Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, 1993-94 MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time Finals MVP, two-time rebounding champ, three-time blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. 1. But Unseld wasn't just all muscle; he was one of the best outlet passers the NBA has seen. Stats: 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG in 16 seasons with Boston Celtics (1962-63 to 1977-78). Vermont Catamounts. He'll forever be on the short list of players you'd want to take the last shot with the game on the line. He became the face of a generation of big men and was dominant down low as he helped push the Lakers to three straight NBA titles from 2000 to 2002. He had a Rookie of the Year and MVP trophy by his fourth season. -- Pelton, 1992-96 Orlando Magic; 1996-2004 Los Angeles Lakers; 2004-08 Miami Heat; 2008-09 Phoenix Suns; 2009-10 Cleveland Cavaliers; 2010-11 Boston Celtics, When Shaq arrived on the scene with the Magic in 1992, the league had never seen a center move up and down the floor with the strength and speed that O'Neal possessed. -- Lopez, 1995-2007, 2015-16 Minnesota Timberwolves; 2007-13 Boston Celtics; 2013-15 Brooklyn Nets, 17.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.4 BPG, Garnett was the first high school player to go straight to the pros in more than two decades when he was drafted fifth overall by the Timberwolves in 1995, opening the doors for the prep-to-pro pipeline that ensued. Gamecast; Preview; Northwestern State Lady Demons vs Incarnate Word . -- Bontemps, 2003-2011 Denver Nuggets; 2011-2017 New York Knicks; 2017-2018 Oklahoma City Thunder; 2018-2019 Houston Rockets; 2019-2021 Portland Trail Blazers; 2021-22 Los Angeles Lakers, Entering the league with a handle and shooting touch of a shooting guard but with the height and broad shoulders of a traditional frontcourt player, Anthony filled the role of a stretch-4 before the position became a staple of every NBA roster. A four-time NBA champion and three-time Finals MVP, O'Neal averaged a double-double during a career that spanned almost two decades. Perhaps the greatest two-way player of his generation, Leonard dissects defenses with robotic midrange precision while disrupting offenses with his long arms and physical defense. Still only 28, there's plenty more in store for him as long as he stays healthy. ESPN's NBA expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, taking into consideration both total career value and peak performance. The Spurs had a winning record and made the playoffs in every single season of Duncan's 18-year career. Kawhi Leonard vs. Gary Payton? He won with the Rockets in 1982 and then was traded to the 76ers where he won the MVP, the championship and the Finals MVP in 1983. -- Youngmisuk, 1996-2003 Milwaukee Bucks, 2003-07 Seattle SuperSonics; 2007-12 Boston Celtics; 2012-14 Miami Heat, 18.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 2.3 3PG, Before Stephen Curry came along and broke his all-time 3-point record, Allen was regarded as the smoothest shooting player of all time. Stats: 30.1 PPG, 22.9 RPG, 4.4 APG in 14 seasons with Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors (1959-60 to 1964-65), Philadelphia 76ers (1964-65 to 1967-68) and Los Angeles Lakers (1968-69 to 1972-73). He was one of the best rebounders in NBA history (second in total rebounds and second in career rebounding average behind only Wilt Chamberlain). Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, four-time All-Defensive team, two-time MVP, 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year, 2016-17 Most Improved Player, 2021 Finals MVP, 2021 NBA champion. Published February 5, 2023 50 Best NBA players of 2023: New Mavericks star Kyrie Irving lands in the. In 2009, then-NBA commissioner David Stern announced the Finals MVP award would be named after Russell. RB Jim Brown -- Cleveland Browns, 1957-1965 "Mamba mentality" became more than a kitschy catchphrase after Bryant died; it is now a blueprint for how to chase your dreams. Completing 10 incredible seasons, Maravich would make 5 All-Star appearances and lead the NBA in scoring in 1977 at 31.1 PPG. All-Time #NBArank: The greatest players ever, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, Sources: Warriors eye Curry return next week, Lakers' Davis out vs. OKC with right foot injury, V. Bryant settles crash photos suit for $28.85M, Sources: Lakers to reassess LeBron in 2 weeks, Benner, longtime Pacers PR director, dies at 67, Irving: Need to scale back self-imposed pressure, Jokic sixth player in 100 career triple-double club, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, Meet the man scouring Nigeria for the next generation of NBA and NFL talent, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. -- Lopez, 1959-62 Philadelphia Warriors, 1962-65 San Francisco Warriors; 1965-68 Philadelphia 76ers; 1968-73 Los Angeles Lakers, There are very few players who hold a record that will most likely never be broken. -- Bontemps, 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.4 SPG, 3.0 BPG, The Admiral was a defensive force who owns one of just four quadruple-doubles in NBA history, when he had 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 blocks against the Pistons on Feb. 17, 1994. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1974-75 MVP, 1972-73 Rookie of the Year, three-time scoring champ, two-time NBA champion. After rupturing his in January 1992, Wilkins was ready for the following year and averaged 29.9 points. 5-on-5 debate: Will Curry pass Magic as the best PG ever? Stats: 22.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.4 APG in 16 seasons with Miami Heat (2003-04 to 2015-16; 2017-18 to 2018-19), Chicago Bulls (2016-17) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18). (1:37). Drexler is also one of four players in league history to have at least 2,000 offensive rebounds and 2,000 steals (Hakeem Olajuwon, Scottie Pippen and Karl Malone). We're also left to wonder what if Maravich had played his full career with the 3-point line, introduced during his final season. Then our ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, with voting based on both peak performance and career value. Visit ESPN for the game preview of the St. Bonaventure Bonnies vs. Davidson Wildcats NCAAW basketball game on 1 March 2023 . And once in the NBA, Garnett helped modernize the way big men play the game. Fantasy Incarnate Word Cardinals. 3 and Bill Russell, the most prolific winner. Following his breakout campaign, Pierce made the All-Star team 10 of the next 11 seasons. His numbers -- including scoring an NBA-record 100 points in a single game and averaging 50 points per game for an entire season -- are mythical. While Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar get the lion's share of the credit for those teams, Worthy's 1988 NBA Finals MVP distinction tells the story of just how key he was in L.A.'s success, earning his "Big Game James" nickname for elevating his play when the games mattered most. He's so clutch that his performance in the final stretches of games has garnered its own nickname: Dame Time. Jordan revolutionized the way players could expand their corporate portfolios -- and dominate well after their playing careers end. NBA. 5-on-5: Will James Harden be a top-5 all-time shooting guard? For the most part, it would be hard to argue that Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar aren't the top three players in NBA history. ESPN+. In fact, "Wilt the Stilt" has six of the highest 11 single-game point totals in NBA history and seven scoring titles, including a mythical 50.4 PPG in 1961-62. Stats: 20.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.6 APG in 15 seasons with Portland Trail Blazers (1983-84 to 1994-95) and Houston Rockets (1994-95 to 1997-98). 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. -- Bontemps, 2003-10, 2014-18 Cleveland Cavaliers; 2010-14 Miami Heat; 2018-20 Los Angeles Lakers, Standing 6-9 and weighing north of 250 pounds with a 40-inch vertical, James' game is built on power, but his passing ability might be his strongest skill. He was called the Kangaroo Kid because of his jumping ability, and though a knee injury cut his career short, he finished it with a 20-10 average, four All-Star appearances and four All-NBA teams. -- MacMahon, The combination of Bird and Magic Johnson arriving in the NBA in the 1980s helped usher in the league's golden age, kicking off a new round of battles between the Celtics and Lakers, while Bird's all-around offensive prowess made him one of the game's all-time great players. -- Jamal Collier, 1962-68 Detroit Pistons; 1968-74 New York Knicks, For the first six years the NBA started naming an All-Defensive First Team, DeBusschere's name was included on the list. Stats: 27.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 4.3 APG in 14 seasons with Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (1958-59 to 1971-72). But what defined the Hall of Famer's 18 seasons, aside from his shooting prowess, was his loyalty. It's clear why he is part of this list at age 27. -- McMenamin, When you are the logo of the NBA, it means you have done something special in your career. He was a legendary winner, a transcendent passer, an instant highlight and a triple-double waiting to happen. -- Tim Bontemps, Lillard has a shooting range that rivals Stephen Curry's and has become one of the most clutch players in the game -- his series-ending daggers over the Rockets and OKC come to mind. Aside from his play on the floor, Pippen is routinely brought up as one of his former teammates' favorite people to play with. Stats: 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG in 13 seasons with Boston Celtics (1956-57 to 1968-69). Deonna Brister adds 12.8 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Lady Colonels, and Kyla Hamilton averages 10.8 points, 4.2 assists and two steals per game. In 1970, Reed became the first player in NBA history to win MVP, All-Star Game MVP and Finals MVP in the same year. 9-21, 5-12 . Stats: 22.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.3 APG in 10 NBA seasons with Philadelphia Warriors (1950-51 to 1961-62). Fantasy. Those qualities also helped him earn five MVP awards and 11 All-NBA selections. But Malone had the misfortune of matching up with Michael Jordan's Bulls in both of his NBA Finals appearances. ESPN has been counting down the 100 best NBA players of all-time. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA. To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, three-time MVP, two-time Finals MVP, 1979-80 Rookie of the Year, 1982 All-Star MVP, three-time NBA champion. -- Friedell, 1965-67 San Francisco Warriors; 1972-78 Golden State Warriors; 1978-80 Houston Rockets; also played four ABA seasons with Oakland Oaks (1968-69), Washington Capitols (1969-70) and New York Nets (1970-72), Barry was an eight-time NBA All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection, an NBA champion and a scoring champion, but he might be best known for a move that has never been replicated in the league. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-Defensive team. Robertson filled up stat sheets as a 6-foot-5 point guard, a model many of the stars of the current NBA have adopted. The star player on Blazers teams that averaged 60 wins and made Finals appearances in 1990 and 1992, Drexler was an All-NBA first team pick in '92 and a 10-time All-Star. Jordan led the Bulls to six NBA championships, winning six Finals MVP awards and five regular-season MVP honors while becoming a global icon on and off the floor. Julius Erving. 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. 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. Nowitzki spent his entire 21-year career in Dallas, setting a record for length of a tenure with one franchise, and is the highest-scoring international player in NBA history. He won the dunk contest in 1985 and 1990 (and maybe 1988 if you ask a few people) and participated in five contests overall. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, 1994-95 MVP, 1991-92 Defensive Player of the Year, 1989-90 Rookie of the Year, 1993-94 scoring champ, 1990-91 rebounding champ, 1991-92 blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. Miami basketball was well represented as former Heat players . ESPN's List of 'The NBA's 100 Best Players for the 2022-23 season #NBArank 65 views; The lowest paid NBA player is making less than $75K this season (and you've probably never heard of him) 64 views; The Best NBA Jerseys of All-Time 58 views; 64 Team tournament bracket (single-elimination, printable) 54 views Stats: 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5 APG in 14 seasons with Boston Celtics (1950-51 to 1962-63) and Cincinnati Royals (1969-70). On March 12, 1985, Larry Bird put on a shooting clinic for the ages, scoring a Celtics-record 60 points in a game against the Atlanta Hawks. Boxing. He also averaged at least 12.4 rebounds in every season. Traya Bruce is the best bet for Nicholls from beyond the arc. LeBron James or Michael Jordan? His fast breaks and no-look passes catapulted the NBA from an era when Finals games weren't televised live to the global game it is today. Top 75 NBA Players of All Time (NBA 75) Quiz - By NBAA Popular Quizzes Today 1 Find the US States - No Outlines Minefield 2 Ballon d'Or Winners by Age 3 Find the Countries of Europe - No Outlines Minefield 4 Countries of the World Sports NBA QUIZ LAB SUBMISSION Random Sports or NBA Quiz Top 75 NBA Players of All Time (NBA 75) -- Youngmisuk, 2005-2011 New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets; 2011-2017 Los Angeles Clippers; 2017-2019 Houston Rockets; 2019-2020 Oklahoma City Thunder; 2020-22 Phoenix Suns, Still going strong in his 17th season, Paul became the first player in NBA history to reach 20,000 career points and 10,000 career assists. -- Collier, Duncan dominated for a generation while rarely showing any emotion, aside from shock when he was whistled for a foul. Stats: 23.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.1 APG in 10 NBA seasons with San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1965-66 to 1966-67; 1972-73 to 1977-78) and Houston Rockets (1978-79 to 1979-80); also played four ABA seasons with Oakland Oaks (1968-69), Washington Capitols (1969-70) and New York Nets (1970-71 to 1971-72). To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. Paul also holds the NBA record for consecutive games with a steal (108), a streak that took part over three seasons (April 13, 2007, to Dec. 23, 2008). His unstoppable skyhook allowed him to score more points than anyone in league history, and while he wasn't flashy, there has arguably never been anyone better. But his legacy is so much more than just basketball. -- MacMahon, 1990-2003 Seattle SuperSonics; 2003 Milwaukee Bucks; 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers; 2004-05 Boston Celtics; 2005-07 Miami Heat, Remembered as one of the NBA's greatest defenders in the backcourt, "the Glove" teamed up with Shawn Kemp to lead the brash, young Sonics to five consecutive seasons of 55+ wins. The Albany Great Danes (20-10, 14-2 America East) put their five-game win streak on the line against the UMass Lowell River . Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, five-time MVP, 1963 All-Star MVP, four-time rebounding champ, 11-time NBA champion. -- Collier, 1965-72, 1974-76 Philadelphia 76ers; also played two ABA seasons with Carolina Cougars (1972-74), A fixture with the 76ers as both a player and coach, Cunningham was part of one of the most iconic teams in NBA history: the 1967 NBA champion Sixers. For better and worse, we published out the full list of ESPN's top 74 greatest NBA players of all-time a few days ago. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, two-time MVP, four-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, 1958 NBA champion. D-Wade's greatest moments with the Heat (1:41) Take a look back at 13-time NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade's greatest moments, including his three NBA championships with the Heat. His 34.0 points per game that season is also the highest point total for a player at that height in NBA history. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1968 All-Star MVP, 1967 NBA champion. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, 1968-69 scoring champ, two-time rebounding champ, 1978 NBA champion. He played in 1,158 victories, including the playoffs, more than anyone in NBA history other than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. St. Bonaventure Bonnies. Steve Nash. Also see Top 100 Baseball Players Quiz by Quizmaster Rate: Featured Quiz Last updated: December 14, 2021 You have not attempted this quiz yet. We did. Stats: 25.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 6.5 APG in 12 seasons with Oklahoma City Thunder (2009-10 to 2011-12), Houston Rockets (2012-13 to 2020-21) and Brooklyn Nets (2020-21)*. McHale's ability to play through pain and injury made him one of the most beloved Celtics players of all time. But so long as he's included, it doesn't make much sense to drop anyone who soared as high as Leonard recently did out of the top 10. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1963-64 Rookie of the Year, 1965 All-Star MVP, 1973 NBA champion. Stats: 17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 BPG in 13 seasons with Boston Celtics (1980-81 to 1992-93). Stats: 18.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG in 18 seasons with Indiana Pacers (1987-88 to 2004-05). -- Pelton, 1969-75 Milwaukee Bucks; 1975-89 Los Angeles Lakers, Before MJ and LeBron, Kareem ruled basketball. In fact, he owns three of the top four such streaks. The result is our all-time NBA Top 100. These debates rage on endlessly in every corner of NBA fandom, and our experts have done their best to answer them, ranking the greatest players in the league's 74-year history. Accomplishments: 11-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1980-81 MVP, two-time NBA All-Star MVP, 1983 NBA champion. He was the ultimate pass-first point guard -- winning five assists titles, including both of his MVP seasons -- who also possessed one of the game's purest jump shots. With his hook shot, Mikan led the league in scoring in his first three seasons. 30.1 PPG, 22.9 RPG, 4.4 APG. When he averaged 14.6 rebounds in 1986-87, he became the shortest rebounding champion in NBA history in the shot-clock era (since 1954-55). 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). Stats: 19.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.9 APG in 10 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (2011-12 to 2017-18), Toronto Raptors (2018-19) and LA Clippers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. -- Tim MacMahon, 18.2 PPG, 3.0 APG, 1.1 Steals PG, 1.8 3s PG, The Pacers' legend became one of the greatest shooters in NBA history with one of the fastest releases the game has seen. -- Friedell, Paul J. Maguire/The Boston Globe/Getty Images, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, Sources: Warriors eye Curry return next week, Lakers' Davis out vs. OKC with right foot injury, V. Bryant settles crash photos suit for $28.85M, Sources: Lakers to reassess LeBron in 2 weeks, Benner, longtime Pacers PR director, dies at 67, Irving: Need to scale back self-imposed pressure, Jokic sixth player in 100 career triple-double club, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, Meet the man scouring Nigeria for the next generation of NBA and NFL talent, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas, the NBA unveiled its 75th Anniversary Team. Clutch" for his penchant for delivering in the biggest moments. He was an All-Star in his first season in the league, which began a year of 12 straight appearances. NFL. Accomplishments: Six-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 2012-13 Rookie of the Year. Stephen A. Smith ranks his top-5 NBA players all-time and shares his reasoning why Steph Curry didn't make his list. 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 . Stats: 21.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 1.8 APG in 16 season with San Diego/Houston Rockets (1968-69 to 1971-72; 1981-82 to 1983-84) and Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets (1972-73 to 1980-81) . NBA All-Time Points Leaders - National Basketball Association - ESPN NBA History - Points Leaders Leaders: Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks Leaders Awards *Active players. -- Tim MacMahon, Bird and Magic Johnson revitalized the NBA -- and the Celtics-Lakers rivalry. Then head over and vote on the best NBA players of the 2010s. The only reason he doesn't rank higher on lists of the all-time greats is he won "only" two NBA championships. Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.4 APG in 10 seasons with Atlanta Hawks (1970-71 to 1973-74), New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-75 to 1979-80) and Boston Celtics (1979-80). 1950-51 Washington Capitols; 1951-61 Boston Celtics, A Hall of Famer as both a player and coach, Sharman starred alongside Bob Cousy in Boston's backcourt in the 1950s, winning four championships. And for the first time in the list's history, there's a new No. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1988 Finals MVP, three-time NBA champion. Visit ESPN for the game preview of the Bryant Bulldogs vs. Vermont Catamounts NCAAW basketball game on 1 March 2023 . -- Friedell, 25.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.4 3s PG, Known for his unyielding work ethic and full-fledged commitment to master his craft above all else, Bryant and his "Mamba Mentality" set the standard for scores of players hoping to make a mark on the game. Stats: 17.6 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG in 11 seasons with Boston Celtics (1970-71 to 1979-80) and Milwaukee Bucks (1982-83). TrueHoop TV: Kobe, Jerry West and the top shooting guards ever, All-Time #NBArank: The 10 greatest small forwards in NBA history, Photos: Classic action shots of league's best small forwards. -- McMenamin, 2008-2019 Oklahoma City Thunder; 2019-2020 Houston Rockets; 2020-2021 Washington Wizards; 2021-22 Los Angeles Lakers, Mr. Triple-Double. Doc Rivers: 'Nique could get to the penthouse', Dwyane Wade: 'I never thought I'd be Top 100 all time', All-Time #NBArank 21-25: Curry and Durant among top 25, All-Time #NBArank 16-20: Mailman, Dirk and Sir Charles, All-Time #NBArank 11-15: Kobe, Big O, Logo, Dr. J, Moses, Strauss: How Steph stormed into top-25 status. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG in 15 seasons with Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1958-59 to 1972-73). Wade gave Heat Culture its championship pedigree while earning a Finals MVP and leading the league in scoring (2008-09 when he averaged 30.2 points per game). As a result of a tie in the voting, the 75th anniversary team includes 76 players. The 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time 50 Paul Arizin Paul Vathis/AP Stalwart jump shooter from the Philadelphia Warriors. Stats: 27.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 4.2 APG in 14 seasons with Seattle SuperSonics (2007-08), Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-09 to 2015-16), Golden State Warriors (2016-17 to 2018-19) and Brooklyn Nets (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. Until LeBron James came along, Bird was hailed as the best small forward ever. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, five-time assists champ, two-time MVP. Stats: 10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG in 13 seasons with Baltimore/Capitol/Washington Bullets. 9. Stats: 25.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.7 APG in 20 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1996-97 to 2015-16). -- Collier, Nowitzki revolutionized the game as a 7-foot shooter and shattered the "soft Euro" stereotype. -- Pelton, 1983-95 Portland Trail Blazers; 1995-98 Houston Rockets, "Clyde the Glide" was known for his high-flying ways, but he was also one of the more dominant rebounding guards in NBA history. Career laurels: 11 NBA champion (1957, 1959-1966, 1968, 1969); 5 NBA Most Valuable Player (1958, 1961-1963, 1965); 12 NBA All-Star (1958-1969); NBA All-Star Game MVP (1963); 3. Past that, we could have a robust discussion on how Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird are positioned from the #4-7 spots, but that also feels right. Long before that, Parish was an ideal All-Star complement to the Celtics' other frontcourt stars because of his skills and willingness to accept -- and occasionally deal out -- the physical play in the paint in the 1980s. Tim Duncan. Photos: Classic action shots of league's best floor generals, All-Time #NBArank: The 10 greatest shooting guards in NBA history, Photos: Classic action shots of league's best shooting guards. A man of few words, Leonard's legacy speaks volumes already for helping deliver the first NBA championship to Canada. Using his strength, Unseld averaged 13.8 points and 18.2 rebounds as a rookie for the Bullets, joining Wilt Chamberlain as the only two players to ever win Rookie of the Year and MVP in one season. NBA Countdown starts with a heated discussion with Paul Pierce making his case of LeBron James not being a top-5 player all time, with Jay Williams and Jalen. 15 15. While James' individual accomplishments will put his career near the very top of all to have ever played the sport, the blueprint he created will give others a chance to maximize their experience as a professional athlete. His partnerships with several co-stars have produced unpleasant breakups and no championships, and his style of play generates a lot of groans and criticism. Stats: 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG in 13 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1979-80 to 1990-91; 1995-96). The list of 10 through 1 crowns the exceptional . That being said, ESPN recently released their top 74 NBA players of all-time, which has caused many heated debates on social media. MLB. From the five championships to the 81 points against the Raptors and the 60-piece in his sendoff, few to lace them up have had more legendary careers than Bryant. However, he led the league in scoring at 31.1 PPG in 1976-77 while playing for the New Orleans Jazz, earning one of his four All-NBA honors. Being in the conversation as the best player of all time means being part of an exclusive club -- no disrespect to those who just missed out on the top 10. -- Lopez, 1954-55 Milwaukee Hawks, 1955-65 St. Louis Hawks, Pettit was the first player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points and was a dominant force throughout his 11 seasons. No other player in NBA history has those scoring and assist averages in the same season (only Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook also had 30-point, 10-assist seasons). Sep 12, 2019. More than anything, Duncan was one of the best winners, leading the Spurs to five titles and 1,001 regular-season victories, the most for any player with one team in NBA history. Accomplishments: 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 12-time All-Defensive team, 2007-08 MVP, two-time Finals MVP, four-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, five-time NBA champion. 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