Top 15 Best Basketball Players of All Time (My List)

Watching a basketball game is indeed a fun thing, especially if one player that you’re idolizing plays a decent move throughout the game. Surely, you cannot resist jumping and screaming their name out loud.

Below is the list of my top 15 best basketball players of all time. Is your favorite player in?

My Best Basketball Players of All Time

Michael Jordan

It’s hardly impossible to neglect this name during the talk of basketball. Also considered as one of the best basketball players, Michael engraved excellent stats of 30.1 points per game, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.3 steals.

It was an excellent shooting guard won NBA championship along with his team Chicago Bulls six times within 1991-1998. What stops people to grant him the MVP title? Nothing, as he deserved it.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson

Three-time MVP, 5-time champion, he had done one of his best performances being a rookie center to replace the injured Kareem Abdul Jabbar. He had magically brought up 42 scores sufficient to seal the victory for the Lakers in the 1980 NBA Championship.

Magic is notable for his speed, as well as his speed and capability as the best passer in the NBA history. It’s never likely to see a notable basketball player like Magic.

Kobe Bryant

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While some people lamented his sudden passing due to an accident, Kobe stays as one of the best basketball players ever existed. Starting his basketball athlete career since 1996, Kobe had been known as one of the most lethal scorers in NBA history.

He’s also one considered as the hardest competitor to subdue in a game. Kobe won the MVP title once, and he has not been out-seated from being the fourth-leading scorer of all time. 

LeBron James

Playing for Los Angeles Lakers, LBJ paved his way in the front line. He is also a pure scorer and has been known for his productiveness while playing. His stats include 27.8 points per game, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.9 assists.

Been appearing in 10 seasons of NBA, he won four times MVP title. Thanks to his versatility and also his greatness in making scores.

Shaquille O’Neal

His love-hate relationship with Kobe may be one interesting thing to tag along. However, Shaq could be listed in this best basketball players list due to his excellent game as a center. He is also prominent in NBA history.

Despite his weakness in being a free-throw shooter, he amazingly marked 23.7 ppg, 10.9 rpg, and 2.3 bpg during his career. Imagine if he were better at shooting free-throw.

Tim Duncan

Currently retired, this 44-year old former basketball player is a professional basketball coach. He was once an assistant coach for the team he played for, San Antonio Spurs. Spending 19 years with The Spurs, he won three times NBA Finals MVP in 1999, 2003, and 2005.

Bill Russell

Had he thought of himself winning the stats, he could never have been the best scorer at the time. However, he sacrificed individual stats for team success.

Speaking of stats, experts speculated that he had blocked at least six times per game, outdueled prominent players like West and Wilt many times, and even took a player-coach duty yet still managed to won two titles. This is why he deserved to be one of the best basketball players of all time.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar

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Kareem was named MVP six times in 10 years. As a center, he also got Finals NBA MVP twice in 1971 and 1985. The 14-year span speaks how his longevity stood out as one of the elite players within those years.

What’s interesting about Kareem is his personal stats – with 38.3 points per game, no one has ever beaten the score. Indeed one of the best basketball players.

Stephen Curry

This Ohio-born basketball player is notable for his beyond-average ball-handling; even NBA noted his name as one of the best shooters in history. Currently, he plays for Golden State Warriors where he succeeded to bring the team to win their first NBA since 1975.

Along with the team, he brought victory in NBA championship thrice and that resulted in him winning an MVP title in 2015 and 2016.

Oscar Robertson

‘The Big O’ – his nickname, is known for being the first NBA player who averaged a triple-double for the whole season. Within his first eight seasons, he managed to score productively, with more than 30 points per game and only two games where he scored fewer than that.

Unfortunately, he got his only MVP title while playing for Cincinnati and never for once when he teamed up with Kareem.

Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem is one of the legendary centers ever playing on NBA – along with Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar.

Born in Nigeria, Hakeem is that ‘quickie’ with his high-anticipation and effortless dunk which gained him the nickname ‘the Dream’, given by his college coach. He won the title NBA MVP two times, in 1994 and 1995.

Wilt Chamberlain

The next person on the list of best basketball players is Wilt Chamberlain. Active in the late 50s until early 70s, he excelled in the game by scoring over 50 points on average for the whole season. Once a Finals MVP, he’s notable of being the league’s stat king, with his notable whole-season average 20 rpg and at least 30 ppg.

John Stockton

To sum up this guy, he’s the king of steal and assists. He’s a loyal player that continuously played with Utah Jazz throughout his career. Stockton is also known for being one of the best point guards ever existed.

Karl Malone

Two times NBA MVP awardee, Malone is considered as one of the best power forwards in history. He ranked second in the term of career points after Kareem Abdul Jabbar with 36.9. He also marked his way to gain the most attempted and succeeded free-throws.

Jerry West

Last but not least, West had his time where he scored at least 30 ppg for four seasons. He was also more explosive during playoffs. Aside from being a notable player, he succeeded in being a coach for three years and a general manager which led the team to victory.

Those are 15 best basketball players of all time. Well, back to our initial question, is your idol on the list? Remember, the list wasn’t based on ranks, so don’t worry if your idol player is on the lower part. Idols are idols, and all of them are incredible.