There’s always an ongoing debate amongst NBA fans on who is the best and who are the top five NBA players of all time. Does LeBron James or Michael Jordan take the top spot? Some bring up the competition level of the two eras, as well as lifetime achievements. Then, others are thrown into the mix like, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson, among others.
The Five Best Players in NBA History
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
What is the first thing you think of when you hear Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? Is it his deadly famous hook shot? Is it his six rings? Or is it that he is the number one all-time NBA scorer? Whatever it is, you know he is great. For his career, he averaged 24.6 points per game, 11.2 rebounds per game, and 3.6 assists per game. Abdul-Jabbar led his team to six championships, winning two Finals MVPs in the process. He also had six regular-season MVPs, he was a two-time scoring champion. He had 15 All-NBA selections, 11 All-Defensive selections, and a record 19 All-Star game selections. All of that with a combination of a deadly hook shot, it’s easy to see why Abdul-Jabbar is in the top five of all time.
4. Shaquille O’Neal
O’Neal was unstoppable. His size and strength made even the toughest people think twice about getting in his way. Standing at 7’1″, and weighing 325 pounds, he averaged 23.7 points per game, 10.9 rebounds per game, and 2.5 assists per game, in his career. In total, he has four championships (including three playing alongside Bryant) and three Finals MVPs. He also won a regular-season MVP, got picked to 15 All-Star games, and 14 All-NBA teams, as well as three All-NBA Defensive teams.
3. Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson is the best point guard in NBA history. He was the flashiest passer to ever play the game. Johnson always had the defense off guard with his behind the back, and no-look passes. Putting up career per-game averages of 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 11.2 assists. Johnson led the Lakers to nine NBA Finals appearances, where he ended up winning five championships. He also went on to win three MVP awards, 10 All-NBA First and Second Team nominations, 12 All-Star game appearances, and he is the all-time leader in assists per game at 11.2.
2. LeBron James
James is the best player of his generation. He has put up insane career per-game averages of 27.2 points, 7.2 assists, and 7.4 rebounds. His insane physique and stature make him a man amongst boys in the NBA. His accomplishments include three championships, four MVPs, three Finals MVPs, and 15 All-Star game appearances. With all of these stats and accomplishments, it’s hard to see why James is not number one on the list. The reason for this is because of his finals record. Although having to play on much worse teams than Jordan, James went 3-6 in the Finals as compared to 6-0 for Jordan.
1. Michael Jordan
In most people’s books, he is undoubtedly the number one player. Jordan had an amazing career, going 6-0 in the Finals, despite having tough competition. He had to go up against Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and the Detroit Pistons. Jordan dominated the league in his career, by winning six championships, six NBA Finals MVPs, 10 Scoring Titles, five MVPs, 10 All-NBA First Team selections, nine All-NBA Defensive First Team delegations, 14 All-Star game selections, and three All-Star game MVPs. His prime self was a dominant force to be reckoned with, and who knows what more he could have accomplished if not retiring for two years in his prime.
Main Photo
Embed from Getty Images
