Editor’s Note: Over the last week, MSF writers have been presenting their personal lists of the top 20 NBA players of all-time. Jon Washburn presented his very controversial list yesterday, and we also compiled everyone’s votes into one aggregate list a few days ago.In this post, Kevin Luljak provides his list and backs up each pick with statistics. He definitely goes out on a limb that no one else did with some of his later choices.
Picking the top 20 players ever to play in the NBA is all a matter of opinion. It’s a topic that could be brought up after each season and a person would change their mind each year.
The measure of who the greatest is is also a debate that would change. Being a casual observer of the NBA since the late 80’s, I know what a great player consists of. Sure, the statistics are important, but it’s the overall importance to a team that measures a truly great player.
So, it’s with that in which I will rate the top 20 players of all time, in my opinion.
He is 3rd all-time in points with 32,292 and is 2nd all-time with 2,514 steals. “MJ” also grabbed 6,672 rebounds and dished out 5,633 assists. He won 6 NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls and was MVP of all six of those. Other awards included 5 League MVP’s, 14 All-Star appearances, 11 time All NBA selections, 9 All-Defensive first team selections, 10 Scoring titles and was named Rookie of the Year.
To me, Jordan was the complete player; he could take over a game at any time. Even after teams created “The Jordan Rules”, he still found a way to win.
(2) Kareem Abdul-Jabar was not one of the most well liked players of his time by his peers, many of whom thought him to be aloof and unapproachable, but his accomplishments speak for themselves.
He is 1st all-time in points with 38,387, 3rd all-time with 17,440 rebounds and 3,189 blocks. Kareem also won 6 NBA Championships (1 with Milwaukee, 5 with Los Angeles) and was named MVP of the Finals 2 times. The man with the undefendable “Sky Hook” also was named League MVP six times, played in 19 All-Star games, Named to the All NBA first team 10 times and was Rookie of the Year in 1970.
(3) Wilt Chamberlain was considered to be a man ahead of his time.
He is 4th all-time with 31,419 points and 1st all-time with 23,924 rebounds. He is the only NBA player to average over 40 and 50 points in a season (44.8 in 1962-63, 50.4 in 1961-62) and score 100 points in a game (1962). Wilt won 2 NBA Championships, was named League MVP 4 times, Played in 13 All-Star games and was named to the All-NBA first team 7 times. Before playing in the NBA Wilt was a Harlem Globetrotter. Because of his size and dominance he earned many nicknames like “The Big Dipper”, “Wilt the Stilt” and “Chairman of the Boards”.
(4) Oscar Robertson is 10th all-time with 26,710 points, 5th all-time in assists with 9,887 and grabbed 7,804 rebounds.
Oscar was named Rookie of the Year in 1961 and was named League MVP in 1964. He won his only NBA Championship in 1971 with the Milwaukee Bucks. Other accolades included being a 12 time NBA All-Star selection and made the All-NBA First Team 9 times. In the 1961-62 season he became the only player in league history to average a triple double for an entire season.
In 1970, Robertson was obviously an integral part of the Oscar Robertson Suit, which led to an extensive reform of the league’s strict free agency and draft rules. This in turn led to higher salaries for all players.
(5) Bill Russell is 2nd all-time with 21,620 rebounds, scored 14,522 points and dished out 4,100 assists.
In his 13 years with the Boston Celtics he won 11 NBA Championships and played on 12 All-Star teams. He was named League MVP 5 times and named to the All-NBA First Team 3 times. Bill Russell was never the focal point of the Boston offense, but his shot blocking and defense were major reasons the Celtics were able to dominate in the late 1950’s and through most of the 1960’s. His defensive abilities inspired those on the court with him to become better defenders.
The NBA Finals MVP now wins the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, which the NBA announced in 2009.
(6) Shaquille O’Neal is 5th all-time in points with 28,596, 7th all-time with 2,732 blocks and 12th all-time grabbing 13,099 rebounds. In “Shaq Daddy’s” 19 year career he won 4 NBA Championships, was a 15 time NBA All-Star, NBA Rookie of the Year in 1993, League MVP in 2000 and was named to the All-NBA First Team 8 times.
Shaquille is one of the league’s most recognizable characters, starring in movies, creating four rap albums and taking part in many memorable post and pre game interviews throughout his career.
(7) Earvin “Magic” Johnson is 4th all-time with 10,141 assists and 15th all-time with 1,724 steals.
Magic also scored 17,707 points and grabbed 6,559 rebounds. Johnson won 5 NBA Championships, played on 12 All-Star teams and was named to the All-NBA First Team 9 times. He was named both League MVP and NBA Finals MVP 3 times, getting his first Finals MVP in his rookie season. In game six of the 1980 NBA Finals Earvin started at center due to an injury to Kareem, and scored 42 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, made 7 assists and had 3 steals, giving them a win. He is one of three players in league history to total 700 of each points, rebounds and assists in one season.
Magic was forced to retire during the 1991 season due to testing positive for HIV in the 1991 season. He did return to play in the 1992 All-Star game, winning MVP of the game. After several player protests he retired again for four years and returned to play in 32 games in 1996 at 37 years of age. Since his retirement he has been an advocate for HIV/Aids prevention and safe sex, an entrepreneur, philanthropist and motivational speaker.
(8) Moses Malone is 7th all-time in points with 27,409 (also scored 2,171 in ABA), 5th all-time with 16,212 rebounds (1,622 in ABA), and 22nd with 1,733 blocks (156 in ABA) and also had 1,796 assists (140 in ABA). Moses played 2 seasons in the ABA before joining the NBA in 1976. He won one NBA Championship in 1983, was named League MVP 3 times and played on 13 NBA All-Star teams. He also was named to the All NBA First Team 4 times.
He was the most successful prep-to-pro player in his era, going straight to the ABA from High School in 1974. After 19 seasons in the NBA he was the last ABA player active and held numerous records in both leagues.
(9) Larry Bird is 27th all-time in points with 21,791, had 5,695 assists and 8,974 rebounds.
“Larry Legend” won 3 NBA Championships, 3 League MVP awards and played on 12 NBA All-Star teams. “The Hick from French Lick” was also named NBA Rookie of the Year in 1980 and was selected to the All-NBA First Team 9 times. Birds’ career was cut short due to chronic back problems and he retired in 1992.
After 5 years away from active basketball, he was named Head Coach of the Indiana Pacers and was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1998, his second season as coach. In 2003 he became President of basketball operations, a position he still holds.
(10) Hakeem Olajuwon is 9th all-time with 26,946 points, 11th all-time in rebounds with 13,747 and is 1st all-time with 3,830 blocked shots. He finished second to Michael Jordan for Rookie of the Year in 1985, the only other rookie who received votes that year. Known as “Akeem the Dream” early in his NBA career before changing his name to Hakeem later, he won 2 NBA Championships and was named League MVP in 1994. He also played for 12 NBA All-Star teams, was named to 6 All-NBA First Teams and was NBA Defensive Player of the Year 2 times.
Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, he is the only player in NBA history to win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP in the same season. His patented move was known as “The Dream Shake”, where he would spin and leave defenders wondering what happened.
(11) Karl Malone is 2nd all-time with 36,298 points, 6th all-time with 14,968 rebounds and is 10th all-time with 2,085 steals. “The Mailman” also dished out 5,238 assists and 1,145 blocked shots. Malone played 18 seasons with the Utah Jazz and played one season with the Los Angeles Lakers, where the team was favored to win the NBA Title and get Karl his first Championship ring. He won 2 NBA MVP awards, played on 12 NBA All-Star teams (was named to 14) and was named to 11 All-NBA First Teams.
(12) Julius “Dr. J” Erving scored 18,364 points (also scored 11,662 in the ABA); Grabbed 5,601 rebound (4,924 ABA) and dished out 3,224 assists (1,952 in ABA). Dr. J revolutionized the way the game was played with his jumping ability and his capabilities to play above the rim. He is well-known for his dunks in which he took off from the free throw line and using his long arms to avoid defenders. Julius won 3 Championships (2 ABA), was named League MVP 4 times (3 ABA) and was a 16 time All-Star (5 ABA). He also was named to the All-NBA First Team 5 times and an additional 4 in the ABA. Dr. J made the “slam” dunk become part of the game, kind of like the “cross-over dribble” and the “no-look” pass.
(13) Elvin Hayes is 8th all-time with 27,313 points, 4th all-time in rebounds with 16,279 and also blocked 1,171 shots. In his rookie season in 1968 he led the league scoring with an average of 28.4 points a game, and remains the last rookie to accomplish that feat. “Big E” won an NBA Championship in 1978, was named to 12 NBA All-Star teams and was named to 3 All-NBA First Teams. In 1974 he averaged 18.1 rebounds a game, which is the third highest average of any NBA player since Wilt Chamberlain retired in 1973.
(14) Charles Barkley is 18th all-time in points with 23,757, 17th with 12,546 rebounds and 19th in steals with 1,648.
“Sir Charles” also had 4,215 assists. Though considered short for a power forward and 6’6”, he used his strength and aggressiveness to become one of the game’s best rebounders, which earned him the nickname “Ground Round of Rebound.” He never was able to win an NBA Championship but did get named the League’s MVP in 1993. Barkley played on 11 All-Star teams and was named to the All-NBA First Team 5 times.
Charles Barkley has continued to be part of the NBA as a color commentator for TNT. Like Shaquille O’Neal, Barkley was one of the best on camera, where he always had something to say.
(15) Jerry West is 15th all-time in points with 21, 592 and is 25th all-time with 6,238 assists.
He also grabbed 5,366 rebounds playing his entire career as point guard after being a small forward during his college playing days. Jerry West’s silhouette is currently used as the NBA logo. He won and NBA Championship in 1972 and is the only player in NBA history to win a Finals MVP playing for the losing team in 1969. He played on 12 All-Star teams and was the NBA scoring champion in 1970. “Mr. Clutch” was named to the All-NBA First Team 10 times and the NBA All-Defensive team 4. West also holds the record for points-averaged during a playoff series at 46.3.
After he retired he continued to be a part of the game, holding a head coaching position in Los Angeles. He was also General Manger in LA and Memphis and is currently a head consultant in Golden State.
(16) Patrick Ewing is 16th all-time with 24,815 points, 24th all-time in rebounds with 11,607 and is also 6th all-time blocking 2,894 shots. Ewing was named Rookie of the Year in 1986, played on 11 NBA All-Star teams and was elected to a All-NBA First Team in 1990. Ewing was considered one of the best centers of his time.
(17) Clyde Drexler is 25th all-time in points with 22,195 and 7th all-time with 2,207 steals. “Clyde the Glide” also dished out 6,135 assists in his 15 years in the league. Drexler won an NBA Championship in 1995, played on 10 NBA All-Star teams and one All-NBA First Team. He is currently a color commentator for Houston Rocket home games.
(18) John Stockton is the all-time leader in assists with 15,806 and steals with 3,265, both by considerable margins. For his career he averaged a double-double with 13.1 points and 10.5 assists per game. Stockton holds the NBA record for most seasons, games, and consecutive games played with one team. He is also third in total games played, and missed only 22 games from 1984-2003, missing 18 in one season. He played on 10 NBA All-Star teams and was named to the All-NBA First Team 2 times.
(19) David Robinson scored 20,790 points, grabbed 10,497 rebounds and is 5th all-time with 2,954 blocked shots. “The Admiral” won 2 NBA Championships, was named Rookie of the Year in 1990 and league MVP in 1995. David played on 10 NBA All-Star teams, 4 All-NBA First Teams and was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1992. He was drafted in 1987 by the Spurs, but the Spurs had to wait two years before he could play, as he had to fulfill his commitment to the Navy.
(20) Robert Parish is 19th all-time with 23,334 points, 7th all-time in rebounds with 14,715 and is 10th all-time with 2,361 blocked shots. “The Chief” won 4 NBA Championships, 3 with the Boston Celtics and 1 with the Chicago Bulls in his final season. He played on 9 NBA All-Star teams. In 1990 Parish was traded from the Golden State Warriors to the Boston Celtics, where he teamed up with Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, to become “The Big Three.”
I chose to take players that are no longer in the game to make my top 20 list. There are several players that are still racking up stats and other achievements that will lead them to making this list in the future. The top 5 that are still playing are:
- Kobe Bryant: 6th all-time with 27,868 points and 18th with 1,653 steals. 5 NBA Championships, League MVP in 2008 and 13 All-Star teams.
- Kevin Garnett: 20th all-time with 23,323 points, 16th all-time with 12,819 rebounds, 24th all-time with 1,608 steals and 19th all-time with 1,847 blocked shots. NBA Champion in 2008, League MVP in 2004 and 14 All-Star Teams.
- Dirk Nowitzki: 23rd all-time with 22,792 points. NBA Champion 2011, League MVP in 2007, 10 All-Star Teams.
- Ray Allen: 24th all-time with 22,286 points, All-time leader in three pointers made. NBA Champion in 2008, 10 All-Star teams.
- Tim Duncan: 21st all-time with 12,013 rebounds and 9th all-time with 2,381 blocked shots. 4 NBA Championships, 2 League MVP’s, Rookie of the Year in 1998 and 13 All-Star teams.
- Allen Iverson Winning the NBA scoring title during the 1998–99, 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2004–05 seasons, Iverson was one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, despite his small stature (listed at 6 feet, 0 inches). His regular season career scoring average of 26.7 points per game ranks sixth all-time, and his playoff career scoring average of 29.7 points per game is second only to Michael Jordan.
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