Very few things cause more debate than an all-time best players list in sports. On Monday, July 14, Bleacher Report posted their top 100 NBA players list of all-time. The list even caused Shaquille O’Neal to tweet that Kobe Bryant’s 11th-place ranking was ‘criminal’. Bleacher Report had their writers and experts rank their top 100 ever which was then averaged out. They list the highest and lowest ranking that each player in the top 100 received (somehow at least one person decided Bob Pettit wasn’t worthy to be a top-100 player).
Kobe at 11 is criminal
— SHAQ (@SHAQ) July 14, 2025
Here are five of the biggest snubs from their list, listed in alphabetical order by last name. Some other notable snubs, again in alphabetical order, include Billy Cunningham, Blake Griffin, Tim Hardaway, Shawn Kemp, Jerry Lucas, Chris Mullin, and Ben Wallace.
Biggest Snubs From B/R Top 100 NBA Players Of All-Time
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Both Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were drafted in 2018. There are two major things that SGA has that Doncic doesn’t: an MVP and a championship. Doncic came in at 57th on the list while Gilgeous-Alexander was not on it.
This isn’t to say that the reigning MVP should be ahead of Doncic. The gap certainly shouldn’t be that large though. Gilgeous-Alexander is also the reigning scoring champ and has made each of the last three All-NBA first teams. Each of the last three years, he has averaged at least 30.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.6 steals.
Dennis Johnson
A three-time NBA champion, Dennis Johnson was named Finals MVP in 1979 while with the Seartle SuperSonics. He later was an integral part of two Celtics teams that won it all. There was a nine-year stretch in which the 6-foot-4 guard received an All-Defensive nod every season. A five-time All-Star, Johnson saw an increase in the majority of his averages during postseason play.
Kevin Love
While his days of being a top player are over, Kevin Love’s 17-year playing career includes a lot of accolades. He was the 2010-11 Most Improved Player, a five-time All-Star, 2010-11 rebounding champ, and 2016 NBA champion. While he never put up enormous assist totals, Love was seen as one of the best at throwing the outlet pass. The 6-foot-8 power forward was a stretch-four who even won the 2012 Three Point Shootout.
Sidney Moncrief
An elite backcourt defender, Sidney Moncrief was a back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year winner in 1982-83 and 1983-84. The 6-foot-4 guard also earned five straight All-Star nods from 1981-82 until 1985-86, finishing in the top-eight of MVP voting every one of those years. He was the best player on a Bucks team that reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 1984.
Nate Thurmond
An outstanding rebounder, Nate Thurmond totaled 14,464 over a 14-year career. That is the 11th-most in league history. While he never won a ring, his Warriors made the NBA Finals in both 1964 and 1967. Thurmond could also score, averaging more than 20 points in five consecutive seasons (1967-68 until 1971-72). He made seven All-Star and five All-Defensive teams.
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