantages. 8. Who is the tallest NBA player of all time? Splitting his time between the Bucks and Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar won three MVPs with each franchise and five of his six rings in Los Angeles. 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. But only Westbrook has put up the seasonal averages (three times) to match Robertsons brilliance and Russ isnt anywhere near the offensive juggernaut Robertson was. 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)*. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1988 Finals MVP, three-time NBA champion. (2023) Table of Contents 10. All with a smile on his face and a cigar about to be lit. NBA MVP. Oh jeez, this guy. Duncan grew up in the US Virgin Islands. He never did anything as good as Jordanexcept, that is, defend. He played at the highest level on both sides of the floor and like Bill Russell before him knew exactly what he had to do to help his team win day in and day out. * Indicates member of the Hall of Fame. Anybody else going to averaged 22.9 RPG during their career like Wilt did? Tim Duncan. In fact, it was Magic that he moldedhis game after as a youngster, which led to KG being one of the most versatile big men the NBAhas ever seen. Kobe Bryant. Despite going to nine NBA Finals with the Lakers, West won only one title in 1972. This was just the start for Magic, who at his size, completely changed the way the basketball world looked at guards. Warriors fans booed then-new owner Joe Lacob on Chris Mullin Night because he gave the team to Steph after trading fan favorite Monta Ellis for Andrew Bogut. Magic simply changed the game of basketball when he burst onto the NBA scene out of Michigan State in 1979. 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 . His 25.6 points per game with the Jazz were nearly an 11-point jump from last season, while his 8.6 boards were a 50% improvement and just short of his career high.Further, for the first time as a . Players All Players Player Stats Player Traits Player Roles Compare Players. 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). From opening a school in his hometown to building his own media empire, LeBron has consistently done everything weve expected from him and then some. Nikola Joki (born February 19, 1995) is a Serbian professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays the center position. Shaq, obviously a member of the NBA 75 team,is one of the most skilled bigs ever to touch a basketball and weve all seen the video of him cooking MJ in a one-on-one before the All-Star Game. 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). Tim Duncan, the best rebounder the games seen since Moses Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, finished 9,000 boards behind Chamberlain despite playing five more seasons than the legendary lothario. 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). There will never be another Michael Jordan. LeBron James just does things that shouldnt be humanly possible. For 38 years, Abdul-Jabbar has remained the NBA's all-time leading scorer. Data Provided By The Bad Boys wreaked havoc on the NBAs Holy Trinity ofMagic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan and most of the damage that was done was on the orders of the 61 point god. LeBron James 1. Accomplishments: 11-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1980-81 MVP, two-time NBA All-Star MVP, 1983 NBA champion. Adam Augustyn is Managing Editor, Reference Content at Encyclopdia Britannica. AD, To me, Kevin Durant is the most skilled offensive player ever to play the game. A guy this young isnt supposed to have so many accolades on his rsum, especially after he entered the league as such a project. Ever. LeBron James. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 2. 23 min ago. But he was so much more than a dazzling smile. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. And hes not all style and flair either. Zeke not being on the Dream Team is the biggest snub ever, no exaggeration, but he rightfully earned a spot on the NBA75 team. 37 Dirk Nowitzki. Who cares? 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 of the Year, 10-time scoring champ, three-time steals champ, six-time NBA champion. Wilt Chamberlain is ranked higher on this list because his numbers are just too ridiculous, but he couldnt beat Bill even with Jerry West and Elgin Baylors help. I see Durant climbing these rankings as his career continues. Russell was the ultimate winner in the history of the NBA. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG in 13 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1981-82 to 1993-94). All rights reserved. NBA 75 honoree, five-time champion, three-timeFinals MVP, two-time regular-season MVP, 15-time All-Star,15-time All-NBA and All-Defensive team selection later, Duncan played all 19 seasons inSan Antonio and consistently put up numbers like he was a robotwith the personality, as portrayed by the media,to match. During the 196162 season, The Big O averaged a triple-double with 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game. Easy Money Sniper, KD Trey Five, Slim Reaper. The columns can be sorted by position, height, weight, age, seasons played . Even more impressive for the context of Olajuwonscareer is that he did all of this while big men ran the NBA (outside of Michael Jordan). Who will ever score 100 points in a game like Wilt did? 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.. 10. Kobe Bryant 9. Career Year: 1996-2016. We all know what hes done and will continue to do for at least a few more years. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, widely regarded as one of the most important centers and players of all time, stands out among the NBA's all-time greats. 1 spot on this list when his career is over. 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. Achievements: Six NBA titles, two Finals MVPs, six MVPs, 10 All-NBA 1st Team selections, 19 All-Stars, five All-Defensive 1st Team selections. Not only does he routinely pull off feats that Ive never before seen, he has consistently evolved his game to fix the relative weak spots he was previously criticized for. Like Magic Johnson before him, Garnett raised the bar as to what a man of his sizecould do on the court. Of course, there are outliers in these samples. NBA Table; Rank Player PTS; 1. A Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee in 2001, Julius Erving introduced his former teammate before Malones enshrinement speech and Dr. J joked with the audience that evening, Just think about the sound of that name. Shaquille O'Neal 8. Malone is a 14-time All-Star player with 11 NBA First Team selections. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1968 All-Star MVP, 1967 NBA champion. Do you have a blog? Malone is third in the NBA all-time point leaders behind LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Bill Russell might have more titles, Wilt Chamberlain might have all those untouchable records, but Abdul-Jabbar was offensively skilled in ways Russell never was and retired as the league leader in nine statistical categories thanks to an impressive staying power Chamberlain couldnt match. And I didnt even mention how magical he was during the 2011 NBA Finals when his Mavs upset LeBron James and theHeat. Early in his career he was quicker and stronger than everyone else, but as he got older he was able to add more finesse to his game. To this day that is still one of the most amazing individual performances on a basketball court that Ive ever seen. NBA wheel of PLAYERS (All Time) Random wheel. 13. He was drafted directly out of high school in the 1996 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick. 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. COMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. Dont be fooled by his humble small-college provenance and the Hick from French Lick nicknameLarry Bird was one of the fiercest competitors and greatest smack-talkers in NBA history. Having to argue how Stockton, a 2009 inductee into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, is inarguably one of the greatest point guardsgets laborious. Were not technically a sports website, but this editor (hi!) 1. He and Larry Bird literally saved the league in the 80s and while they couldnt have been more different stylistically theres no argument whose influence on the game of basketball was greater. He can shoot from anywhere on the court, he can get to the rim at will, and if you end up contesting his shotit probably wont matter because he can shoot over you with ease. The best rebuttal for that would be that he was the best player on the Warriors during his tenure, winning two Finals MVPs. (Or 20. But other than potentially Leonard, Duncan will shine brighter than all the other great players who have ever played for the Spursand just about every other power forward in NBA historybecause of how rock steady solid he was. While he was at Duke in 2003-06, he averaged 20PPG. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1969-70 All-Defensive team, 1969-70 NBA MVP, 1964-65 Rookie of the Year, 1970 All-Star MVP, two-time Finals MVP, two-time NBA champion. And the best part? Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. For myself, Ill never forget Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals. 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). 6. Plus, he was hilarious in Airplane! 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. He won a league title in all but two of his 13 seasons as a member of the Boston Celtics. He wasnt as athletic as the other big men, but till the end of his career, he made a major impact on both ends of the floor, including in his last NBA Finals win in 2014. The Celtics had played for 10 seasons before Russell joined the team, never once reaching a championship series in that time. Find out more. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, 1950-51 rebounding champ, 1955 NBA champion. Yes, the man many fans (ignorantly) consider the most overrated choke artist in the league is actually the best player to ever set foot on a court. But now that hes earned his first championship, Antetokounmpos entered rarified air. Nobody could.AC, The Admiral. But ONeal wasnt just pure physicalityhe was surprisingly graceful for such a massive man and he had a deft touch with his close-range jump shots. Like Kareems skyhook, Bills knack for keeping balls in play after a block is a lost art as players would rather swat it into the stands and flex on their opponent instead of making the right play. Iowa City, IA(PSF)-A few weeks back, I gave the world my top 10 NBA players of all time, starting from one through five. It was either a bucket or a foul. Michael Jordan FAQs Videos Basketball is one of the most popular game in the world. Join our linker program. Plus, he has the record for the most free throws attempted and completed. Youre not supposed to win NBA Finals MVP awards 14 years apart, but Abdul-Jabbar did.

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