-- Bontemps, 1969-75 Milwaukee Bucks; 1975-89 Los Angeles Lakers, No one in NBA history can match Abdul-Jabbar's lengthy list of achievements. Jordan revolutionized the way players could expand their corporate portfolios -- and dominate well after their playing careers end. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-Defensive team. JJ Redick and Chris Russo battled on ESPN recently over their varying opinions on Larry Bird's three-point marksmanship. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG in 13 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1981-82 to 1993-94). MP. Garnett played with legendary passion and a gift of trash talk that rivaled the greatest in the game. Stats: 17.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 APG in 12 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1982-83 to 1993-94). -- Youngmisuk, 1974-79 Portland Trail Blazers; 1979-84 San Diego Clippers, 1984-85 LA Clippers; 1985-87 Boston Celtics, Every time we talk about the role of health in winning MVP, we're forced to caveat Walton's 1977-78 season, when he won the award playing just 58 games. 9-21, 5-12 . Early in the 2021-22 season, the NBA unveiled its 75th Anniversary Team, a squad full of iconic players representing different points in the evolution of basketball. TrueHoop TV: Steph Curry the fourth-best PG of all time? 26 . Stats: 23.1 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.8 APG in seven seasons with Minneapolis Lakers (1948-49 to 1955-56). Subscribe to ESPN+ http://espnplus.com/. Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, 1967-68 Rookie of the Year, 1973 NBA champion. Here's the entire list, 1-74: Michael Jordan LeBron James Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Bill Russell Magic Johnson Wilt Chamberlain Larry Bird Tim Duncan Kobe Bryant Shaquille O'Neal Oscar Robertson Hakeem Olajuwon Stephen Curry Kevin Durant Julius Erving Jerry West Karl Malone Moses Malone Dirk Nowitzki Kevin Garnett Scottie Pippen Elgin Baylor Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, five-time All-Defensive team, 1969 Finals MVP, 1972 All-Star MVP, 1969-70 scoring champ, 1971-72 assists champ, 1972 NBA champion. Alexander leads Nicholls in scoring and rebounding with 13.9 points and 8.5 boards per game. 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). At the time Walton went down with a broken foot in February, the defending champs were 50-10 behind their center's rim protection and legendary playmaking. 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. 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. Then head over and vote on the best NBA players of the 2010s. ESPN+. 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. MLB. 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). Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 1967 NBA champion. -- Bontemps, 1960-68 St. Louis Hawks; 1968-72 Seattle SuperSonics; 1972-74 Cleveland Cavaliers; 1974-75 Portland Trail Blazers, "Coach, you played?" MLB. 1. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, five-time MVP, six-time Finals MVP, three-time All-Star MVP, 1987-88 Defensive Player of the Year, 1984-85 Rookie of the Year, 10-time scoring champ, three-time steals champ, six-time NBA champion. 6-25, 3-13 conf . Before, however, Wilkens was a nine-time All-Star as a point guard who excelled as both a scorer and a playmaker -- including twice as player-coach for the SuperSonics. -- Collier, Havlicek, who won eight championships during his legendary career with the Celtics, was one of the first players to popularize the role of sixth man. 5-on-5: Is Blake Griffin one of the 10 best power forwards ever? So, yeah, he definitely played. Robertson filled up stat sheets as a 6-foot-5 point guard, a model many of the stars of the current NBA have adopted. Tony Parker. ESPN's 100 Greatest NBA Players of All-Time Quiz Popular Quizzes Today 1 2 Ballon d'Or Winners by Age 3 Find the Countries of Europe - No Outlines Minefield 4 Countries of the World Sports NBA Random Sports or NBA Quiz ESPN's 100 Greatest NBA Players of All-Time -- Lopez, 1950-63 Boston Celtics; 1969-70 Cincinnati Royals, Cousy helped define the point guard position with his terrific passing skills. He would eventually win the rebounding title twice and help future teammate Wes Unseld take the Bullets to three Finals appearances, including the championship in 1978. Stats: 15.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.7 APG in 14 seasons with San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1963-64 to 1973-74), Chicago Bulls (1974-75 to 1975-76) and Cleveland Cavaliers (1975-76 to 1976-77). Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, five-time assists champ, two-time MVP. 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). He loved being the face of the Pacers and he loved that he played his whole career in Indianapolis. "The Mailman" is the most decorated ringless player in NBA history, earning 14 All-Star nods and two MVPs and ranking as the second all-time leading scorer with 36,928 career points. Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 12-time All-Defensive Team, 2003-04 MVP, 2007-08 Defensive Player of the Year, 2003 All-Star MVP, four-time rebounding champ, 2008 NBA champion. But what defined the Hall of Famer's 18 seasons, aside from his shooting prowess, was his loyalty. His presence loomed large through 15 NBA seasons as evidenced by the 15 points and 15 rebounds per game he averaged during an NBA career in which he became a beloved member of the Warriors' organization. And he lets you know every single time. Bryant Bulldogs. -- Bontemps, Johnson revolutionized the game, entering the league as the tallest point guard in league history at 6-foot-9. 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. -- Pelton, 1994-96, 2008-12 Dallas Mavericks; 1996-2001 Phoenix Suns; 2001-08 New Jersey Nets; 2012-13 New York Knicks, Kidd managed to be a dominant force for almost two decades without ever scoring like a star, finishing his career second all time in both assists and steals. -- Nick Friedell, 2009-2012 Oklahoma City Thunder; 2012-2021 Houston Rockets; 2021-2022 Brooklyn Nets; 2022 Philadelphia 76ers, Harden might be the most polarizing player of his generation. By then, he was better known for his lengthy coaching career. -- Friedell, 1996-2006, 2009-10 Philadelphia 76ers; 2006-08 Denver Nuggets; 2008-09 Detroit Pistons; 2009 Memphis Grizzlies, A cultural icon as much as he was a basketball player, Iverson inspired a generation of prospects who followed him in sharing their true, authentic self -- rather than an airbrushed corporate image -- once they made it to the big time. A man of few words, Leonard's legacy speaks volumes already for helping deliver the first NBA championship to Canada. Accomplishments: Two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, seven-time rebounding champ, five-time NBA champion. He was a legendary winner, a transcendent passer, an instant highlight and a triple-double waiting to happen. He won six championships -- with the first and last coming 17 years apart -- and was named to 15 All-NBA teams, with 10 first-team selections. The fun-loving big man used his outsize personality to become a global pitchman and analyst after retiring. 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). Alright we're straying a bit off subject, the reason why we bring up the upcoming season is because it's getting to that time of year when predictions, NBA odds for the championship, NBA2K player ratings, talking heads make bold claims, podcasts come back from vacation, and all types of other rankings come out of the woodwork.In order words, the NBA media and content machine is revving . 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. Stats: 22.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.3 APG in 10 NBA seasons with Philadelphia Warriors (1950-51 to 1961-62). Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1963-64 Rookie of the Year, 1965 All-Star MVP, 1973 NBA champion. He was mocked as "Ason" early in his career, when he lacked a jump shot. Pippen grew into his offensive game over the years, but his defensive tenacity was always highly regarded by his teammates and coaches. Pelton: Isiah Thomas underrated or overrated? ESPN's 100 Greatest NBA Players of All-Time Quiz Stats Popular Quizzes Today 1 Find the US States - No Outlines Minefield 2 Countries of the World 3 Find the Countries of Europe - No Outlines Minefield 4 Name Just One - 10 to 1: History Sports NBA Random Sports or NBA Quiz ESPN's 100 Greatest NBA Players of All-Time Stats 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. NCAAW. 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. -- 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. Russell's defensive acumen and determination made him the perfect foil for Wilt Chamberlain, as well as one of the players from his era who wouldn't have looked out of place in later generations. Stats: 13.1 PPG, 10.5 APG, 2.2 SPG in 19 seasons with Utah Jazz (1984-85 to 2002-03); NBA's career leader in total assists and steals. Boxing. He missed a total of 22 games in 19 seasons, all with the Jazz, and set career assists and steals records that seem to be unbreakable. His skyhook was an unstoppable weapon, becoming one of the most iconic shots the game has ever seen. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors: Three-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, six-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets: NBA champion, six-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder: 10-time NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook of the Houston Rockets: NBA MVP, nine-time NBA All-Star Chamberlain is one of them, amassing 100 points in a single game on March 2, 1962, against the Knicks. Without Wade, there's probably no Shaq, no LeBron and no Heatles in South Beach. Gamecast; Preview; Vermont Catamounts vs Bryant Bulldogs Stats . Players trusted Pippen and they always understood he was a more complete player than he was given credit for because he played in Michael Jordan's gigantic shadow throughout their time in Chicago. Stats: 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG in 15 seasons with Chicago Bulls (1984-85 to 1992-93; 1994-95 to 1997-98) and Washington Wizards (2001-02 to 2002-03); NBA's career leader in points per game. Nash, a career 42.8% 3-point shooter, admits he wonders what could have been if he had the shot-hunting mentality of some of today's elite point guards. -- Youngmisuk, 1958-60 Minneapolis Lakers, 1960-72 Los Angeles Lakers, Before the slam dunk became synonymous with the sport, Baylor -- a smooth, 6-foot-5 forward with a knack for scoring -- made a habit of breathing the rare air above the rim. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 2013-14 MVP, 2007-08 Rookie of the Year, two-time All-Star MVP, two-time Finals MVP, four-time scoring champ, two-time NBA champion. Without Johnson and his rivalry for the ages with Bird and the Celtics, the NBA may not be where it is today. Player stats reflect 28 of 28 games this season. ESPN's NBA expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, taking into consideration both total career value and peak performance. 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) . But Malone had the misfortune of matching up with Michael Jordan's Bulls in both of his NBA Finals appearances. 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). Stats: 22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG in 16 seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1984-85 to 1991-92), Phoenix Suns (1992-93 to 1995-96) and Houston Rockets (1996-97 to 1999-00). America East Playoffs - Quarterfinal. The first in a long lineage of dominant Lakers big men, Mikan won five championships and was an ambassador for the game. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA. 3 and Bill Russell, the most prolific winner. Stats: 26.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG in 10 NBA seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1976-77 to 1984-85) and Chicago Bulls (1985-86); also played four ABA seasons with Virginia Squires (1972-73 to 1973-74) and San Antonio Spurs (1973-74 to 1975-76). Old school or new school? 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. 4x NBA Season MVP, 1972 NBA Finals MVP, 13x NBA All-Star, 2x NBA Champion, 1960 Rookie of the Year. -- Youngmisuk, 1987-98, 2003-04 Chicago Bulls; 1999 Houston Rockets; 1999-2003 Portland Trail Blazers, Pippen carved out a career for himself with unbelievable consistency on both ends of the floor. After averaging 20.4 points as a rookie, he didn't average fewer than 22.5 points in any season. He'll forever be on the short list of players you'd want to take the last shot with the game on the line. Visit ESPN for the game preview of the Bryant Bulldogs vs. Vermont Catamounts NCAAW basketball game on 1 March 2023 . TrueHoop TV: Is Kevin Garnett too low in all-time PF rankings? Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, 1992-93 MVP, 1991 All-Star MVP, 1986-87 rebounding champ. 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. He remains a legend in the D.C. area for delivering the franchise's only NBA championship. On the court, his play was relentless. 9. But he also was a dynamic two-way player, who in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals -- remembered for Willis Reed playing on an injured leg -- had 36 points and 19 assists in one of the greatest performances of all time to lead the Knicks to their first title. NBA. He was a five-time MVP, including winning three in a row from 1960 to '62. 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