Top 10 Most Overrated NBA Players of All Time

The Top Ten

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.

Too often the hype didn't match what I saw with my own eyes. He didn't just lose championship series, he sometimes melted down or gave up on his teams. Why is that forgotten or forgiven so easily? Too often he seemed like he wanted to be the QB and the WR on the same play. In Cleveland the first time, when the playoffs came around, even if the PGs had been great all year, he would assume the point guard role and make the PG a wasted player on the court, or kick the ball to the PG in desperation with no time left to set up a play. Then, the PG would get slammed for disappearing on LeBron.
The hype is still incredible even though his legs are cement now. Jordan in his final year was considered washed up, but LeBron had almost identical stats to Jordan's (20.9 vs. 20 points, 6.1 vs. 6.1 rebounds, 1.2 vs. 1.5 steals, 0.6 vs. 0.5 blocks) except that LBJ had 7.2 vs. 3.8 assists. But, Jordan played all 82 games in his last year, and LBJ played 60. LBJ has averaged only 62 games a year since 2017-2018 (excluding the bubble year), even though the league has cut down on back-to-backs, which has helped older players play longer.
I'd say LBJ is the "Goodest" player of all time, not the greatest. No one would draft this guy over Jordan, or choose LBJ over Jordan (or Kobe) to win it all. The points, rebounds, and assists combo that the sports press cobbled together to make a case for LBJ's greatness has since been dwarfed by Jokic. Would any sane NBA watcher claim Jokic is the GOAT? And finally, every time someone offers a critique of LBJ, no matter how stat- or event-based, they're dismissed as "haters." That's an easy way to spot someone whose legacy needs extra protection.
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 that included ten All-Star selections and a scoring title.
Ron Artest
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
Jeremy Lin

Jeremy Shu-How Lin is a Taiwanese-American former professional basketball player. He played for the Charlotte Hornets in the National Basketball Association during the 2015-2016 season. Lin gained international fame during his time with the New York Knicks in 2012, a period dubbed Linsanity.

Flash-in-the-pan, got a string of wins against sad sack teams. Whoopee.
Derrick Rose

Derrick Martell Rose is an American former professional basketball player who retired in 2024. He became the youngest MVP in NBA history in 2011 while playing for the Chicago Bulls. He also played for the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, and Memphis Grizzlies... read more

If he never got injured, he'd potentially be one of the best of all time. Like top 15 probably.

His 2011 season is nice, but it's not an all-time great season. He doesn't deserve to go to the Hall of Fame and no, he was not on a top 5 PG ever trajectory before his injuries.

Plays too fast and out of control.
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a Greek professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He was selected 15th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft. He is a two-time NBA MVP and led the Milwaukee Bucks to an NBA championship in 2021.
Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Andrew Irving is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. He previously played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, and Brooklyn Nets. He helped the Cavaliers win their first championship in 2016 by making the decisive three-pointer late in Game... read more

Can do a lot of things extremely well, but doesn't seem to put it all together consistently.
Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) was an American professional basketball player who spent 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

He isn't as clutch as people say, and even though he hit some very difficult shots, he has missed a ton of them too. He generally isn't the GOAT, just as he isn't the 2nd best player of all time.
A guy who won 5 championships but wasn't the best player on the team in 3 of them can't be called a top 2 player. He was also extremely inefficient and a terrible teammate. Personally, I think he is a top 5 player of all time, just not top 2.

He is the most overrated player of all time. His career field goal percentage is 45%. His clutch percentage is around 32%.
He has always been surrounded by great players during his championship runs. When he wasn't, his team missed the playoffs.
Allen Iverson

Allen Ezail Iverson, born June 7, 1975, is an American former 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 widely considered one of the greatest point guards... read more

An inefficient shot chucker who is immortalized due to the 2001 season where he shouldn't have won MVP over Shaq. He "dragged" an elite defensive team to the Finals, a team that had the DPOY, 6MOTY, and COTY, by the way. The refs helped push him there too.
Take away that season and there's virtually nothing to go off of. Not top 50 all time.

If he would actually practice, he could have become a good player. Now he is not even a top fifty player.

The Newcomers

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Anthony Davis

Anthony Marshon Davis Jr. (born March 11, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the NBA. He was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks on February 2, 2025, in a blockbuster midseason deal involving Luka Dončić. Davis later joined the Wizards... read more
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Moses Malone

Moses Eugene Malone was an American basketball player who competed in the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association from 1974 to 1995. A dominant center, he was named the NBA Most Valuable Player three times, selected as a 12-time NBA All-Star, and earned eight All-NBA honors... read more

The Contenders

Gilbert Arenas

Gilbert Jay Arenas Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. He attended Grant High School in the Valley Glen district of Los Angeles and accepted a scholarship to the University of Arizona during his junior year. Arenas later played in the NBA, most notably for the Washington Wizards... read more
Dwight Howard

Dwight David Howard is an American former professional basketball player. He was an eight-time NBA All-Star, three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and an NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. In 2025, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Could dunk and block and not much else. 42 percent from the line. Really?

He should have retired after the dunk contest years ago.
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 four... read more

He's trash compared to LeBron. For sure not one of the greats. Only bandwagoners like him. And no, I'm not a LeBron or Cavs fan. I'm a Lakers fan. It's just dumb always running into people who say Steph is the greatest of all time.
Bill Walton

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 more

Avg 13 points and 10 rebounds for his career? Not Hall of Fame numbers. He did have 1 good year resulting in a team championship and gets NBA credit for his college years.

Great when he wasn't injured, but that was rare.
James Harden

James Edward Harden Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA. He is an 11-time NBA All-Star and was named the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2018. Harden is also recognized for leading the league in scoring for three consecutive seasons and for his exceptional... read more

The only thing he is good at is getting fouled and making his beard look perfect.

Flops badly on defense. Take away free throws, and he averages 20 a game. Good but not MVP.

Travels, flops to get foul calls, and he doesn't even shoot good percentages. Takes way too many contested threes.
Yao Ming

Yao Ming is a retired Chinese professional basketball player and prominent basketball executive. He played for the Shanghai Sharks in the Chinese Basketball Association and the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association. After retiring in 2011, he took on leadership roles in Chinese basketball... read more

How can a guy who is 7-6 average just 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks throughout his career? Dennis Rodman was 6-7 and averaged 13.1 rebounds for his career. The only reason he was so good was because of his height.

He was so bad! I don't even know how or why he is in the Hall of Fame.

This man is so bad. His height is it really.
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.

Take away Scottie Pippen, and he has no titles! Did not win until Scottie Pippen came, and Phil Jackson took over as coach.

He had Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson on his team. He also got swept in the first round without those two.

Great player, but everyone acts like he is God. I do not think he is the GOAT.
Blake Griffin

Blake Austin Griffin is an American former professional basketball player who spent 13 seasons in the NBA before announcing his retirement in April 2024. He was selected first overall in the 2009 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers and won Rookie of the Year for the 2010-11 season. Griffin became... read more
Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal, widely known as Shaq, is a retired American professional basketball player. He works as a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA. Renowned for his dominant presence on the court and his charismatic personality, O'Neal remains one of the most recognizable figures... read more

Overhyped to the point where he is only for use as children's entertainment.

He was just big. He had no skills. If he had gotten sick and lost weight, they would have kicked him out of the league.
Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook III is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association. He has been recognized for his explosive athleticism and dynamic playing style throughout his career. Westbrook is a nine-time All-Star, won the NBA Most Valuable Player... read more

Overrated as crap. Can't even make a shot to save his life.
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, and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history... read more

Amazing defender, arguably the best of all time, but his poor offensive ability is too much to overlook in my opinion. The only reason I say he is overrated is because people say he is a top 5 or even top 3 player of all time.
Joakim Noah

Joakim Simon Noah, born on February 25, 1985, is a retired professional basketball player. He played in the NBA from 2007 to 2020 and spent most of his career with the Chicago Bulls. Noah was a two-time NBA All-Star and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in 2014.
Patrick Ewing

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, and currently serves as a basketball ambassador for the team. Ewing also served as the head coach of the... read more
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

To people who do not play basketball, Dirk is underrated. But to those who know how to play, he is completely overrated. He got hot one postseason and won the Finals. Other than that, he is just good at receiving votes telling him he is great, but his performance on the court tells a different tale.
Great on offense, weak on defense and rebounding. I personally have never seen a 7-footer weaker on defense and rebounding than Dirk, other than Yao.

Dirk is not overrated, or every superstar is. His best help was Jason Terry and Shawn Marion. That was his team besides him. He got beat in a rigged 2006 Finals.
Look at his competition: Shaq, Dwyane Wade, and the Heat. Then the Heat in the big 3 era. All other champions didn't carry trash to the playoffs for an entire career.
Anthony Bennett