A & N’s ® TOP 100 GREATEST BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF ALL TIME

Written By: Noah T. Clendenen

Stats & Editing By: Abbas Abdulrasool

Published by Dr. Tee Scouting ®

Written by A & N Sports ®

THE GREATEST OF THE THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

**No, 1. Michael “Air” Jordan, SG, Chicago Bulls**
5x MVP, 6x Champ, 6x Finals MVP, 10x Scoring Champ, 11x All-NBA

Unanimously the Goat, and should be without a question, Michael Jordan is probably the most accomplished NBA player of all time. The only players that can come close are Wilt Chamberlain, and LeBron James. Jordan, a 5x NBA MVP, had probably the best MVP season ever in the 1988 season when he averaged 35 points per game, 3.2 steals per game, and 1.6 blocks per game, while also managing to win the defensive player of the year award, becoming only one of three players ever to do so, (Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Hakeem Olajuwon). Keep in mind he also managed to average over 40 points per game during the 1993 finals series versus the MVP Charles Barkely led Phoenix Suns. As well as during the 1986 playoffs where he poured in 63 points in the Boston Garden versus prime Larry Bird and the Celtics. Not to mention, Jordan had extremely underrated years with the Wizards, as he was between 38-40 when he was playing, but still managed to average 22.9 points per game, 5.2 assists per game, and 5.7 rebounds per game in ‘01-‘02, and 20, 3.8, and 6.1 splits in the ‘02-‘03 season. He managed to have some great, and historic performances as well, such as scoring 51 points against the Charlotte Hornets after having the worst game of his career, and pouring in 45 against a great New Jersey Nets team the next game. To add to this, before he tore his Meniscus in the ‘01-‘02 season, he was averaging a vintage 25.1 points per game, 6.2 assists per game, 5.3 rebounds per game, and 1.6 steals per game. These are just a few of the major accomplishments in the Goat’s career but also some of the biggest. He revolutionized the game, and will never be forgotten, and will most likely always be the Goat.

No. 2, LeBron “King” James, PG/SF/PF, Cleveland/Miami/LA Lakers

4x MVP, 4x Champ, 4x Finals MVP, 1x Scoring Champ, 17x All-NBA

LeBron is one of the most iconic sports images of all time. He dominated the 2000’s, and until the past 2 years, had dominated the 2010’s. He’s a different animal, especially young LeBron who was probably neck and neck with Michael Jordan in terms of the most exciting versions of players to watch. LeBron is obviously a very decorated player, but no matter what you say about him to make him great you have to bring up his 4-9 finals record which is downright bad for someone as good as him. I get that three of those was against the almighty Warriors with healthy Steph Curry, and Klay Thompson, as well as one against the Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili Spurs, and one to the possessed version of Dirk during the 2011 finals, but when you have Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh on your team, as well as a 6th man of Ray Allen, I don’t care how old they are, they’re still extremely valuable. And if you're a prime LeBron you can’t go down like that. Despite this, LeBron is still probably the most electric player of his era, and his longevity and consistency, as well as talent has ultimately gotten him this far, hence why he’s been selected to an abnormally high 17 All-NBA teams.

No. 3, Kareem “Lew Alcindor” Abdul-Jabar, C, Milwaukee/LA Lakers

6x MVP, 6x Champ, 2x Finals MVP, 2x Scoring Champ, 15x All-NBA

Kareem - the greatest center of all time without a doubt. I mean, maybe Wilt can challenge, but as far as I know, the all-time leading scorer as of the 2021-22 season, was so dominant on both ends of the court it was pretty unfair. His best statistical season was his 1971-72 campaign where he averaged 34.8 points per game, 16.6 rebounds per game, 4.6 assists per game, and shooting 57% from the field. His best blocks per game average of his career would have probably have been one of his earlier years, where he could’ve pushed upwards of 4-5 blocks per game, but it was his 1975-76 campaign, where he averaged 4.1 blocks per game, and 27.7 points per game, with 16.9 rebounds per game to go with it. To end the conversation of stats with him, he also averaged over 30 points per game (30.4) during his 6 season stint with the Milwaukee Bucks. Kareem was probably the best player in the league for more than 3 quarters of his career, as well as being a top 3 player in the league for probably every year of his career except for his last 3. He had maybe the best rookie season ever, up with the likes of MJ, The Big O, Larry Legend, and Wilt the stilt, where he averaged 28.8 points per game, 14.5 rebounds per game, 4.1 assists per game, probably would’ve averaged around 2-3 blocks per game if they were counted, and of course took home the 1969-1970 rookie of the year. Kareem is also the proud owner of one of the most unique, and unguardable shots in NBA history: the skyhook, which is a big reason why he’s remembered the way he is, and was as well probably the biggest reason why he was able to score so efficiently, and put the ball in the bucket.

No. 4, Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain, C, Golden State, Philadelphia, LA Lakers

4x MVP, 2x Champ, 1x Finals MVP, 7x Scoring Champ, 10x All-NBA

Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain, is without a doubt the most dominant scoring force in NBA history in large part due to his astonishing record breaking seasons he had, which include his 1961-62 50.4 point per game season, where he also scored his 100 point game in, and averaged 25.7 rebounds a game to go with it. As well as his dominant rookie season in 1959-60, where he put up unheard of numbers coming from someone at that age adjusting to the league, with 37.6 points per game, 27 rebounds per game, and shooting 46% from the field which is pretty terrible for a big man by both that era’s standards, and today’s standards. However, he still was a young player adapting to the league at that time, and was taking loads of shots to with it, averaging 32.1 shot attempts per game. What really stinks, is that we never got to see how many blocks and steals both he, and guys like Bill Russell, and Bob Pettit averaged. It’s said that for around an 8-10 game stretched the commentator, or the dude that tracked the stats was tracking blocks for that amount of games sometime in his career, and he averaged around 8.2 blocks per game around that stretch. Now that’s a very small sample size, but we can guess that if he was around a 5-8 blocks per game average over every year of his career, mainly his prime, he, and many great big men from the 50’s, 60’s, and much of the 70’s would be extremely high on the all time blocks list. Currently, Chamberlain is 7th all time in points with 31,419, trailing Dirk, MJ, Kobe, LeBron, the Mailman, (Karl Malone), and Kareem. If he had more help throughout his career, and didn’t fall of in terms of production his last few years he was in the league given he didn’t have that long of a career compared to other NBA greats, he could’ve pushed around 35,000 to maybe even being the all time leading scorer with around 39,000 points. There’s nothing much else to say about his career, but many of the people that watched Chamberlain play aren’t around anymore to really tell us how good he was. If that were the case, and we had more evidence supporting his case besides some stories, stats, a bunch of records, and some tape then he could easily be the best player of all time. We just don’t know for sure, and probably will never know for sure.

No. 5, Kobe “The Mamba” Bryant, SG, LA Lakers

1x MVP, 5x Champ, 2x Finals MVP, 2x Scoring Champ, 15x All-NBA

Kobe freakin Bryant. There’s no better way to say it. The inspiration he enforced through the game of basketball is beyond belief. He inspired people in completely different sports, and in completely different ways. He may not be the greatest basketball player of all time, but he’s definitely the most driven, and motivated, and that’s saying something. Over guys like Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan, Kobe is known for strict training routines, and his drive to be the best since he was the age of 16, just as well as his play on the court which is among the all time greats. In terms of my favorite players to watch he’s no. 1. Without question. But of course certain things factor in, like any typical great. Bryant was one of the first players ever to be drafted straight out of high school, becoming the 4th player ever to receive that honor. Bryant’s first 2 years in the league were uneventful, however he did manage to make his first all star appearance in his rookie year as a member of the all-rookie team, where he famously matched up against prime Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan, (1996-97), in their first ever on-court meeting. He broke out in the 1998-99 season where he averaged 19.9 points, an impressive 1 block a game, and 1.4 steals per game. As you know he took off from there on. Between 1999-2013 he averaged 27.8 points per game, 5.2 assists per game, and 5.7 rebounds per game. He also managed an impressive 1.6 steals per game, but his on, and off court impact can’t be summed up in numbers. He’s undoubtedly the biggest inspiration in sports. The only things that might be able to be in the same realm are Candace Parker’s comeback from having a baby, and Mario Lemieux coming back from Cancer. But even then, Kobe’s greatness spans over the main 14 year prime of his career, and not just a particular moment. He’s in my opinion the best player of the 2000’s, sorry Tim Duncan, but I’m speaking the facts. Not all people will agree with me, but Kobe definitely had more of an impact on his team. Not to say Duncan didn’t already have a substantial part in the San Antonio Spurs semi-dynasty that took place between the 2003 and ended in the 2015 season, but the fact that Kobe won with a starting 5 of Luke Walton, Smush Parker, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom to countless deep playoff runs is utterly remarkable. I mean Odom wasn’t terrible during those runs, and Bynum was playing pretty well himself, but considering the fact that Kevin Garnett had Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, and Tim Duncan had Tony Parker, and Manu Ginóbili, and those were also the teams he had to beat to win a championship. As well as Dirk’s Mavs, and Steve Nash’s suns, who all had both a solidified first, second, and third option, which were actually all usually regular all star players, and yet Kobe is still talked about as the second or third best player of his era! Bro! Kobe’s the best player of the 2000’s, and a top 5 player of the early 2010’s, (LeBron, Duncan, KD, Carmelo). Done. Set in stone. Period.

No. 6, Larry “Legend” Bird (Celtics) & Earvin “Magic” Johnson (Lakers)

Bird: 3x MVP, 3x Champ, 2x Finals MVP, 10x All-NBA

Magic: 3x MVP, 5x Champ, 3x Finals MVP, 10x All-NBA

I’m sorry. I had too. The way these two played together dominating the 80’s era of basketball, as well as offering so many memorable moments in the NBA finals, and playoffs in general is really astonishing. One is considered the greatest point guard of all time, and the other considered a top 3 player at his position. Larry Legend, and the Magic Man faced off 3 times in the finals together, and although Magic holds the series 2-1, I’d say that I’d be one of the first to say that I’d take Bird over Magic. Definitely a hot take, but still just my opinion, I still couldn't not put them together though. Their neck and neck for the best player of the 80’s and two of the best all time. With Larry quickly establishing his dominance in his rookie season, bringing the Celtics from a 30 win team, to a 60 win team in a year, he also established himself as one of the clutchest players in the NBA history, while it took Magic a longer time to solidify himself as both a great regular season player, and playoff performer. With Magic being the more accomplished, and Nird probably being the better overall player, it was the perfect rivalry for the perfect era, and without them, we may not have the NBA, or at least it wouldn’t be the same, except drastically different. Think about it. Larry proved that 3 point shooting wasn’t a joke, and that to be a good player it really helps to be a good shooter. Magic on the other hand, paved the way for guys like Chris Paul, and Steve Nash, proving that you don’t have to be an outstanding scorer to be a great player, (not saying he already wasn’t a good scorer, just a pass first 6’9” point guard). The Showtime Lakers, and the 80’s Celtics will never be forgotten mainly because of these two, and how they kept both the Celtics v. Lakers rivalry both competitive, but also how they kept the NBA competitive.

No. 7, Tim “The Big Fundamental” Duncan, PF, San Antonio

2x MVP, 5x Champ, 3x Finals MVP, 15x All-NBA

The big fundamental is one of the most quiet dominant forces that we’ve ever seen in the NBA. Probably one of the best leaders to go with that, Timmy-D was consistent, and a threat from anywhere on the court. He’s the best defensive player ever to win a defensive player of the year award, and he did so while putting up stats like 2.9 blocks a game, to go with nearly 10 defensive rebounds a game in 2003, and similar numbers the next season. He only averaged under 9 rebounds per game in 2 seasons of his career, with one of those being a season where he averaged only 1 tenth of a rebounds per game less, with 8.9. So he never really had a season where he wasn’t valuable to his team, unlike players like Dirk, Kobe, and Dwyane Wade, who had pretty notable fall offs at the ends of their careers. Even in the last season of his career, whenever he got minutes he was still a good rim protector, with 1.3 blocks per game, which was There was never a season in his prime where he averaged under 2 blocks per game, and averaged 2.5 blocks per game over his entire 9 year prime, (‘98-‘07). Not to mention, he was averaging a 20 piece for most of his career. There was also only 5 years in his career where he averaged less than 17 points per game, and only 3 years in his career where he averaged less than 1.7 blocks per game. If the point hasn’t gotten across yet, Duncan was simply the model of consistency, and pretty darn good one at that. He was silent but deadly, almost never trash talking, but always playing up to the moment, and expectations. Duncan has probably one of the most complete careers of any player ever to play in the NBA, and the backboard abuser was an absolute force during the best years of his career.

No. 8, Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon, C, Houston/Toronto

1x MVP, 2x Champ, 2x Finals MVP, 12x All-NBA

Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon is probably one of the most overlooked mega stars of the 90’s due to the prime of someone named Michael Jordan. Maybe he isn’t super overlooked, but I definitely think that he sometimes doesn’t get the recognition he deserves, and his stats… well for the proportion of his career where incredible. His best statistical season came during the 1994 season where, like many other 90’s greats, he took advantage of the 1 and a half year retirement by Michael Jordan, and won the regular season MVP on averages of 27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 3.7 blocks. However, it didn’t come without competition, as his 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1995 campaigns were all super strong. His most dominant stretch came between the 1993-1995 seasons, where he put up combined averages of 27 points, 12 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 3.8 blocks, and 1.8 steals a game. His 1993-1995 seasons all could’ve easily been MVP seasons as well, which could’ve brung his overall MVP count from 1 to 3. Besides the stats, The dream had some of the best post moves of all time, and had an elite outside shot for a big man as well. He could let it fly from 15+ feet, and was extremely efficient when doing so. He only had 5 seasons in which he didn’t score 20+ points per game, and only 3 in which he didn’t average 15+ points per game which were all his last seasons.

No. 9, Bill “The Hill” Russell, C, Boston

5x MVP, 11x Champ, 11x All-NBA

Ok. Scratch the most decorated player in history. Let’s separate it into categories. Michael Jordan is the most decorated in terms of individual rewards, Wilt Chamberlain in terms of stats, and Bill Russell in terms of team awards. Despite not being a great scorer, Russell is probably the greatest winner in NBA history thanks to him, and a mix of Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, and Sam Jones. Although Russell’s career high in points (regular season), is only 37, he’s one of the greatest rebounders of all time in an era that was dominated by big men, and only had few great guards, and smaller sized forwards, with a lot of them playing for Russell’s Celtics at one point or another. If not for Wilt Chamberlain, Russell would hold the current record for most rebounds in a game with 51, not to mention, he’s had multiple memorable performances in big games where he’s put up more than 25 rebounds in a game, and many times pushed 30. It can’t be without mentioning that Russell, Chamberlain, Bob Pettit, and Walter Bellamy, (the best centers of their time), all played in an era where the pace of play was extremely high, scoring was extremely high, and field goal percentage was extremely low, (41%), giving these players an extreme advantage when it comes to hauling in rebounds, and padding their numbers. Even Elgin Baylor, a small forward, was able to haul in multiple 20 rebound performances in his career, and also averaged 13.8 for a whole season. Despite his inflated numbers, Russell was an extremely talented athlete that was exceptionally good in big moments as well. His best season was during the 1961-62 season, where he averaged 18.9 points, 23.6 rebounds a game, and 4.5 assists a game, on 45% shooting. He probably had his best season physically, during the the middle of his prime, where the 6’10” giant averaged 15 points, with a monstrous 24.7 rebounds, on 43% shooting. It’s a shame that we never got to see how many steals, and blocks that guys like Russell would average, and how many they’d have in total in their career. With that said, again, he’s one of the best athletes that the NBA has ever seen, and probably ever will see.

No. 10, Oscar “The Big O” Robertson, PG, Sacramento/Milwaukee

1x MVP, 1x Champ, 1x Scoring Champ, 11x All-NBA

This is a very hot take, but what the Big O did at his peak is simply unmatched. Yeah, Russell Westbrook broke like every record he had, and yeah, people are starting to say that what the Big O did may have just been a bit ahead of his time, and that’s all. However, for me this is not the case. He proved that it’s important for point guards to be great at all aspects of the game, not just either scoring or facilitating. Is Oscar is most famous for his triple double average during the 1961-1962 season in which he dominated, well, not really because this is the season that Wilt put up his 50.4 point per game season, but for playing in an era dominated by bigger players, it’s an extreme achievement that he was able to haul in 12.5 rebounds per game, while still equally distributing the ball, with 11.4 assists per game, and scoring the ball extremely well with 30.8 points per game. I can go on, and on about his great numbers, so I’ll try and sum it up as quickly as I can. Over a 7 season stretch, he averaged a near triple double with 9 rebounds per game, 10.6 assists per game, and 30.3 points per game. This is one of the biggest reasons why I think he both cracks the top 10, but also why he’s still one of the greatest point guards of all time with guys like Damian Lillard, Stephen Curry, and Russell Westbrook on the rise. Those stat splits are numbers that Westbrook couldn’t dream of touching. To go with this, he had probably one of the most underrated rookie seasons of all time where he put up another near triple double average with 30.5 points per game, 9.7 assists per game, and 10.1 rebounds per game. He had multiple MVP caliber seasons, as well as multiple seasons where, if not for Wilt Chamberlain, he would’ve won the scoring title. He managed to win one during the 1968 season, where put up 29.2 points per game, which went even close to the highest scoring season of his career. In fact, he actually had 6 seasons where he averaged more points, which were all above 30 points per game as well. I can’t stress how underrated his career really was, as, again, he was the first ever point guard to really emphasize the do-it-all style of play. He was also an extremely efficient shooter, as his career field goal percentage is 48%. That’s higher than Kobe (44%), Bill Russell (44%), Russell Westbrook (43%), Jerry West (47%), and Dirk Nowitzki (47%). To cap it all off, he played in an era without a 3 point line, so similar to guys like Pete Marivich, and Jerry West, they could be much higher in terms of career points, and point per game. That’s my argument to why I think the Big O should be remembered as a top 10 player of all time, whether it’s considered a hot take or not.

No. 11, Shaquille “The Diesel” O’Neal, C, LA Lakers/Orlando/Miami/Phoenix/Cleveland/Boston

1x MVP, 5x Champ, 3x Finals MVP, 2x Scoring Champ, 14x All-NBA

One of the most dominant forces in NBA history, Shaq was a part of probably the best duo of all time, when he played with a young Kobe Bryant from 1996-2004. They won 3 straight titles together, and if it wasn’t for his giant ego, they could’ve pushed 5 titles. Perhaps one of the best versions of Shaq was when he played his first 4 seasons with the Orlando Magic, and paired up with Penny Hardaway to briefly be a part of another great, and deadly duo.

THE G.O.A.Ts AFTER THE G.O.A.Ts

No. 12, Stephen “Chef” Curry, PG, Golden State

2x MVP, 3x NBA Champ, 2x Scoring Champ, 7x All-NBA

Steph Curry is already arguably the greatest point guard of all time, and he’s still in the prime of his career. He’s revolutionized the game to an extent it’s changed the way we play, watch, and see the game. He had one of the greatest individual seasons ever, during his 2015-2016 campaign where he unanimously won the NBA’s MVP award, after he broke the record for most threes in a season with 402. He did that with 50/40/90 splits which is a remarkable thing as well. I can go on, and on about Curry, but when it’s all said and done, I think he’s the greatest point guard of all time, (Magic 2, Oscar 3).

No. 13, Kevin “KD” Durant, SF/PF,

(Seattle)/Oklahoma City/Golden State/Brooklyn

1x MVP, 2x NBA Champ, 2x Finals MVP, 4x Scoring Champ, 9x All-NBA

KD. The snake. One of, if not the most unguardable players of all time, as well as possibly the greatest scorer of all time, Kevin Durant, a 7 foot giant of a man, has learned to shoot the ball as well as guards, and somehow has the size of a ultra talented big man. He can cross you up, he can stare you down from long range, or he can pull up from mid range with his silky smooth jumper…. or he can attack the rim. There’s nothing he can’t do, and can’t do extremely well. There’s only been 1 season in his career where he hasn’t averaged 25 points or more, which was his rookie season, and even then he put up 20, 4 and 4 on you a night.

No. 14, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, SF, Virginia/Brooklyn/Philadelphia

4x MVP, 1x Champ, 7x All-NBA

Dr. J was LeBron James before LeBron James, Michael Jordan before Michael Jordan, that’s how big of an icon he was. He could put the ball in the hoop just as well as any other player could in his prime, and was arguably the best player in the NBA for a few select seasons during an era dominated by Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. He’s kind of one of those players that are remembered, but not enough, and I really don’t think people praise him properly. It sucks that his best years were in the ABA, but he still had many great years during his late twenties, and early thirties with the Moses Malone led Philadelphia 76ers that managed to win the 1983 championship against the Lakers.

No. 15, Moses “The Chairman Of The Boards” Malone, C, Utah/St.Louis/Buffalo/Houston/Philadelphia/Washington/Atlanta/Milwaukee/San Antonio

3x MVP, 1x Champ, 1x Finals MVP, 8x All-NBA

To put it simply, Moses Malone was indeed the chairman of the boards. No questions asked. One of the greatest rebounders of all time, was also a magnificent scorer, putting up 31.1 points per game, 14.7 rebounds per game, while scoring the ball at an efficient 51% from the field in his best season, while also managing to put up 1.5 blocks per game as well. His best rebounding season came during his 1978-79 campaign with the Houston Rockets when he averaged 17.9 rebounds per game, with 10.5 of those being defensive, and an eye popping 7.2 of them being offensive. He also holds one of the most untreatable records in NBA history with the most offensive rebounds in a career with 6,731 offensive rebounds, with the next closest being Robert Parish with a mere 4,598 compared to Malone’s total. Including the ABA, and NBA however, his total rises to a staggering 7,382 total rebounds, with the next closest being Artis Gilmore with 2,566 less. That’s 4.2 offensive rebounds per season. To put that in perspective, Giannis right now is averaging 1.7 rebounds per game. Not enough? How about Rudy Gobert: 3. Let’s try one more. How about Andre Drummond in his best season: in 2014 he put up 5.4. That’s more than Malone, but when you consider the fact that what we’re comparing is his full career’s worth average, not to mention he played for 21 seasons, and he also did have 7 seasons averaging more than 5.4 offensive rebounds per game, that’s some remarkable consistency, and skill.

No. 16, Jerry “The Logo” West, PG, LA Lakers

1x Champ, 1x Finals MVP, 1x Scoring Champ, 12x All-NBA

Jerry West is the NBA logo for a reason, and that reason is most likely due to his remarkable dominance at the point guard position for a period of time that had a handful of all-star worthy guards, and that was mostly dominated by big men. I get that I'm using the term “dominance,” and “dominant” for a lot of players, but I feel like the 50’s, 60’s, and early 70’s era of basketball really is the perfect time to use it, which we’ll get into later. But back to Jerry. West’s best statistical year was during the 1969-70 season, where he put up averages of 31.2 points per game, an impressive 7.5 assists per game, and 4.6 rebounds per game, on 49% shooting, and 82% from the charity stripe. What most people remember him for is his 1-8 finals record thanks to Bill Russell’s Celtics that managed to win 9 titles in a row at one point. However, he was an extremely impactful player that was equally as good as passing the ball as he was scoring it. He was very similar to Oscar Robertson in the sense he had the ability to lead the league in scoring, but also assists. He was also extremely clutch, and very dynamic when he had the ball in his hands. Again, it’s a shame that many of his fans that watched him play in the peak of his career are no longer with us. We’ve started to watch that happen with other players that have played in his era of basketball, it’s just an unfortunate thing. However, there’s no reason why he should ever not be considered a top 20 player of all time. He did too much for the game, and it will definitely be a while before someone can replace his excellency.

No. 17, Elgin “Tick Tock” Baylor, SF, (Minneapolis)/LA Lakers

11x All-NBA

Elgin Baylor was a teammate of Jerry West for most of his career, despite being a few years older, he even managed to play 2 seasons for the original Minneapolis Lakers that were famous for bringing home 5 titles in 6 seasons. But Baylor wasn’t a part of those title runs, so his legacy has really been boiled down to extreme talent, and superior excellence of the game, that just never ended up in a title. But despite missing on the opportunity to win a title, and going 0-8 in part do to the Bill Russell led Celtics, he put up arguably the second greatest season ever played in NBA history, during the 1961-62 season where started just 48 games because he was serving in the military, but still managed average 38.3 points per game, with 4.6 assists, and 18.6 rebounds per game. That is not only an absurd stat line that’s hard to wrap my mind around, but that’s also being produced by a small forward that had to go up against guys like Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Bob Pettit. Just wow is the only thing that can describe that. To go with this, he put up fantastic numbers not like this, but similar to this every season. In my mind, he’s not just underrated, but when it comes to the conversation of the best players of all time, he’s often overlooked.

No. 18, Dirk “German Jesus” Nowitzki, PF, Dallas

1x MVP, 1x Champ, 1x Finals MVP, 12x All-NBA

Dirk Nowitzki is in my opinion the second greatest power forward of all time, but not easily, as he’s definitely challenged by Charles Barkley, Kevin Garnett, and Karl Malone, and there’s a part of me that just wants to put all of them in a tie, but I won’t. Dirk is one of the best players of the 2000’s, and for most of the 2010’s was a solid player. Dirk’s best season came in his MVP season (2007), where he put up 24.6, 8.9, and 3.4, although I would argue at least from a statistical side of things, his best years were 2005, and 2006. During his 2005 campaign he put up averages of 26.1, 9.7, and 3.1, and in 2006 he put up averages of 26.6, 9, and 2.8 which was the highest points per game he would score in his career. Although his mags blew a 2-0 lead to the Heat in 2006, everyone can admit that the officiating was pretty bad, thus being a big part in why they lost that series. However, Dirk would get back at them very well during the 2011 finals where he led the Mavs past the big 3 Miami Heat in a great series. There he would average 27.7, 8.1, and 2.5 on 48% shooting from the field, and a remarkable 46% from three. This was the last bit of prime Dirk but it was the perfect way to end. He’s the best all around big man the game has ever seen, as he was consistently among the league leaders in 3pt%, was an above average shooter from the mid range, and could get a stop on defense if you needed him too. All this, matched with his 7 foot frame makes up the second greatest power forward of all time in my eyes.

No. 19, Karl “The Mailman” Malone, PF, Utah/LA Lakers

2x MVP, 14x All-NBA

Although the mailman never did end up delivering on Sundays, Malone is still one of the greatest scorers of all time, despite playing with a top 5 point guard of all time, and one of the greatest playmakers of all time, John Stockton. Although I think that Malone wouldn’t be what he was without Stockton, Stockton wouldn’t be what he was without Malone, it’s as simple as that. Malone is one of the biggest threats in the post of all time, as he used his muscle to out battle you down low in the paint, and finish at the rim. He would physically punish you if you tried to guard him. He was strong, but also had a soft touch, and was a great shooter from 10-15 feet out as well. He’s second all time in points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabar as of the 2021-22 season, with 36,928. Although Malone’s game was extremely simple, and not very fun to watch, it was effective, and it’s a big reason why he debuts at no. 19 on our list, a small step ahead of our 20th greatest player of all time.

No. 20, Kevin “The Big Ticket” Garnett, PF, Minnesota/Boston/Brooklyn

1x MVP, 1x Champ, 9x All-NBA

The big ticket was one of the most electric players of the 2000’s, and I think that there’s a serious case in why he’s the best player of the 2000’s. The big ticket started his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and even managed to leave a below average team to a few deep, and memorable playoff runs throughout the early 2000’s, with his only help being Sam Cassell. He won the 2004 MVP, as he averaged a career high 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 5 assists, to go along with 2.2 blocks per game, and 1.5 steals per game, on 49% shooting from the field. If it weren’t for the Timberwolves lack of urgency to surround him with the best possible teammates then he definitely could’ve brung a championship to Minnesota, and who knows, maybe he’d be a T-Wolve for life. Instead however, he joined the Boston Celtics during the 2007 offseason to form a deadly big 3 with Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. Garnett spent his last few years as a top player in the NBA with the Celtics, but really showed up big in the postseason, where, in the 2008 playoffs he would put up numbers of 20.4, 10.5, and 3.3, on 49% shooting, to go along with 1.1 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game. Garnett was one of those players that’s presence was so impactful to his team that he’ll always be considered one of the best power forwards of all time for it.

No. 21, David “The Admiral” Robinson, C, San Antonio

1x MVP, 2x NBA Champ, 1x Scoring Champ, 10x All-NBA

The admiral was once considered too soft to be a good black basketball player by many pro, and college coaches, but I think they were proved wrong, don’t you think? The Navy grad made an immediate impact with San Antonio as soon as he got into the league, whether it was being a defensive anchor, or an offensive spark, he catapulted the Spurs back to prominence right from the get go. With averages of 24.2 points per game, 3.9 blocks per game, and 12 rebounds per game in his rookie season, he already had established himself as one of the best players in the NBA. That ain’t near his best season however, as he would average a league leading 29.8 points per game during the 1993-94 season, as well as 3.3 blocks, and 10.7 rebounds per game as well. His MVP campaign in 1994-95 was even better, as he put up averages of 27.6 points per game, 3.2 blocks per game, and 10.8 rebounds per game, on 53% shooting from the field. Like Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, and many other great big men, he had a soft touch, and was great at scoring the ball from 10-15 feet outside. He was even more dominant 8n the paint, as he would just bully you with his muscular body right to the hoop. He was also extremely agile, and fast for a guy his size as well, and was able to often capitalize on sleepy defenders, and errand passes in transition. He was always a defensive juggernaut, averaging 3 blocks per game over the course of his career, and averaging 4.5 in his best season which was in 1992. The craziest thing is that he was still averaging 23 a game! He won 2 championships towards the tail end of his career, both with a young Tim Duncan, one in 1999, and one in 2003. The 7’1” 235 pound centered was a force in the 90’s, and is one of the greatest centers to ever play the game.

No. 22, “Sir” Charles Barkley, PF, Philadelphia/Phoenix/Houston

1x MVP, 11x All-NBA

Sir Charles was one of the best players during the Michael Jordan era of the 80’s, and 90’s, and for most of his prime wasn’t better then him, but was up there with him. Now of course he isn’t MJ, neither was Hakeem, or Malone, or Payton, or Drexler, or Robinson of any of them. What I’m trying to say is that as great as Jordan was, Barkley was still able to be one of the only players that could even attempt to go toe to toe with him. I’d say in terms of players that could do that throughout the 90’s, it goes 7 Drexler, 6 Ewing, 5 Robinson, 4 Malone, 3 Barkley, 2 Payton, and 1 Hakeem. His best season was when he balled out for the 76ers while playing small forward during the 1987-88 season. He put up extremely impressive averages of 28.3 points per game, 3.2 assists, 11.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals and blocks per game respectively. He also shot a very efficient 63% from mid range, and 58% from the field as a whole. He’s most known for his 1993 campaign where he won the NBA’s most valuable player award over the likes of Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and David Robinson. That season he put up averages of 25.6 points per game, 5.1 assists per game, and 12.2 rebounds per game, on 52% shooting from the field. Although I would protest that he was more deserving of the 1988 award, an MVP is an MVP, and you have to be pretty darn good to get one either way. What made him stand out was the fact that he was such a good rebounder, and poste up big men at only 6’7”. He didn’t have a wide skill set, but he was very versatile. You know what I mean? It’s kinda like the fact that he could shoot the 3, just not super well, but with that meant he could shoot the deep 2 exceptionally well, hence why he shot very well from inside the arc over his career, especially in his early years. Since Barkley was faster than almost every big man in the league, he was often able to steal the ball, and get points off of fast breaks. He was equally as good as snagging boards as he was finishing which is really saying something, since he was one of the best rebounders of the late 80’s, and early 90’s. There was even a four year stretch when he played for the 76ers, which where arguably his best years, where he scored an average of 24.3 points, with nearly 13 rebounds to compliment that, (12.9), as well as shooting a grand total of 62% from mid range, and 58% from the field as a whole. Those are very good numbers for a 6’7” power forward that played small forward for the early stages of his career, and if it weren’t for his bad eating habits, he could’ve been a small forward for his entire career.

No. 23, Isiah “Zeke” Thomas, PG, Detroit

2x Champ, 1x Finals MVP, 5x All-NBA

There’s a legit case for Isiah being the second greatest point guard of all time, considering the toughness, grittiness, and all round skill that he displayed during his 13 year career he spent with the Detroit Pistons. Thomas was one of the most underrated players while he was playing in the league along with this, and over his prime years, (1982-83 to 1990-91), and probably being a legit top 5 player in the league for a good portion of those seasons. Thomas’ best statistical year was during the 1984-85 season in which he averaged 21.2 points per game, a league leading 13.9 assists per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, and 2.3 steals per game, on 45% shooting from the field. Although he would have two years here he would average more points, (1982-83 22.9, and 1983-84 21.3), this was probably the season in which he played his best, especially when you play in the fact that he averaged nearly 14 assists, while still putting up over 20 points a night is pretty insane. This was also the start of the Bad Boy Pistons, and the start of their reign in the NBA. However, Thomas’ best performance, and most memorable performance came during game 6 of the 1988 finals, where the Detroit “Bad Boy” Pistons faced off against the LA “Showtime” Lakers in what was one of their last great seasons. Thomas would manage to sprain his ankle, and would briefly leave the game, before starting to tear up the Lakers defense on one leg with 14 points in the 3rd quarter, and 11 of the Pistons last 15 points to start the run. That was just the beginning however, as he would pour in a record setting 25 points on, again, just one leg. He’d finish the game with 41 points, and 8 assists. Although the all time performance only resulted in a loss, it wasn’t due to Thomas, as his heroics should’ve won them the game, however this game is often overshadowed by the phantom foul on Bill Laimbeer, after he had contested a Kareem Abdul-Jabar skyhook. Even though it was ultimately the result of a loss, Thomas had the best game of his career, and one of, if not the best game in finals history.

No. 24, Dwyane “Flash” Wade, SG, Miami/Chicago/Cleveland

3x Champ, 1x Finals MVP, 1x Scoring Champ, 8x All-NBA

The flash was the most electrifying player in the NBA during his prime. He could finish at the basket, make quick moves with his tight handle, and could occasionally give you the three ball. Despite his low percentage from deep, he was almost automatic in the clutch. Wade’s best season is most definitely his 2008-2009 campaign where he put up averages of 30.2 points, 5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, with 1.3 blocks, and 2.2 steals per game to go with it. And he even managed to shoot nearly 50% from the field, (49%). Somehow he managed to lose the MVP award to his future teammate LeBron James, and Wade would have four more straight years of being a 20+ point per game guy, averaging 24.1, 5.3, 5.3, with 1.1 blocks, and 1.7 steals, on 49% shooting over that stretch. He had one of the most memorable playoff rallies during the 2006 finals, where he, and the Miami Heat would come back down 2-0 in the series to win it in game 6 in Dallas. Over that series Wade would average a phenomenal 34.7 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game, 3.8 assists per game, with 1 block, and 2.7 steals per game. He also had a very impressive average of a 25.4 game score per matchup, which is mind boggling to think about, given that in the 2019 finals Steph Curry averaged a game score of 22.8, and in the 2016 finals LeBron James averaged a game score of 26.5. That’s truly a remarkable number, and although the refs were kinda trash as well, you can’t take away the fact that Wade played great during those finals. Of course he’d win Finals MVP, and would actually lead a team on his own to a championship before LeBron James would, which is also something that is pretty impressive.

No. 25, Allen “The Answer” Iverson, PG/SG, Philadelphia/Denver/Memphis /Detroit

1x MVP, 4x Scoring Champ, 7x All-NBA

The handles, the hip-hop, the overall iconic image that was Allen Iverson was something unlike the NBA has ever seen. Often looked at by David Stern, and the NBA as a thug, and someone that’s image is tarnishing the brand of the NBA, for a so-called “thug,” my man could ball. With his signature crossover, and a great basketball IQ, Iverson would constantly make defenders look silly. He had a great finishing ability for a 5’10” guard as well, and was a lot tougher than he looked. He was strong with the ball, and could protect, but often didn’t have too, since he’d be too busy making quick cuts, and sharp turns to finish at the rim. He was a great shooter, despite the fact that he took a lot of shots, and his percentages were never that high, kinda like Kobe Bryant. He scored. A lot. His highest scoring average came in the 2005-06 season, where he scored at an average of 33 points per game, with 3.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists a game to go with it. His MVP year was without a doubt his MVP year though, where he put up averages of 31.1 points, 4.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.5 steals. This was also the season where he carried the Philadelphia 76ers on his back to the finals, where he matched up against the historic Shaq, and Kobe led Lakers losing in 5 games. However, this wasn’t due to Iverson, as he played the best playoff series of his career, averaging 35.3 points per game, 4.3 assists per game, 6.3 rebounds per game, and 1.8 steals per game, on 40% shooting. This was one of the quietest statement making series’ played by any star player ever, proving to the world that he was one of the best players in the NBA while stepping over Tyronn Lue in the process. And to cap it all off, he had one of the most prolific primes we’ve ever seen, averaging 28.9 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.8 rebounds with the Nuggets, and 76ers, while also having 5 seasons where he averaged over 30 points per game, on 42% shooting, with an additional 2.3 steals per game, all over a 9 season stretch in which he quietly demolished the league while also quietly being one of the best, if not the best player in it. Woooh, I just felt like Stephen A.