NBA players, they are known for their talent as well as the performance they give in the court. Through the years we have seen many play the game of basketball with hard work and determination. However, we have yet to see NBA players (today) play the same game with love and appreciation the way these gentlement/professional athlethes played the game.
Here are the 10 Greatest NBA players of all time. They were chosen as the greatest because their performance and their overall achievement within their NBA career was phenomenal.
1. Michael Jordan, (6-6 216 lbs) His style, his energy, his hunger, his determination, his skills, and his overall performance has not been matched by anyone in NBA history. Jordan was so good at what he did, after retirement he couldn’t’t resist to come back and give the NBA another reason why he is the best player in the NBA league’s history of players.
32,292 Points
5,633 Assists
6,672 Rebounds
2,514 Steals
893 Blocks
Rookie of the year (1985)
6 championships
14 time All Star
3 time All Star MVP
Holds the record for most consecutive games scoring double-digits (www.nba.com)
First triple double in an All Star game (1997)
2 time Olympic Gold medalist (1984, 1992)
The greatest player in NBA history
2. Julius Erving (Dr. J), (6-7 210) The greatest of the greatest, the best of all time. He gave NBA its name. He gave future players the reason to join the NBA. He was a doctor in the game. He cured and healed any and possibly all errors that existed in the game of basketball (at his time). He created/invented new ways to play the game of basketball every time he stepped into the court.
18,364 Points
3,224 Assist
5,601 Rebounds
1,508 Steals
11 time All Star player
MVP more than once
1 of 50 Greatest NBA players in history
3. Kareem Abdul Jabbar, (7-2 267lbs) The leader in most everything in basketball. Points, MVP’s, blocked shots, All Star games, etc. Kareem Abdul Jabbar, the franchise player who showed ambition, drive, ability, and success in the court consistently. He gave his fans a show to watch every time he performed.
38,387 Points
5,660 Assists
17,440 Rebounds
1,160 Steals
3,189 Blocks
19 All Star games
Rookie of the year
6 NBA championships
2 NBA All Star MVP
1 of 50 greatest in NBA history
4. Larry Bird, (6-9 220 lbs) Boston’s finest, greatest that will ever be. He came into the Garden to play. He played to win. His motivation, his hustle, his energy were the reasons Boston was championship-driven while he was there. He played with power, and his shots were magical. His team work was phenomenal; his overall performance for 13 seasons was unprecedented.
21,791 Points
5,695 Assists
8,974 Rebounds
1,556 Steals
755 Blocks
9 time NBA All Star
Rookie of the year (1990)
3 championships
2 NBA finals MVP
Olympic Gold medalist (1992)
1 of 50 greatest NBA players in history
5. Bill Russell, (6-10 255 lbs) Another one of Boston’s finest. Best defensive player in history. A leader in rebounding. His leadership skills drove his team to 11 championships in 13 seasons. What can we say? Nothing else but that Mr. Russell is one of the best of all time and a living legend purposely unforgettable.
14,522 Points
4,100 Assists
21,620 Rebounds
12 time All Star
11 championships
5 time MVP
4 time rebound leader
1 time NBA finals MVP
Olympic Gold Medalist (1956)
1 of 50 Greatest NBA players in history
6. Wilt Chamberlain, (7-1, 275 lbs) Many would agree, Wilt Chamberlain was one of the best in NBA history. A dominator, a specialist, amazing speed and offensive aggressiveness no other team member had at that time. A drive, stability, and appreciation of the game made him become the best in the NBA league. His amazing speed made him one of the leading re-bounders in the NBA who could not be stopped.
31,419 Points
4,643 Assists
23,924 Rebounds
2 championships
10 time All Star
Rookie of the year (1960)
1 NBA All Star MVP
4 NBA MVP
1 of the 50 Greatest NBA players in history
7. John Havlicek, (6-5, 205 lbs) A leader in points, a leader in rebounds, and more than a dozen championships, Havlicek was another one of Boston’s greatest. His overall performance was always impressive. His ability never diminished, that’s why he became the leading scorer in points within Celtics history and 6th in the NBA league. His 16 year career with the NBA league coincided with the Celtic’s dynasty.
26,395 Points
6,114 Assists
8,007 Rebounds
476 Steals
117 Blocks
8 championships
NBA finals MVP
13 time All Star
1 of the 50 Greatest NBA players in history
8. John Stockton, (6-1, 175 lbs) The best passer in the history of the NBA. Played 19 seasons with his team as a leader, team player, and franchise player. Overall Stockton gave the true definition of what an NBA player gets paid to do every time he steps into the court. He was the reason that Karl Malone delivered. His style, dedication, ambition, drive, and appreciation to the game made him one of the greatest in NBA history. He is the all-time leader in assists and steals.
19,711 Points
15,806 Assists
4,051 Rebounds
3,265 Steals
315 Blocks
10 time NBA All Star
Olympic Gold Medalist (1992)
1 of the 50 Greatest NBA players in history
9. Bob Cousy, (6-1, 175lbs) Another 1950-60’s player who’s participation with the Celtics lead them to several victories and championships. Cousy played hard, he worked hard and he won hard. His passion for the game resulted in many individual and team best performances. He played with many great players within his time, which gave him the reason and drive to become one of the best in history.
16,960 Points
6,955 Assists
4,786 Rebounds
6 Championships
NBA MVP
13 time All Star
2 All Star MVP
1 of the 50 Greatest NBA players in history
10. Oscar Robertson, (6-5, 220 lbs) Was born to play for the NBA. When he was finally drafted, he proved why he was chosen. Two years into the league, he had put up numbers that not even the greatest at the time could match. He was a team player. A player whose drive pushed him to become one of the greatest. A player whose performance only kept rising and his longevity was nothing but astounding.
26,710 Points
9,887 Assists
7,804 Rebounds
1 NBA Championship
1 NBA MVP
12 time All Star
3 All Star MVP
Olympic Gold Medalist (60’s)
1 of the 50 Greatest NBA players in history
So here you have it, my Ten Greatest of All Time in NBA history. Their stats, their performance, their skills have not been matched by any of the generations that have played, are playing today, and will play in the near future. There might be comparisons, there might be players that would want to rival these 10 greatest, however as of yet, it seems there may never be the equal of one of these players because their performance, their skills, and the love and appreciation they had for the game has yet to be seen from today’s players.
Reference:
Stats come from www.nba.com
