Top 10 Best Basketball Players of All Time

The best player the world has seen and will see. Just looking at him inspires you to become a basketball player. No matter what anyone says, Jordan is the best basketball player.

It's amazing how quickly people forget how good he was. Bobby Knight, who coached him in the '84 Olympics, once made a statement saying he is the best player to ever play any team sport. Knight might have been an ass at times, but he knew talent, and he was one of the few who knew Michael would be as great as he was. He also made Pippen and Rodman the players they are due to his desire to win.

Paul Westfall, after getting beat by Jordan, was asked by reporters if he said he had to stop Michael. Westfall replied, "Nobody can, and we never said we could. The only way to stop Michael is to rip his heart out." He was red in the face and left the podium.

How many great players did he keep from winning a championship? Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, Karl Malone, and basically everyone on the Dream Team, unless they played for the Bulls or when Jordan was playing baseball. Hakeem O. was picked ahead of Jordan in the '84 draft. It was a good pick, and with Jordan ...more

Once again, this is not really that difficult. Michael Jordan is the best basketball player who has ever played. Kareem, Bill Russell, Wilt, and LeBron round out the top five. Kobe and Shaq do not belong in the top ten of all-time players. Anyone voting for Steph Curry is blinded by his offensive skills. Yes, he is probably the best shooter of all time, but he's a terrible defensive player. Atrocious. Dwyane Wade in the top 15? No way. This guy is not even one of the top 40 players of all time. Some people need to look back at the history of the game and not just those who have played in the last thirty years or so. Context. Perspective. Reality.

Jordan is and always will be the best. Kareem is second, followed by Wilt, Bill Russell, and LeBron. Kobe and Shaq are not top 10 players individually. Iverson, Wade, and Pippen are way overrated on this list. None of these three belong in the Top 20. Nowitzki was better than any of them. Dwight Howard in the top 20? Give me a break. The dude was not that good. Ginobili in the top 25? No way. He shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame either. He was just a role player on an excellent Spurs team. That's all he really was. He's not the only one who doesn't belong in the basketball HOF. Among others, Sampson, Wilkes, and Sikma don't belong either. All sports HOFs have been watered down to include good to excellent players, but not all-time greats. I guess that's the nature of the times.

Magic and Bird are so hard to rank because they should go like 4a and 4b. They are much alike. I chose Magic because he still put up good shooting numbers while being an amazing passer as a 6-foot-7 point guard. That's pretty hard to stop.

Magic could easily play point guard, shooting guard, small forward, and power forward. He once played center in the 1980 NBA Finals and won with Kareem injured in Game 6. The Bulls struggled when Jordan played the point because he was not good at distributing. Jordan was too small in size and did not have the strength to play small forward at his prime.

Overall Talent
While I do give Michael Jordan the edge in scoring, Magic had more all-around talent. He has 100 more triple doubles than Michael Jordan did, even though he retired at only 32. Magic Johnson was the best passer the game has ever seen, not even John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, or Chris Paul can pass as well as Magic Johnson. Magic Johnson was the best rebounder who played at any guard position, averaging 7.2 rebounds a game for his career.

Competitiveness
While Jordan did win 6 rings, Magic Johnson won 5 rings in the 1980s era that was the best in basketball. There were the Celtics who had Bird, ...more

Magic Johnson is the original greatest player of all time, not Jordan. He is only an imitation of Magic. Magic Johnson was better than Michael Jordan. He won one less championship than Michael Jordan in the toughest era in basketball, which was the '80s. The '80s had the Celtics, who were filled with Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and Larry Bird, the 76ers with Darryl Dawkins, Dr. J, and Maurice Cheeks, and the Pistons who had Isiah Thomas, Dumars, and Vinny Johnson. He was also more versatile than Jordan, able to play every position on the floor. From 1985 onwards, when Kareem's numbers started to decline, Magic did more of the scoring and put up ridiculous numbers like 23 points per game, 11-12 assists per game, and 8-9 rebounds per game. Also, Magic made his players better. Most of James Worthy's points came on the fast break, which Magic Johnson used to set him up, or in the post. Byron Scott, who was a good but not great player, also scored a lot of points on the Lakers with Magic ...more

Magic was a winner at every level! Day 1 in the NBA, everybody should know this. The stats are there, but I think people are too young and have never seen him play. The torch was passed as the best player from Dr. J and took the NBA to another level. People could not wait to tell friends and coworkers about last night's game, all because of Magic and Showtime. Sadly, the AIDS virus cut away his time too soon. And then he played in another All-Star Game, which was fun to watch. Basketball is a team sport, and on my team, he is my Number 1 All-Time player!

LeBron James, given the weapons players like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, or Michael Jordan had, could be on his way to more rings than them. James is the greatest team leader I've ever seen. You put him on any team, and they are championship contenders. The year after he left Cleveland, they went from 61-21 to 19-63, and when he left the Heat, they went from 54-28 (in the finals) to 37-45 (no playoffs). He has the greatest effect on any team that I've ever seen, and if you're going to talk about the greatest of all time, there are only five names relevant to the conversation: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and LeBron James!

Look at his most recent year: MVP, Championship, and a gold medal. Only LeBron, His Royal Airness, and Bill are the only players to do that. They should be in the top three together. LeBron has the fades, the shots, the dunks, flashy passing, rebounds like a freak, pulls off insane steals, and can guard any position with no problem. Defensive player candidate? So close to having a historical year, averaged over 27 points this season. In '04 is around the time where USA basketball had a downfall (retirement of so many legends within 4 years, the retirement of the Chicago big three). Now look at the team now, two Olympic medals... Thanks to LeBron forcing USA basketball to rise from the ashes. Five more championships, then people will say he's better than Jordan.

It's a shame that people put Kobe over LeBron. It's also wrong that people compare LeBron to Jordan. Take Magic Johnson's game, add a bit more strength to it, and you've got LeBron. Rings are important, but they're not an argument to determine the best player of all time. If I had to pick between Jordan and LeBron, I couldn't even decide who is better. In the end, in important games, Jordan has that killer instinct, but he cannot create as many finishing opportunities as LeBron can. LeBron proved against San Antonio that he can be a closer and that he is definitely clutch. I think if he were 2 years younger, he could reach that Jordan-clutch level. However, LeBron has an unbelievable overview and basketball IQ, so he can create numerous options at any time during the game, and he can also shoot the ball very well.

So, I cannot pick between these two great players; I would put them both at Position 1. At Position 2, there is Olajuwon and Magic. (But Kobe is definitely not among ...more

LeBron isn't comparable anywhere near kobe or Jordan or even in the top 10. It took him 8 years and a trade to get a ring. that's not comparable to Kobe and Jordan. I'm saying is Lebron deserves top 15 maybe but for sure not top 10 Don't get me wrong, LeBron James is a great player that can do many things but there are great people that can do those things everywhere in every era and every year. He doesn't have much respect either wearing #23 when he said that's "Jordan's number and only Jordan's number." He decided changed to 6 but went right back to 23. Lebron is great but doesn't deserve to be fourth of all time, especially in front of Kareem, Chamberlain, Larry Bird, and I don't even see Doc J

I think Jordan, LeBron, and Kareem are locks for 1, 2, and 3 because Michael is just the best, LeBron is the second best, and Kareem is not as good as those two but better than anybody else.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is one of the most underrated players in NBA history despite being the all-time leader in scoring, having 6 championships (more than Jordan), having the most MVP trophies (more than Jordan), being 3rd in rebounding, and 3rd in shot blocking. It's amazing because shot blocking wasn't even counted statistically until his 4th year in the NBA. It's safe to say that if they would've counted it from his rookie year up, he might very well be the all-time leader in shot blocking. He is never in the conversation of the greatest of all time. Why?

Kareem was the best player of the 70s; nobody could stop his sky hook. He continued to be top 5 for most of the 80s. I don't think he received the recognition he deserved due to a lack of flashiness and a quiet demeanor. At 7-2, 275 lbs, he was an immovable object with the grace of a gazelle. Come on, he led Milwaukee to two NBA Finals, winning one. Who else could have done that? This happened years before Magic Johnson came along. Let's give the man his props.

REALLY... Kareem has got to be in the top 5. Did 10 year olds vote? I guess? MVPs:5 which is a record, All star appearances: 19 Another record, Championships:6. He got dunking banned from collage until 1975! Best collage player of all time. Another reason why people didn't vote for him is because before him joining the Lakers for their showtime with his goggles he looked very different and didn't even have the name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He should be number 2 or maby even 1!

Wilt was good beyond belief. His numbers were too good to be true, so people just ignore it. 50 points per game for a season, 100 points in a game. These numbers sound made up, but he did it. If blocks were counted in his era, he would have had as many as 10 blocks per game and would have the highest player efficiency rating of any player ever. If he played for good teams like Bill Russell did, he'd have 10+ championships. At 7 ft 1 inch tall, 275 lbs, Wilt could bench press 500 lbs. He could also run the 100-yard dash in 10.9 seconds, shot-put 56 feet (17 m), triple jump more than 50 feet (15 m), and won the high jump in the Big Eight Conference track. He's not only the best NBA player of all time, he's the best all-around athlete of all time. He's so good, it's too much for people to comprehend. There will never be another Wilt.

Wilt Chamberlain wasn't only a good basketball player, but he was an absolutely incredible athlete. In basketball, he scored over 50 points per game in a season. He averaged over 20 rebounds per game in his entire career. Despite being a seven-footer, he ran the 100 meters in 10.9 seconds, displaying remarkable performance in college track and field. He also possessed the ability to snatch change off the top of the backboard, indicating he had at least a 40-inch vertical. Moreover, there are numerous accounts of his astonishing strength.

He averaged 50 points in a single season, scored 100 points in a single game, got 55 rebounds against the Celtics led by Bill Russell (2nd all-time career rebounder behind Chamberlain), had a 33-game winning streak. Of the 62 times more than 60 points have been scored by a single person in a game, 32 of those times were by Chamberlain. Blocked shots were recorded after he retired, but Harvey Pollack asked his statisticians to count Chamberlain's blocks, and they got up to 25 one night, well above the record for most blocks in a single game.

Elgin Baylor said that Chamberlain was the only player that could dominate on both ends of the court. He recalled one particular game against the Bulls where he blocked every single shot for 4-5 minutes and how no one from the Bulls could get a shot in.

In a sport where one game is 48 minutes, for a season he averaged 48.5 minutes a game, thanks to overtime. Bill Russell, the man who won more rings than he has fingers, said that Wilt ...more

Wilt Chamberlain was, by far, the most underrated player to ever play basketball. People are so quick to discredit Wilt by saying he played against "lesser" quality players and would not be as dominant in this day and age. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Willis Reed, Bill Russell, Nate Thurmond, and Wes Unseld were all excellent players who played in the post at the same time as Wilt. Are you saying they weren't quality basketball players? He played 48.5 minutes a game in Chuck Taylors, and he played all 82 games. He averaged 8 assists per game as a center in a season, and his records in scoring and rebounding remain untouched. Wilt Chamberlain was the greatest player to ever play on the hardwood.

Kobe should be at least top 3 on this list. I know he copied all of Jordan's moves, but he is the closest one to Jordan. The fact that he made the moves even better and was still a lockdown defensive defender at the age of 37, just like LeBron at scoring at 37.

However, I think Kobe is simply the greatest. 20-30000? points, well, early on, he did not start well. Also, Kobe had to face the Spurs with Tim Ginobili and Parker. He had more competition than MJ, a more defensive decade.

This is for everyone on LeBron's comment list who can't even spell and continues to say how Kobe cannot take over a game, is a selfish ball player, or how he relied on his teammates. You are all mentally challenged and obviously have only watched LeBron for the past 7 years. Kobe had Shaq, everyone says? Kobe and Shaq were all that team had as far as talent! The only other people on that team were role players, not stars. LeBron has 2 other All-Stars on his team and still couldn't do what Kobe did with role players. This is a joke of an argument. I wish very much that I would have been old enough and involved enough with the game to see Jordan play. Unfortunately, I was not. Kobe Bryant is simply incredible. He is the only player in the entire league that I can safely say that anything is possible, and he has a chance to overcome any situation and prevail. LeBron is predictable, same crap every year. Conference finals and lose, or, more recently, a loss in the finals when he choked ...more

People are just a joke putting these guys with no skills just height and power against one of the most dangerous all around players ever, next to mike, with lebron close but behind. I laugh at people who put Tim or Shaquille, or wilt, Russ, bird or magic... Please... People need to let go of their hype on people and focus on the the skill, talent, explosiveness and stats... Ok I give Russell, he was hands down the best winner... But that was a day of small white guys on the court like wilt and Kareem... Please, laugh out loud ok Kareem was nice but pleas... But I'm talking all around best... People listen to, too much media and hype... Illuminati got you loving certain player. And Tim is a weak excuse as a forward, please that man is a center. Karl Malone was a forward look at his stats and not even mentioned... My order would be, mike, kobe, magic, Russell, Kareem, bird, Shaq even though he couldn't shoot worth a damn, Tim, Karl, Oscar. I mean Hakeem was crazy nice and Robinson... I ...more

People claiming that 'King James' is better than the Black Mamba need to give me a break. When LeBron has won a title without another big player - in this case, Wade - then you've got an argument. But that's only an argument, nothing more. Kobe won titles with and without Shaq. LeBron couldn't do it without Wade or Bosh. Kobe is among the top three players in the world ever, with Jordan being number one. People need to remember that Kobe is aging now too, and he's still one of the best. LeBron is an amazing player who probably falls just behind Kobe at the end of his career. This is simply because LeBron has not consistently dominated. It took him eight or nine years to win the NBA Championships.

They called him Larry Magic. He could do it all: shoot for a high percentage, rebound 10+ times, and have 7+ assists per game as a 6'11" forward. He had one of the highest basketball IQs ever. He was practically the inventor of no-look passes and impossible clutch 3-point shots for the win. With three championship wins, he was the best player on his team pretty much every year of his career on the most successful team in NBA history. He is definitely a part of the all-time starting five.

Larry was a great shooter with few dunks, unlike Jordan who had many dunks to increase his shooting percentage. Larry was also a better rebounder, free-throw shooter, and passer than Jordan. Larry entered the NBA one year late after sitting out a year in college and missed almost another full year in his prime with a foot injury. He was not a selfish shooter but just wanted to win and would get all of his teammates involved. He averaged over 10 rebounds per game for his career - not bad for someone who couldn't jump! He was both the first and second player ever to shoot over 50% from the field and over 90% from the line for a season - and this from a long-range shooter! He was the best ever with a full command of the game and awareness of what was happening - always.

The best one-on-one player has to go to Michael Jordan, but the best team player of all time, who, with both teams being equal, could and would find a way to beat you... whoever you were... Jordan, Magic... etc... didn't matter. There are players who raise the level of play of their team by several levels. Magic did it, Jordan did it, but no one did it as well as Bird in his prime. And I have to admit that I have always wondered what Bird would have done if he had been on the Lakers and Magic had been with the Celtics. The speed of the Lakers with Larry's passing and shooting... one can only imagine. At the very least, I think Bird's career would have been longer. But then again, it might not have been a good fit. Who knows? All I know is that when I watch highlight clips of Larry, he is more fun to watch than even Michael Jordan. And to me, that says something.

So yeah, in their primes, Jordan would probably win most of the one-on-one games... but with the two teams being ...more

Bird is without a doubt a top 5 player in the NBA. He is regarded as the best shooter in the league. Bird achieved two 50/40/90 seasons, a feat accomplished by only one other player. Prior to Bird's arrival, the Celtics had a 29-win season, but in his rookie year, they improved dramatically with a 61-win season, which was 32 wins more than the previous year. Bird also won the Rookie of the Year award, beating out Magic Johnson. In one game, Bird informed the press and his teammates that he would only shoot left-handed, and he managed to score 27 points in the first three quarters using his non-dominant hand. Even though he wasn't known for his jumping ability, Bird averaged 10.1 rebounds per game, just shy of Shaq's career average of 10.9 rebounds. Bird's shooting prowess was evident in his three consecutive victories in the 3-point shootout, with his final win achieved without even removing his warm-up jacket. Stephen Curry surely admires Bird's shooting skills.

As a Celtics fan, it's truly great that we got Bill Russell. He's won 11 championships in 13 years and won 8 straight from 1959-1966. He also won 5 MVPs and changed how basketball was played. He was the first player to block shots and is considered the greatest defensive player of all time. If blocked shots were a recorded stat at the time, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain would be at the top of the list. He and Bob Cousy invented the fast break, which is one of the most dominant things ever invented. He is also second in rebounding all time as of 2022, and he was a player-coach from 1967-1969, becoming the first black coach in American professional sports history. No one will ever accomplish as much as Bill Russell has. If Bill didn't change the way basketball was played, basketball wouldn't be the same. But he did because he's the GOAT, and not Jordan or LeBron.

Bill Russell won the most championships ever, while being one of the best, maybe the best, rebounder of all time, along with coaching his own team to two championships. Enough said.

Most opinions that I read about come from people who use statistics. They are simply very misleading. And how does one define the "best" basketball player? Is it the one with the best overall skills? Russell was not too good at dribbling or shooting.

But in a team game, I think it makes more sense to talk about how "valuable" a player is. In other words, what would happen if the team lost that player? How easy would it be to replace that player's skills with someone else?

If we look at it that way, then Russell is clearly the first choice. No one is even close. Russell was the Boston Celtic fast break, possibly the most dominating aspect that basketball has ever seen.

Russell got the rebound, turned, made his outlet pass, and the ball was near half-court by the time Russell hit the ground. No wonder he did not score many points. Chamberlain, on the other hand, rebounded, shook his body, then handed off to his guard (Hal Greer most of the ...more

Russell and Jordan are neck-and-neck for 1 and 2 all-time greatest players. As time goes by, people tend to forget how great certain players from the past were. Bill Russell dominated Wilt Chamberlain and went to the NBA finals 13 times, winning 11 of those times. Before the NBA, he won back-to-back state high school championships, back-to-back NCAA college championships, and a gold medal as the 1956 Olympic basketball team captain. In the NBA, he averaged 22.5 rebounds and 15+ points per game, and is considered the greatest shot blocker of all-time. Had they kept track of this stat when Russell played, he would certainly be listed well ahead of Hakeem.

Shaq was the most dominant player of all time. He was so dominant that we never use his last name. You wouldn't recognize his full name better than just Shaq. It's like Ichiro. Everyone knows his last name is Suzuki, but people refrain from saying it because they think it would be a sin or something.

The best Orlando Magic player in history! He has literally destroyed the whole net, hoop, and rim when dunking two times! (MJ is better though)

Nobody can do a better charge than this man. He currently, I think, the most experienced pro-basketball player on the NBA roster, being on currently 15 years. I mean, he is simply amazing. Him, along with the amazing Dwayne Wade, took the Miami Heat to places it hasn't gone before.

Shaq has it all. Now that he is retired, his stats will be known more, and he will jump up to #1. There is no reason for LeBron or Kobe to be higher than Shaq!

Are you kidding me?! 18? Tim Duncan is in the top ten at the very least. I sense a bit of Spurs hating on this list. The guy is a perennial All-Star, League MVP winner, Finals MVP winner, Rookie of the Year, All-NBA, etc. And possesses the traits that all true champions have: the ability to modify his game over time as needed. Duncan's entry into the league was marked with moves and grace the likes of which hadn't ever been seen at the power forward position and will, from here on out, be the standard by which other power forwards will be judged. As he got older, he continued to find ways to remain relevant, even if he was no longer dominant. His basketball IQ is through the roof, and his mere presence on the floor makes his team better while simultaneously frustrating his opponents and making them worse. I'm not sure why you have so many players ahead of Tim that have not won as many championships, if they even won one at all. I'm sorry, but this Hall of Fame player deserves to be ...more

The best defender ever, the best power forward ever, the best passing power forward ever, and the greatest player ever. Remember when he was on his way to a quad-double; he was just two blocks short. Remember his fundamental style of offense and defense. Remember his four championship rings. Remember his back-to-back MVP awards. Remember those 20-something thousand points. No one has even come close to Timmy D's career. He is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. (Whoever wrote this list put him below LeBron, Kobe, Steve Nash, and Derrick Rose. I mean, who the hell put Rose in the top 15? I mean, he will, when it's all said and done. Don't get me wrong, but he will never be better than Tim Duncan.)

The Spurs are always underrated by the media, even though they've won five championships (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014). All of them have been won with this guy, number 21, on the Spurs since he was first drafted in 1997. He's the greatest power forward ever, and he will be the best power forward as far as time goes; nobody will beat him. He has three MVPs, a host of All-Star Game appearances, Rookie of the Year, and so much more. Why is this superstar, who is plus plus, at number 11? He should be in the top 5!

He's a top five player for sure. Never missed the playoffs. Five rings. Two-time MVP. Three-time Finals MVP. Fifteen-time All-Star. Head-to-head, he's beaten a lot of the guys who are ranked ahead of him on this list. He's changed an entire franchise. Popovich, Parker, and Ginobili are going into the Hall of Fame because of Tim Duncan's dominance and longevity. Some of you need to rethink your votes.

Kevin Durant is amazing. As a player and as a person, he dominates and scores more points than LeBron and Kobe. In the summer, he's the one who calls up his teammates to go to the gym and shoot. Great leader. And the reason he wears the #35 Jersey is because his high school coach was murdered at the age of 35. Humble.

Durant is not even in the top 10? In the game at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Durant scored 34 points in 30 minutes of action! I know I copied and pasted that, but he has also won an NBA Most Valuable Player Award, four NBA scoring titles, the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, and two Olympic gold medals! Not many basketball players can say that, huh?

How is Dwayne Wade ahead of Durant? KD is the second-best player in the NBA, maybe even the best. I think KD should be in the top 5. I mean, seriously, he's great. He's also only 24, and he dominates the court. No one has better scoring ability than him. He was the youngest player ever to win a scoring title. He followed that one with two more scoring titles in a row.

Great player, he dominates, he dunks, he shoots and scores, but I just feel saddened that he left the Thunder, and that's just my opinion. So, you can hate this comment all you want. I just think that Russell is a little heartbroken, and I can see why.

Although many people consider Hakeem to be one of the ten greatest players to ever step onto the hardwood, his number fourteen spot on this list at the moment only proves that he is STILL one of the most underrated players as well. I genuinely believe that he is the greatest center of all time. Offensively, his Dream Shake was absolutely uncontainable because of his guard-like ability to dribble and spin, as well as his knack for finishing with either power or finesse and his constant threat to nail a mid-range jumper. Besides his mid-range abilities, the thing that set him apart the most on the offensive end was his ability to pass the ball as a result of the double and triple teams that he always drew. The thing is, he was probably even better defensively. He didn't JUST defend the post through help-side blocks, but was also an elite one-on-one defender. And this goes without mentioning his ability to steal the ball (top 25 all time) and leading the league in rebounding in ...more

In my estimation, for what little it amounts to, Hakeem was the most talented big man to ever play the game. There is certainly difficulty in finding his proper placement among the very best that we've ever seen, but 12 (by deduction, there are 11 players better) is just too low. He put the NBA on his back when Jordan walked away in the wake of personal tragedy and retired in the top 10 in scoring, rebounds, blocks, and steals.

I have no problem with Jabbar and Wilt ahead of him, but Shaq has no business being ahead of Dream. Olajuwon destroyed Shaq every time they played each other. Shaq always talks trash about every center in history but always admitted Dream was the best. Also, Wilt was the best NBA player in history; Jordan is a distant second to Wilt The Stilt.

The best center of all time, the best basketball player to have ever played the game. His defense was phenomenal, his offense was undefendable - there was no answer. An absolute team player, a total gentleman. If you are to build a fantasy team and he's not your first pick, you haven't thought it out. The Dream.

Julius Erving, Dr. J, is the first player to make an art out of a dunk. That's why people love him. People say he is the heart of the city. He earned an NBA championship ring, won an NBA MVP award, went to 11 NBA All-Star Games, and took home the All-Star MVP twice. And that doesn't even count the two ABA titles, two ABA MVP awards, and 6 ABA All-Star Games. Forever... Or his famous dunk from the free throw line... Now, that is history! Dr. J! Also, the greatest flyer, dunker, and hangtimer ever! A class act.

Doc is the best thing to happen to the game since the ball! Erving won only 1 title in the NBA, but all fail to remember that he led a garbage team in '80 and '82 to the finals, only to lose in 6 against the 7 all-star Lakers. The Sixers had no one but the Doc! Also, he is the greatest flyer, dunker, and hang-timer ever! A true class act.

Dr. J was as smooth as they come. An inventor of sorts, every night was like watching a man create something from scratch that no one had ever seen. If you add up career points and steals, no one beats Dr. J, and only a handful have scored more career points in total. He took a sport from its hum-drum history of white-assed backboard shots and turned it into an entertainment machine. He deserves to break into the top 10.

Earned an NBA championship ring, won an NBA MVP award, went to 11 NBA All-Star Games, and took home the All-Star MVP twice... And that doesn't even count the two ABA titles, two ABA MVP awards, and 6 ABA All-Star Games. Dr. J was the dominant player of his era and completely changed the way the game is played today.

Dwyane Wade, bar none, is one of the three best basketball players on the planet today. His averages right now may not stun you, but when this guy retires and you look back on his career, there's no doubt he'll be considered one of the greatest of all time. He's a champion, an All-Star, and has had many MVP-worthy seasons, even though he hasn't won the award yet. In my opinion, by the time he gets into the Hall of Fame, he'll be one of the top 15, maybe top 10 players of all time. If top 15, probably only behind Jordan, Magic, Russell, Bird, Wilt, Kareem, Big O, Kobe, Duncan, Shaq, Olajuwon, Mailman, Jerry West, and LeBron.

I have compared Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Larry Bird with D-Wade, and Dwayne is better than all of them. He has a very unique and exciting playing style, and sometimes he does play dirty, but so does Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird. He is without a doubt the greatest thing to happen to the Miami Heat. LeBron isn't the greatest player in the team's history; it is definitely this man! He also has a lot of teamwork attributes; he can work with anyone, Shaq, LeBron, etc. It's a shame he didn't get to play against greats like Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Patrick Ewing, or even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He would've definitely given them a challenge!

Dwyane Wade will go down as the most underrated basketball player to ever play this game. He deserved the 2009 MVP. The Miami Heat currently have the two best players in basketball with LeBron and Wade, and I believe they will win multiple championships to bump them up to maybe the top 5-7 players to ever play the game. Wade will go down as one of the most clutch players to ever play. He knows when it's time to step up, and he lets no one get in his way. He may just be the best finisher at the basket to ever play the game of basketball, and if he keeps this type of play up for the next five years, watch out Kobe and MJ.

I'm a HeatLifer and I know that this guy is definitely the greatest player in franchise history. He is for sure a top 15 player and a future Hall of Famer who was the most valuable player of the 2008 Olympics, 2009 Scoring Champ, 2010 All-Star MVP, and 3 time NBA Champ. He has had some MVP (best in the world) seasons but was robbed by LeBron and Kobe a lot. And let's not forget when LeBron was choking in the 2011 NBA Finals "Flash" was playing like an MVP especially in the first two games that the Heat won. There is no doubt that if Miami won that series Wade would have been Finals MVP and that would have screwed LeBron's legacy. And Wade is responsible for LeBron's first two rings because LeBron knew he could not win without Wade. He knew Wade was the perfect teammate because he had that experience from winning in '06. And he had that "killer instinct" that LeBron was missing.D. Wade should not be over shadowed by this guy because he had more talent in his prime and is more selfless. ...more

The reason AI is in the top 10 is that he is the greatest little man in the history of the game. If I were ever to pick a starting shooting guard for my team, I would pick Allen Iverson. Yes, sorry Kobe, D-Wade, Michael Jordan, and Jerry West (who, by the way, for some reason isn't in the top 15), because he is not a point guard; he is a shooting guard.

Allen had the best crossover ever. If you haven't seen it, look it up. It was an ankle breaker. He even crossed Jordan, and that's no easy task. I guess you can say he has the "Answer."

In his prime (2000-2001), Iverson carried a sorry 76ers team to the finals. They were legitimately so trash. They would have been the worst team in the league if not for him. He is the only player, other than Wilt Chamberlain, to average over 40 points a game in a single season, and I don't think Wilt counts because, at that time, there was nobody near him in height. Iverson got more double teams in that year than most players get in their career.

Allen Iverson is the toughest NBA player ever. He takes beatings out there every game but gets right up. He's a warrior. You don't see toughness like that from Jordan or Kobe or most people in today's game. He was barely six feet tall and could dunk like crazy, had an amazing crossover, and led the league in steals his first 10 seasons. Allen Iverson had no help, unlike Kobe and Jordan. He is amazing. The Answer.

Allen Iverson compares with three different players when you talk about individual offensive achievements. Or there are three players who compare with him: Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and LeBron James. Go look up stats in games, seasons, and playoffs, most importantly. Iverson and LeBron are the only players with at least 40 points, 15 assists, and 5 steals in a game. The most 50-point games in the playoffs are: Michael Jordan (8), Wilt Chamberlain (4), Allen Iverson (3). And Iverson played many fewer games because he had no talent around him. Allen Iverson is second in playoff Points Per Game in NBA History at 29.73. Only Michael Jordan averaged more with 33+ per game. Allen Iverson and Michael Jordan are the only players to be Top 10 in Scoring and Steals All-Time. Only two players in NBA history have scored at LEAST 50 Points twice in the same Playoff Series: Michael Jordan in the 1988 Playoffs vs. The Cleveland Cavaliers with 50 & 55 points AND Allen Iverson in the 2001 ...more

If Jerry West had been blessed with the three-point line, he would be among the top five without question. The NBA should use their computer systems to check West's shots made for a year and give him an extra point for every three-pointer he made. No question, Jerry West would be right there with Michael Jordan as the greatest player ever. Even without the three-point shot, West holds the scoring record for a series. Move Jerry to second at the least.

Jerry West was an outstanding basketball player, a good general manager, and a guy who deserves to be the face of the NBA. He was tough and clutch.

This list is completely whack as well. Anyone who thinks Ginobili, Gasol, Reddick, Yao, Rondo, Nash, and Luke Walton (not Bill) are better than Jerry West knows very, very little about basketball history.

The greatest player in NBA history is a symbol admired by all NBA greats, despite being only 6'2" tall. He is known as "Mr. Clutch" and played during a time when traveling, three seconds in the key, and no three-point lines were enforced. It was a time when basketball was real basketball!

Why is Jerry West ranked 36? He's the logo for a reason, people! Jerry West was one of the first clutch players ever in the NBA. People just have him ranked so low because he doesn't have a ton of flash. What he is, though, is one of the best shooters of all time. Nobody can deny that.

Scottie Pippen is the best basketball player ever! A lot of people say, "Scottie wasn't the best basketball player but the most versatile player, the best all-around player." Is it enough? If someone is the most versatile player ever or the best player all-around, then who is the best basketball player ever? The most versatile and the best all-around player. Scottie Pippen forever.

Those were the days of the Bulls! Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman are the best ever! I am a huge Bulls fan and own a lot of Chicago team memorabilia. Out of all the years that I have watched basketball, those guys are the best ever and should always be. Go Bulls!

One of the most, if not the most, underrated players ever in my opinion. How could Derrick Rose possibly be above Scottie? That he managed to shine so brightly in a team containing Jordan says it all really. Should be top 10 out thereabouts.

He was the big support for Michael Jordan. He was such an all-around player and one of the best defensive players the Bulls ever had. When Michael was not around, he led the team in almost all categories.

Dwight Howard is a beast! So what if he's only 6'11"? He can outrebound any 7-footer. He is the best center of all time, with Shaq and Moses Malone behind him. He can play defense like I've never seen before. The only reason the Magic got knocked out of the playoffs so early is because Superman was hurt. That's also why the Sixers beat the Bulls. Dwight is the best player I have ever seen in my life! Superman is my favorite player!

Dwight Howard is my favorite player. He's the best. He's an amazing shot blocker and an amazing dunker. Superman is really good. He's on the Orlando Magic and, like, they're good. They would be terrible without Dwight Howard. Go Dwight Howard!

What the crap?! Howard should be way higher than where he is. With Arenas and Richardson at his side, the guy should have gone farther up on this list. I mean, come on, DAWG! He was in the 09-10 finals against Kobe and co. And he put on a show with Carter and Nelson.

When Dwight Howard is on the court, you know that he's going to get 5 blocks and 10 dunks. He should have been in the Dunk Contest in 2011. The Orlando Magic will win a championship in a few years.

The joke about this list is Allen Iverson and Russ Westbrook ranked so high. AI is nothing but an addict to gambling and his thuggish ways. Russ is a little douche. Steph Curry is in the 200s for God knows why. He's definitely the greatest shooter of all time, and there's little to no debate on that. I voted for Isaiah because he was the heart and soul of the Bad Boys, and I truly believe the Bad Boys were the greatest basketball team ever. Go Pistons, bichhh!

Isiah was a great player, and he deserves more than to be number 94. Isiah was one of the greatest players of his time and was better than half of the people on this list before him. Also, he is my number one, and he earned his way there. So, whoever made this list should think about where they put people next time because it makes a difference.

Y'all trippin' when you say Westbrook is better than Isiah. Even casual NBA fans know he's at least a top ten point guard in NBA history, but only the real OGs know he's the second best. How many rings does Westbrook have again?

179? He belongs in the top 50. Back-to-back champion, Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star, Pistons' all-time leading scorer (18,822 points), NCAA champion AND 7th all-time assist leader... 179 WHAT?

Cousy was one of the best point guards in NBA history. Without him directing the traffic, the Celtics wouldn't have that many championship banners.

Moses was better than so many on this list. Who rebounded better? Great scorer, top 10. It amazes me how you discredit Moses. The first straight out of high school.

Moses was better than Shaq ever will be! Moses didn't need to be overweight to get his rebounds; the man used talent. He's the reason the Sixers won it in '83!

Moses is better than Shaq. Wilt and Russell were the only centers better. Look at his stats, mind-boggling!

I rate him in front of M. Jordan, just the greatest, not only on stats but his longevity is unmatched. No. 1 for me!

Patrick is extremely underrated. He did not play with all-stars or Hall of Fame guys. He carried the Knicks on his back for many years.

How can you forget Patrick Ewing? He is one of the best centers of that time, and to not put him there is just crazy.

You are amazing.

Excellent clutch. Good defense. He can penetrate through the most closed defense like anyone can do. Whether inside or outside, he can make the impossible shots look like an easy routine. In other words, Manu is the best.

He is simply incredible. He and Duncan were like "Who can stop us?" Also, player of the Olympics 2004 when he absolutely demolished your USA crapheads. Why not on the list? I'll tell you why because you don't have a brain!

Simply amazing. Obviously not better than the top three on the list, but deserves a little bit more recognition. I mean, it's not easy to win international matches.

Ginobili has to be at least top ten. He has all-around offense and great defense and was the best player in the Olympics. Who can beat Manu?

He is an extremely good player. He can dunk insanely, he drains threes, and plays crazy defense. He's the most underrated player in the NBA and is the best shooting guard other than James Harden in the league.

DeMar is behind so many nobodies. He could easily be 40.

An amazing player for the Raptors team!

An amazing player for the Raptors.