Some just stand out more than others. Accomplishments: Six-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1972-73 scoring and assists champ, 1981 All-Star MVP, 1981 NBA champion. Stats: 21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 3.1 BPG in 18 seasons with Houston Rockets (1984-85 to 2000-01) and Toronto Raptors (2001-02); NBA's career leader in total blocks. Stats: 18.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.4 APG in 18 seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (1996-97 to 2002-03), Seattle SuperSonics (2002-03 to 2006-07), Boston Celtics (2007-08 to 2011-12) and Miami Heat (2012-13 to 2013-14); NBA's all-time leader in career 3-point field goals. His 22 bench press reps with 185 (equating to a 321-pound bench press for one rep) in 2009 is the best total for a good NBA player, let alone a great one like this 6-time All-Star. Ervings career numbers are just as impressive as his plays. Stats: 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG in 13 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1979-80 to 1990-91; 1995-96). Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, 10-time NBA champion. During his 14 years in the NBA so far, he is averaging 13PTS, 2RB and 2AST. When the Complex Sports crew started to put together this list, we didnt waffle over whether LeBron deserved to be ranked higher than MJ. Maybe we have Robinson too low, but when you get to this point, and youre comparing ultra great players to ultra great players, its basicallylike splitting hairs. Towering basketball players are some of the most promising stars in the league. Malone is a 14-time All-Star player with 11 NBA First Team selections. Olajuwonwas not only the MVP for both of those NBA Finals appearances, but he also took home a league MVP in 1994, appeared in 12 All-Star games, isthe NBAs all time leader in blocks with 3,830, and is a member of the NBAs 75th anniversary team. Stats: 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG in 14 seasons with Cincinnati Royals (1960-61 to 1969-70) and Milwaukee Bucks (1970-71 to 1973-74). 10. Anybody else going to averaged 22.9 RPG during their career like Wilt did? It has been 25 years since the league unveiled its list of the 50 greatest players in NBA history, which tipped off a season-long celebration of the NBA's 50th anniversary in 1996. Hes a three-timeNBA champion with aFinals MVP, a 13-timeAll-Star, a seven-time All-NBA member, three-time All-Defensive team members,has one NBA scoring title, and a spot on the 75th anniversary teamsomething Wade told us he still cant believe. This might shock you: Elgin Baylor. AD, The Big Ticket is one of those players where the rings convo holds little to no weight. For this list, he lands at No. Thats a league MVP award, but I dont think we should knock him for that if thats missing from his rsum when he ultimately retires. He has the full offensive package with no weaknesses. Absolutely. 21 on our list. ZF, How much of an explanation do you need here? His charisma, personality, and smile made him the ideal choice for various endorsements and deals. The list goes on, but Iversons cultural impact on the current, and even future,generationof NBA players are more meaningful thanhis numbers on the court. He had to get famous. But just because Baylor technically never won a title in his 14 years with the Lakers, two of which he spent in Minneapolis, dont let that cloud how incredible of an offensive force he was and GOAT candidate during the leagues early days. Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, six-time All-BAA/NBA, 1953 All-Star MVP, three-time scoring champ, 1952-53 rebounding champ, five-time BAA/NBA champion. BODY. Do you have a sports website? [Haynes] DeMar DeRozan's daughter, Diar, was escorted out of Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday by Bulls' security and led to team bus with her father after NBA notified team of severe online threats directed at the nine-year-old, sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport. His hybrid play, like Magic Johnsons, was way ahead of its time. Unless you agree with me, in which case this was the most meaningful thing Ive ever written. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. O'Neal became an All-Star 15 times and earned the 1999-2000 MVP . Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, two-time NBA champion. AC, As someone who has LeBron James as No. Bill Russell might have more titles, Wilt Chamberlain might have all those untouchable records, but Abdul-Jabbar was offensively skilled in ways Russell never was and retired as the league leader in nine statistical categories thanks to an impressive staying power Chamberlain couldnt match. 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). Healmost averaged a triple-double his rookie season before his iconic campaign during the 1961-62 season when he was good for 30.8 PPG, 12.5 RPG, and 11.4 APG a night. Career Averages: 19.0 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 3 apg Career Year 2002-03: 23.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.9 bpg The Big Fundamental. I'll take Jordan, Kareem, and Wilt as the top three. Spin wheel Random wheel. Moses Malone 15. Like Kareems skyhook, Bills knack for keeping balls in play after a block is a lost art as players would rather swat it into the stands and flex on their opponent instead of making the right play. Stats: 24.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.5 APG in 15 seasons with Atlanta Hawks (1982-83 to 1993-94), LA Clippers (1993-94), Boston Celtics (1994-95), San Antonio Spurs (1996-97) and Orlando Magic (1998-99). Praise or pillar the selections as you see fit. ZO, Call it an overreaction if you foolishly insist, but with all the accolades and the company he now keeps after that epic run through the 2021 NBA Finals, Greek Freak absolutely belongs on thislist. 6'9, 250, power forward, NBA: 2009-Let's stick with combine numbers for Blake Griffin. sports Basketball. Data Provided By When you think of LeBron James, youthink of greatness. Wilt Chamberlain 4. The captain of the Showtime Lakersshould firmly be included on anyones NBA top 5 list. Quite possibly. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG in 15 seasons with Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1958-59 to 1972-73). He has the two Defensive Player of the Years, the two Finals MVPs, hes put a franchise on his back en route to an NBA title, he made the NBAs 75thanniversary team, and hes pretty much won his entire career. The list of the top 10 greatest basketball players of all time is incomplete without Larry Bird. But he was so much more than a dazzling smile. Nor were they expected to rip down double-digit boards on a nightly basis. He helped revolutionize the power forward position even more so than Tim Duncan did (hes a center! About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . Not only were Robinsons numbers at an elite level, but he brought an athleticism to the center position that was rarely seen for his era and thats why hes on the NBAs 75th anniversary team. He racked up three championship rings and 12 All-Star appearances in his injury-shortened 13-year career. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, four-time All-Defensive team, 2017 All-Star MVP, three-time blocks champ, 2020 NBA champion. Stats: 17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 BPG in 13 seasons with Boston Celtics (1980-81 to 1992-93). The moments he delivered in South Beach will live in basketball infamy. Stats: 21.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.4 BPG in 17 seasons with New York Knicks (1985-86 to 1999-00), Seattle SuperSonics (2000-01) and Orlando Magic (2001-02). Tim Duncan, the best rebounder the games seen since Moses Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, finished 9,000 boards behind Chamberlain despite playing five more seasons than the legendary lothario. FREDERICK: My official NBA Playoffs predictions. Youre telling me somebodys going to average more than 45.8 minutes per game like Wilt did during his 13 seasons in the NBA? While most offenses nowadays are built around guards and fast players, being tall also has its advantages. It was either a bucket or a foul. 8. He is a two-time NBA MVP winner, plus he won two All-Star MVP awards. It's truly hard to imagine that Garnett would ultimately turn into one of the dirtiest players in the history of the NBA. Its guaranteed to get hardcore basketball fans in their feelings and, in our humble opinion, do a much better job than some of those other rankings floating around the interwebs that shall remain nameless. Active players are listed in bold. The NBA says Dallas violated the league's policy on resting players and had a desire to lose . 1 - Hakeem Olajuwon Country: Nigeria NBA Career: 1984-2002 NBA Teams: Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors Topping my list of the best international NBA players of all time is Hakeem Olajuwon. Id love to see some of todays greats playing against Elgin. * Indicates member of the Hall of Fame. The Big O was a nightmare matchup because he scored in ways few were able to figure out. LeBron James 3. Both times played for the Miami Heat team in 2012 and 2013. He was amazing, but he had a lot of help, at least more than the last guy on this list. I have a confession to make: even though Im a lifelong devotee to all Seattle sports team, I had a fan-fling with the San Antonio Spurs teams of the late 90s and early 2000s. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, 1986-87 All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, two-time Sixth Man of the Year, three-time NBA champion. During the 196162 season, The Big O averaged a triple-double with 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game. Maybe, just maybe LeBron James surpasses him in another four or five seasons, but its going take a herculean effort on The Kings part to supplant the greatest center ever whose longevity is practically unrivaled. Six times Malone, nicknamed the Chairman of the Boards, led the NBA in rebounds and for 14 straight seasons, he averaged double-digits cleaning up the glass. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. His signature play of tapping the ball to a teammate helped him invent the fast break. There was a point in ONeals career where no one could stop him. Abdul-Jabbar was also an 11-time All-Star and a member of six championship teams. Hakeem Olajuwon 13. Kevin Durant Career Accomplishments: 2x NBA Champion (2017, 2018), NBA MVP (2014), 2x NBA Finals MVP (2017, 2018), 10x All-Star, 2x All-Star Game MVP (2012, 2019), 6x All-NBA First Team, 3x All-NBA Second Team, Rookie of the Year (2008), 4x NBA Scoring Champion (2010-2012, 2014), 50-40-90 club (2013) 1 overall pick in the 1958 NBA Draft, the Rookie of the Year in 1959, an 11-time All-Star, and an astounding 10-time First-Team All-NBA selection, Baylor of course resides on the NBAs 75th anniversary team as he more than lived up to the hype when he entered the league and left it averaging 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds per game. Stats: 22.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.9 APG in 11 NBA seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1976-77 to 1986-87); also played five ABA seasons with Virginia Squires (1971-72 to 1972-73) and New York Nets (1973-74 to 1975-76). His staggering total of 38,387 points has looked unbreakable for decades. Johnsons otherworldly passing set the stage for the Showtime L.A. Lakers teams that captured five championships during his 13 years with the franchise. Not only does he routinely pull off feats that Ive never before seen, he has consistently evolved his game to fix the relative weak spots he was previously criticized for. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, 1967-68 Rookie of the Year, 1973 NBA champion. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, five-time All-Defensive team, nine-time assists champ, two-time steals champ, 1993 All-Star MVP. Shaquille ONeal is widely known around the NBA and outside the NBA as the most dominant player and athlete. The younger generationsgetsto enjoy the Chuckster in ways older NBA fans never imagined. Knock us all you want, but well rest easy knowing Antetokounmpo belongs here as a newly minted NBA immortal. AC, The. Probably agreed with half of it, but was so respectful he wouldnt say anything until later. After hashing things out, Pop often let Duncan have his way. This is a list of the tallest players in National Basketball Association history. He is now the highest-paid NFL player ever, with an average salary of $51,000,000. Dont be fooled by his humble small-college provenance and the Hick from French Lick nicknameLarry Bird was one of the fiercest competitors and greatest smack-talkers in NBA history. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, two-time Finals MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, 2020 All-Star MVP, 2014-15 steals champ, two-time NBA champion. The 2022 All-Star Game is once again slated to return to Cleveland as a nod to that moment. The NBA has fined the Dallas Mavericks $750,000, saying the team engaged in "conduct detrimental to the league" by sitting out most of its key players against the Chicago Bulls on April 7 despite still having a chance to reach the postseason. You cant deny how dominant of an offensive force the Greek Freak is in the paint, how incredible of a defender hes worked to become, and how inspiring his journey from a skinny kid in Athens to NBA superstar is to millions of basketball fans. Some will love the rankings, others will loathe them. 13Pts, 2RB and 2AST an average salary of $ 51,000,000 is known! Trademarks are owned exclusively By SPORTS REFERENCE LLC Year, three-time scoring,!, 1972-73 scoring and assists champ, five-time All-Defensive team, two-time NBA champion greats playing Elgin. Rings convo holds little to no weight was also an 11-time All-Star and a member of six teams! 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