Best College Basketball Players
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an American retired professional basketball player who played 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points, a record he held from 1989 until it was surpassed in... read more Kareem was arguably the best player at all three levels: high school, college, and pro. He put up enormous numbers everywhere he played. Kareem performed in an era where offense was run through the post, and the rules allowed opposing players to be much more physical with him.
Also, he had to play defense because most everybody took the ball to the basket, not shooting 3s like they do today. That didn't stop him from being the all-time scoring leader, barring whatever LeBron does. In college, beating his Bruins any time of the season was like winning a national title.
Unfortunately, he was only allowed to play three years at UCLA. He probably would have set every post record with a fourth year. I think he has always been overlooked for flashier players, but his championships and dominance can never be denied.
Peter Press Maravich, known by his nickname Pistol Pete, was an American professional basketball player. He starred at Louisiana State University, where he remains the all-time leading NCAA Division I scorer. Maravich played for several NBA teams and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball... read more
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American basketball player. He was born on August 21, 1936 in Philadelphia and died on October 12, 1999 in Los Angeles due to heart failure... read more
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association for 13 seasons. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards in NBA history.
Michael Jeffrey Jordan, also known by his initials MJ, is an American retired professional basketball player. Widely viewed as the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan made six NBA Finals appearances in his career, winning the NBA championship each time.
Leonard Kevin "Len" Bias was a first-team All-American college basketball forward at the University of Maryland. He was selected as the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics. Bias tragically died from a cocaine overdose just two days after being drafted. Great player at Maryland, was an unstoppable force. Better than Jordan at the college level. He would have battled Jordan for NBA supremacy for the next 15 years but made a huge mistake that took his life.
So much potential. What a tragedy!
David Maurice Robinson is an American former professional basketball player who played center for the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association for his entire career. Nicknamed The Admiral due to his service in the U.S. Navy, he is a two-time NBA champion, a 10-time NBA All-Star, and... read more Navy hasn't been relevant since he played 30 years ago.
Larry Joe Bird is a retired American professional basketball player who played for the Boston Celtics in the NBA from 1979 to 1992. He won three NBA championships, was named Rookie of the Year, and earned a Finals MVP award. Bird also won the Three-Point Contest three times and is widely regarded as... read more Carried a mid-major, Indiana State, to the national title game. The school hasn't done anything since. Bird also scored over 3,000 points in his college career.
Oscar Palmer Robertson, nicknamed "The Big O," is an American retired National Basketball Association player who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks. He was the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double over an entire season, a feat he accomplished in the 1961-62 season... read more
Kemba Hudley Walker is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association. He had previously played for the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets from 2011 to 2019, and the Boston Celtics from 2019-2021. He was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder after... read more
The Newcomers
Carmelo Kyam Anthony is a retired American professional basketball player. He last played for the Los Angeles Lakers and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2025. Anthony had a successful NBA career, including ten All-Star selections and a scoring title.
21-2 NCAA tournament record. Should be in the top 10. He couldn't help that his NBA career started in lousy Minnesota. His pro numbers would have been much better anywhere else.
Say what you want about him, but the dude balled out like no one else and hit the most clutch shot in tournament history.
I agree with the top 4, with Mr. Skywalker in 5th. He was way better than Jordan at this level.
William Theodore Walton III was an American basketball player and television sportscaster. He won two NCAA championships with UCLA, one NBA title with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977, and another with the Boston Celtics in 1986. After retiring from professional basketball, he became known for his... read moreThree-time national player of the year in one of the most competitive eras. Sampson led Virginia to three straight ACC regular-season titles.
Patrick Aloysius Ewing is a Jamaican-American former professional basketball player and coach, born on August 5, 1962. He had a Hall of Fame career in the NBA, most notably with the New York Knicks. Ewing later served as the head coach of the Georgetown University men's basketball team from 2017 to... read more One of the most intimidating forces that college basketball has seen. Led Georgetown to three championship games, winning it all in 1984.
Allen Ezail Iverson (born June 7, 1975) is an American retired professional basketball player. He played 14 seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Philadelphia 76ers. Iverson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and is considered one of the greatest point guards in... read more
Zion Lateef Williamson, born July 6, 2000, is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA. He plays as a power forward and is widely known for his athleticism, strength, and explosive playing style. He was selected first overall in the 2019 NBA Draft after a standout... read more
Charles Wade Barkley is an American retired professional basketball player and current television analyst. He played 16 seasons in the NBA and is widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards of all time. Barkley currently appears as a commentator on Inside the NBA.
Jerry Alan West was an American basketball player known for his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. He spent his entire professional career playing for the Lakers in the National Basketball Association. West is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history. Come on, man. Jerry West played small forward. He was a great rebounder in college. Just as he succeeded in the NBA, he should be in the top 10 or top 5.
But it doesn't mean a thing if you don't get that ring. At least he got one ring in the NBA. That ring came in 1972. He played with Wilt Chamberlain, who is considered to be the most mythological, intimidating, and strongest, but I'm talking about Jerry West.
William Felton "Bill" Russell was an American professional basketball player. He played center for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association from 1956 to 1969. Russell was an 11-time NBA champion and a five-time MVP, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the... read more This is a ridiculous ranking for him! One-hit wonder and injury-riddled Zion Williamson at 18 is a joke! I have Russell at #2. He led San Francisco to back-to-back titles in '55 and '56. His defense and rebounding were legendary.
KC Jones took over after he graduated and led them back to a Final Four in '57. The Dons, other than the good-not-great Bill Cartwright teams of the mid to late '70s, have been irrelevant since.
Elvin Ernest Hayes is an American retired professional basketball player. He played collegiately for the Houston Cougars and went on to a successful NBA career. After retiring, he served as a radio analyst for the Houston Cougars.
Anthony Marshon Davis Jr. (born March 11, 1993) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. He was traded during the 2024-25 season, on February 2, 2025, from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Mavericks in a blockbuster midseason deal involving... read more