Top 10 Most Clutch Players in NBA History

When it comes to the most clutch players in NBA history, we're talking about those rare athletes who can be counted on when the game is on the line. These are the players who step up in the final seconds, delivering when the pressure is at its highest and the stakes are the greatest. The ones who consistently hit the big shots, make game-saving plays, or simply refuse to let their team lose.

But what really makes a player clutch? It's not just about scoring a lot of points or being the best player on the court, though many clutch players are also some of the greatest to ever play. It's about having that extra gear when everything's on the line. Whether it's sinking a buzzer-beater in the playoffs, leading a comeback in the final minutes, or making the crucial pass to win a championship, clutch players thrive in high-stress moments where others might crumble.

1. Michael Jordan

   

   Michael Jeffrey Jordan, also known by his initials MJ, is an American retired professional basketball player. Widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, he made six NBA Finals appearances. Jordan won the NBA championship each time.

   Look, Kobe is probably my favorite basketball player of all time, but Jordan is way more clutch. I mean, there are so many legendary shots Jordan made to win the game. Has Kobe made a shot that won a championship? No, but Jordan did against the Jazz.

   Statistically, Jordan is far superior when it comes to game-winning shots. Kobe is really clutch, but Jordan is the king of clutch.

   Kobe is 1-11 lifetime in a 5-point game with under 10 seconds left. This vote is a joke to any self-respecting basketball fan. Honestly, Kobe shouldn't even be in the conversation. I'm taking Jordan, Horry, hell, even Derek Fisher is more clutch than Kobe. Kobe fans need to face facts and stop believing all that media hype. Jordan's the G.O.A.T. and the most clutch player ever, hands down.

2. Kobe Bryant

   

   Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) was an American professional basketball player who played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. He won five NBA championships with the Lakers and retired in 2016 as the franchise's all-time leading scorer.... read more

   The comparison has always been made: "Kobe is the next Jordan, or the closest thing to Jordan." Now that Kobe is retired, the fact that he is mentioned in the same sentence as Jordan at the end of his career is amazing. At this point, it can even be argued that Kobe may have been better than Jordan.

   One of the reasons for this is that Kobe is the most clutch human being to have ever lived. Time after time, he hit game-winning shots, whether it was one-on-one, double-teamed, a floater, or a fadeaway from the corner. Kobe in the fourth quarter became superhuman in his ability to take over the game entirely.

   Overall, I'm not going to say Kobe is better than Jordan because I don't necessarily think he is. But when it comes down to the last four minutes of the game, I'll pick Kobe over any other player. That's why he should be at the top of this list.

3. Larry Bird

   

   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

   After reading the comments, it seems like most people here equate last-second shots with being "clutch." And although hitting a buzzer-beater is part of being clutch, there are many other qualities that must be considered, and Larry Bird has them all.

   Yes, he was an assassin when it came to hitting a last-second shot. But beyond that, Bird could beat you on defense or by passing the ball. He was easily the most "clutch" player ever.

   I would not go as far as to say that he's the best player ever, but if I needed a player to win me a game in the final few seconds, it would absolutely be Larry Bird. If the Celtics were up by 2, tied, or down by 2, he seemed to always figure out a way to secure the win.

4. Reggie Miller

   

   Reginald Wayne Miller is an American retired professional basketball player. He played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers. Miller is widely regarded as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall... read more

   This man may not be a top 10 or 20 player all-time, but he is definitely part of the top 10 clutch players of all time. We all remember his famed moment against the Knicks.

   Welcome to your Kodak Moment, Spike Lee.

   Straight up, I've never seen anyone hit more single last-second game-winners than Reggie. I would have Reggie at 1, Larry Bird at 2, and Michael Jordan at 3!

   Are you serious? How is he not the clutchest player of all time? He single-handedly beat the Knicks by himself.

   MJ is overrated for this reason. Anyone who says MJ is the most clutch is just riding the Jordan bandwagon!

5. Paul Pierce

   

   Paul Anthony Pierce is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 19 seasons in the NBA, spending most of his career with the Boston Celtics. Pierce also had brief stints with the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, and Los Angeles Clippers before retiring after the 2016-17 season.

   He had to carry the Celtics for a good part of his career, hitting clutch shots. Pierce is not MJ, but he deserves higher.

   The step-back jumper was money, and he would also get people on the up fake to draw the foul. Simple but very effective.

   One of the most underrated players of all time. I would give the ball to The Truth with 3 seconds left anytime.

6. Jerry West

   

   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.

   We call him Mr. Clutch for God's sake! Unbelievable that he's not even in the top 3. I agree with what another person said on here, being "clutch" is not only about hitting buzzer-beaters, but also picking up your team and putting them on your shoulders in the late stretches of games to lead them to victory. Jerry West did both of those things as well as or better than anyone else in history. No way he should be anything less than top 3.

   Already the best on this list, he did it WITHOUT the 3-point shot. If it had existed back then, he would have won substantially more games with his clutch shots. He would even have won the 1970 NBA Finals, but his 64-foot buzzer-beater was worth only 2 points, and it only forced overtime, which the Lakers lost. With the "3," his shot would have won the game.

7. Magic Johnson

   

   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.

   One-footed buzzer-beater against the Celtics covers it all. He wasn't even shooting with his right leg. He shot it with his left leg.

   Magic Johnson was very clutch. He could hit a buzzer-beater or make a great pass to someone else for the last shot.

8. Robert Horry

   

   Robert Keith Horry is an American former professional basketball player and a current sports commentator. He earned the nickname Big Shot Bob for making critical game-winning shots during the NBA playoffs. Over his career, he won seven NBA championships with the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and... read more

   There's never been a role player, not even close, with as many clutch shots, and there never will be again. Can you remember a time he missed a clutch shot?

   I saw it happen only once, against the Spurs in Game 5 in 2003, and the ball was halfway down before God divinely intervened to force it back out.

   Horry has the name "Big Shot Bob" for a reason. Don't believe me? Watch Game 5 of the 2005 NBA Finals. The guy has three points in the first three quarters, then drops 21 in the 4th and OT to give the Spurs a 3-2 lead.

   Tell me that isn't clutch.

   We are not arguing about the best players. It's all about what they do in the final minutes.

   Robert Horry is the man I want with the ball in hand, taking a three to go to overtime.

9. LeBron James

   

   LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Over his career, LeBron has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and the Lakers. He has won four NBA championships.

   LeBron actually has a higher field goal percentage on go-ahead buckets in the final five seconds of overtime or regulation than Kobe in the regular season. Moreover, in the postseason, he has made more with fewer attempts than Kobe in the same situation. Sure, one could point out his two rings, but rings are a team accomplishment.

   In 2007, he had no chance. In 2011, the Big 3 still didn't have good team chemistry. In 2014, the Spurs just really stepped up their game. And in 2015, basically, LeBron and a bunch of nobodies took a 67-win team to a six-game series.

   Now, I know Michael Jordan is the most clutch ever, but LeBron needs to be in the top 10. Unlike Kobe or MJ, he knows when to pass the ball to another teammate and let him take the shot.

10. Dwyane Wade

    

    Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. is an American retired professional basketball player. He played 16 seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Miami Heat. After retiring in 2019, Wade became involved in sports media and ownership, including part-ownership of the Utah Jazz and Chicago Sky, and was inducted into the... read more

    This guy makes jaws drop every time it's crunch time. Wade has the killer instinct to just go at you hard and deliver a blow right in your face. The dude played god-awful in the Chicago Bulls series this past year while LeBron was carrying the team for the first three quarters, but Wade showed up every fourth quarter and played his best five minutes of the game.

    And don't even get me started on the '06 finals. This man is on a mission, a mission to be the greatest ever.

    Everyone remembers his '06 finals, which were arguably the best NBA finals performance by a single player. But who saw him on the Olympic team in 2008? He was not only the best player on a team with LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and Derrick Rose, but he also delivered another one of his ridiculously clutch performances in the gold medal game against Spain.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Michael Porter Jr.

    
12. ?

    Jamal Murray

    

    Jamal Murray is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted in 2016 and quickly became a key player for the team. Murray played a pivotal role in helping the Nuggets win the 2023 NBA championship.

The Contenders

13. Ray Allen

    

    Walter Ray Allen Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association from 1996 to 2014. Allen was a 10-time NBA All-Star and won championships with the Boston Celtics in 2008 and the Miami Heat in 2013.

    James catches, puts up a three, won't go. Rebound Bosh, back out to Allen, his three-pointer, BANG! Oh, what a shot from Curry! Oops, wrong Mike Breen moment. Jokes aside, Allen made the most clutch shot in Finals history.

    If he had missed, The Big Fundamental would have six rings like Jordan, and LeBron would have only three (assuming he wins with the Lakers).

    50% of shots taken when trailing by one or two points, or tied, in the final 24 seconds of playoff games since 1996-97.

    6/12... only game-winners, so here I didn't count shots in crunch time (5 minutes).

    4-6th place in all-time clutch, in my opinion... better than Kobe for sure...

14. Stephen Curry

    

    Wardell Stephen Curry II is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the NBA. He is widely considered one of the greatest shooters in NBA history and has set numerous records for three-point shooting. Curry is a two-time MVP and has helped lead the Warriors to multiple... read more

    Before it's all said and done, Curry will go down as one of the most clutch shooters in NBA history. His shots to tie games, take leads, or win games in crunch time (last five minutes of a game) are trending up. As the Warriors play to challenge the 95-96 Bulls in 15-16, Curry has taken a larger role and is leading the NBA in scoring.

    The only thing that can slow him down is a lack of opportunities to win games with a shot because they beat opponents so badly that Curry sits entire fourth quarters sometimes.

    He should be number 1. He doesn't just chuck up shots. He methodically picks and chooses them unless he has to "chuck" them up with time expiring and from long, long, long distances, and they still go in. So, I wouldn't say chuck. I'd say it's a controlled long shot.

    And so everyone is clear, Michael Jordan averaged 1,635 shots a year through his career. Curry has only averaged 1,100. Just because Curry makes more and has a crazy high make percentage, you shouldn't hold that against him. Jealousy really is so ugly.

15. Bill Russell

    

    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

    He went 10-0 in Game 7s. That's about as clutch as it gets.

16. Dirk Nowitzki

    

    Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German former professional basketball player who played for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nowitzki spent his entire 21-season NBA career with the Mavericks, making him one of the longest-tenured players with a single franchise in league history... read more

    Dirk is a clutch player in every way. He is the leader, strength, and best player of the Mavericks. He belongs in the top 10.

    LeBron is beginning to show signs of wear and tear. Dirk is a quiet, humble superstar who makes others around him better every day. Dirk is clutch and had an all-star season at 37. Check the numbers!

    Dirk is way more clutch than any other player on this list. He has countless game-winning shots and three buzzer-beaters for the win. What does LeBron have? Only one game-winning shot.

    How can LeBron be above Dirk when he only has one buzzer-beater and one game-winning shot?

17. Kevin Durant

    

    Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA. He previously starred with the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors. He was named NBA Finals MVP in both 2017 and 2018 after championship seasons with the Warriors.

    He should be in the top 5 since he is the right guy you'll find in crucial moments. He's able to attack you, bait a foul, hit a perimeter shot, and hit a 3-pointer that kills the heart of the opponent.

    He's one of a kind clutch shooter of all time.

    Remember that four-point play two years ago to clinch a win for the Thunder against the Grizzlies? That's the stuff that makes Kevin Durant clutch.

    This man is probably the greatest scorer to ever walk this earth. He is so versatile, quick, and lengthy. He can get any shot he wants, which includes the final one to clinch the W.

18. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

    

    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 2023... read more

    Best 2-point shot ever. Unstoppable. I can't fathom how no 7-footers have taken Kareem as a role model and learned to shoot the sky hook over the last two decades.

    No single individual can hold this dude, period! I'd give him the ball first in clutch time. Greatest scorer of all time for a reason.

19. Tracy McGrady

    

    Tracy Lamar McGrady Jr. is an American retired professional basketball player. He is best known for his career in the National Basketball Association, where he played as both a shooting guard and a small forward. McGrady was a seven-time NBA All-Star and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball... read more

    So many game-winners... and if he was doubled, he either still scored or got the game-winning assist.

    Also, he has the greatest clutch performance the NBA has ever seen!

    If not for injuries, he would be a top 20 player. The top reason was that he could score at will, especially in the clutch!

    Seriously, he should be at least top 5, I think. Thirteen points in 33 seconds is just too much.

20. Tim Duncan

    

    Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is a retired American professional basketball player. He played his entire 19-season career with the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association. Duncan won five NBA championships, earned two MVP awards, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards... read more

    There's a lot to be said about a player who has never had a losing season nor ever missed the playoffs. Ever!

21. Damian Lillard

    

    Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. He spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers before being traded to the Bucks in 2023. Lillard is known for his clutch shooting and multiple All-Star selections... read more

    The only player besides MJ to have two playoff-series-winning shots, and he still has more than half of his career left. All-around clutch. DAME TIME!

    "The Shot" was from the free-throw line over a guy with a twisted ankle, while Dame's were a 0.9-second three and a cold-blooded from-the-logo over a guy who went third in DPOY voting. Best man.

    I'm a Warriors fan, and I think Damian Lillard is the most clutch NBA player.

22. John Havlicek

    

    John Joseph "Hondo" Havlicek was a professional American basketball player who competed for 16 seasons with the Boston Celtics, winning eight NBA championships, four of them coming in his first four seasons.

    He played from 1962 to 1978 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest small forwards... read more

23. Vince Carter

    

    Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. (born January 26, 1977) is a retired American professional basketball player who had a 22-season career in the NBA. He played for eight teams, including the Toronto Raptors, New Jersey Nets, and Sacramento Kings. In 2024, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball... read more

    His game speaks for itself. Being a great dunker comes with the label of being "just a dunker," but players like Dominique escaped that label (who, by the way, is a very similar player to Vince).

    Carter is 6th all-time in three-point field goals made and 26th in scoring, yet his name is still synonymous with just dunking. Now far past his prime, VC continues to present a scoring threat to any opponent. Sixteen game-winners are nothing to scoff at, either. I hope Vince will escape the incorrect label that has been placed on him when he is inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame. (P.S. Vince is the greatest dunker of all time, and don't try to tell me otherwise.)

24. Carmelo Anthony

    

    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.

    Most game-winners since 2003 behind Kobe, still playing in the NBA.

    Down to the wire, he's the guy you give the ball to.

    Highest game-winning shot percentage ever in the NBA right now.

25. Chauncey Billups

    

    Chauncey Ray Billups is an American retired professional basketball player who played 17 seasons in the National Basketball Association. He was named the NBA Finals MVP in 2004 after leading the Detroit Pistons to a championship. Billups is currently the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.

    He should be at least in the top 8. How on earth do you think he got his nickname for being clutch and hitting big shots, for gosh sake!

    He was called "Mr. Big Shot" for a reason.

26. Kawhi Leonard

    

    Kawhi Anthony Leonard is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association. He has previously played for the San Antonio Spurs, with whom he won an NBA championship in 2014, and the Toronto Raptors, leading them to their first title in 2019... read more

27. Allen Iverson

    

    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

    There's only 1 correct answer to who is the most clutch player ever, and that is The Answer.