espn best nba players of all time
Off the court, Kareem has stood taller than his imposing stature, fighting for racial and religious equality. The fun-loving big man used his outsize personality to become a global pitchman and analyst after retiring. Andrew D Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images. -- Pelton, 1983-95 Portland Trail Blazers; 1995-98 Houston Rockets, "Clyde the Glide" was known for his high-flying ways, but he was also one of the more dominant rebounding guards in NBA history. Stats: 17.6 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG in 11 seasons with Boston Celtics (1970-71 to 1979-80) and Milwaukee Bucks (1982-83). Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, 1971 All-Star MVP, 1969-70 assists champ. The list of 10 through 1 crowns the exceptional performers who have their own cases to be the greatest ever. Stats: 20.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 4.5 APG in eight seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (2013-14 to 2020-21)*. St. Bonaventure Bonnies. Wade always played bigger than his 6-foot-4 height, blocking more shots than any guard in history, playoffs included. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, 1950-51 rebounding champ, 1955 NBA champion. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-Defensive team. His skyhook was an unstoppable weapon, becoming one of the most iconic shots the game has ever seen. -- MacMahon, 1982-94 Atlanta Hawks; 1994 LA Clippers; 1994-95 Boston Celtics; 1996-97 San Antonio Spurs; 1999 Orlando Magic, It doesn't get more elite than Wilkins' dunking skills. For the most part, it would be hard to argue that Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar aren't the top three players in NBA history. -- Friedell, Paul J. Maguire/The Boston Globe/Getty Images, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, Sources: Warriors eye Curry return next week, Lakers' Davis out vs. OKC with right foot injury, V. Bryant settles crash photos suit for $28.85M, Sources: Lakers to reassess LeBron in 2 weeks, Benner, longtime Pacers PR director, dies at 67, Irving: Need to scale back self-imposed pressure, Jokic sixth player in 100 career triple-double club, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, Meet the man scouring Nigeria for the next generation of NBA and NFL talent, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas, the NBA unveiled its 75th Anniversary Team. JJ Redick and Chris Russo battled on ESPN recently over their varying opinions on Larry Bird's three-point marksmanship. -- Pelton, 1967-77 New York Knicks; 1977-79 Cleveland Cavaliers, Known as much for his inimitable style off the court as his play on it, Frazier became the face of the Knicks' iconic championship teams in the 1970s, thanks to his long post-playing career with the franchise. 5x. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, 1995-96 Defensive Player of the Year, 1995-96 steals champ, 2006 NBA champion. Clutch" for his penchant for delivering in the biggest moments. Cricket. The SIU-Edwardsville Cougars (8-21, 7-11 OVC) will try to halt a four-game losing streak when they host the Tennessee State Lady Tigers (11-17, 2-6 OVC) on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at Ford Center. His presence loomed large through 15 NBA seasons as evidenced by the 15 points and 15 rebounds per game he averaged during an NBA career in which he became a beloved member of the Warriors' organization. Top accolades: Four NBA titles, three Finals MVPs, one MVP, eight All-NBA 1st Team selections, 15 All-Stars, three All-Defensive 2nd Team selections NBA rank: 8th in scoring and. To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 1985-86 Rookie of the Year. Nicknamed "Dr. Memory," Lucas used his mind and his recall of opponents' tendencies to augment all of his physical skills on the floor. Stats: 16.1 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.9 APG in 12 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1962-63 to 1968-69) and New York Knicks (1968-69 to 1973-74). He would eventually win the rebounding title twice and help future teammate Wes Unseld take the Bullets to three Finals appearances, including the championship in 1978. We saw peak Bryant in those 2005 and 2006 seasons, where he averaged over 30 points per game. Top 75 NBA Players of All Time (NBA 75) Quiz - By NBAA Popular Quizzes Today 1 Find the US States - No Outlines Minefield 2 Ballon d'Or Winners by Age 3 Find the Countries of Europe - No Outlines Minefield 4 Countries of the World Sports NBA QUIZ LAB SUBMISSION Random Sports or NBA Quiz Top 75 NBA Players of All Time (NBA 75) Boxing. Embiid was dominant last season, averaging 30.6 points per game to lead the league in scoring for the first time in his career -- the first time a center led the league in . Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain? The rings. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, two-time NBA champion. -- Lopez, 1948-49 (BAA), 1949-54, 1956 Minneapolis Lakers, The NBA's first giant, Mikan was an NBA pioneer. Stats: 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5 APG in 14 seasons with Boston Celtics (1950-51 to 1962-63) and Cincinnati Royals (1969-70). Jordan led the Bulls to six NBA championships, winning six Finals MVP awards and five regular-season MVP honors while becoming a global icon on and off the floor. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, 1994-95 Rookie of the Year, five-time assists champ, 2011 NBA champion. Drexler's 2,615 offensive rebounds are the most by a player who primarily played guard in NBA history. Gamecast; Preview; Northwestern State Lady Demons vs Incarnate Word . 1. Stats: 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG in 20 seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (1969-70 to 1974-75) and Los Angeles Lakers (1975-76 to 1988-89); NBA's career leader in total points. Bird led Boston to five NBA Finals and three championships with a blend of shot-making, passing and his feel for the game. During halftime of the 1997 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland, 47 of the 50 members of that team were honored in person. Stats: 18.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.9 APG in 13 seasons with Baltimore Bullets (1967-68 to 1971-72) and New York Knicks (1971-72 to 1979-80). Top 10 Best NBA Players Of All Time. He was a legendary winner, a transcendent passer, an instant highlight and a triple-double waiting to happen. The only reason he doesn't rank higher on lists of the all-time greats is he won "only" two NBA championships. 1950-51 Washington Capitols; 1951-61 Boston Celtics, A Hall of Famer as both a player and coach, Sharman starred alongside Bob Cousy in Boston's backcourt in the 1950s, winning four championships. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, 1968-69 scoring champ, two-time rebounding champ, 1978 NBA champion. He loved being the face of the Pacers and he loved that he played his whole career in Indianapolis. He was the ultimate pass-first point guard -- winning five assists titles, including both of his MVP seasons -- who also possessed one of the game's purest jump shots. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, 1994-95 MVP, 1991-92 Defensive Player of the Year, 1989-90 Rookie of the Year, 1993-94 scoring champ, 1990-91 rebounding champ, 1991-92 blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. Before, however, Wilkens was a nine-time All-Star as a point guard who excelled as both a scorer and a playmaker -- including twice as player-coach for the SuperSonics. 9-21, 5-12 . Tim Duncan. -- Andrews, 1976 Buffalo Braves; 1976-82 Houston Rockets; 1982-86, 1993-94 Philadelphia 76ers; 1986-88 Washington Bullets; 1988-91 Atlanta Hawks; 1991-93 Milwaukee Bucks; 1994-95 San Antonio Spurs; also played two ABA seasons with Utah Stars (1974-75) and Spirits of St. Louis (1975-76), Malone's stellar career included a feat that he, and he alone, has accomplished: winning back-to-back MVPs with two different teams. 40-11 | 5-on-5 debate, 1992-96 Orlando Magic; 1996-2004 Los Angeles Lakers; 2004-08 Miami Heat; 2008-09 Phoenix Suns; 2009-10 Cleveland Cavaliers; 2010-11 Boston Celtics, The Hall of Fame center transformed the game with a combination of agility and explosiveness and size, the likes of which the league had never seen. "Mamba mentality" became more than a kitschy catchphrase after Bryant died; it is now a blueprint for how to chase your dreams. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 2000-01 MVP, two-time All-Star MVP, 1996-97 Rookie of the Year, four-time scoring champ, three-time steals champ. -- Bontemps, 2003-2011 Denver Nuggets; 2011-2017 New York Knicks; 2017-2018 Oklahoma City Thunder; 2018-2019 Houston Rockets; 2019-2021 Portland Trail Blazers; 2021-22 Los Angeles Lakers, Entering the league with a handle and shooting touch of a shooting guard but with the height and broad shoulders of a traditional frontcourt player, Anthony filled the role of a stretch-4 before the position became a staple of every NBA roster. The first in a long lineage of dominant Lakers big men, Mikan won five championships and was an ambassador for the game. RB Jim Brown -- Cleveland Browns, 1957-1965 In 1995-96, the season Payton became the most recent guard to win Defensive Player of the Year, Seattle pushed the 72-10 Bulls to six games in the NBA Finals. He delivered the 2011 title to Dallas as the lone All-Star for the Mavs, who defeated the Heat's superteam in the Finals, avenging a loss in 2006. 9 on the all-time points list. Anthony . Using references from famous and reliable sports channels and websites like ESPN, Complex, Bleacher Report, and Clutch Points, here is our top 10 basketball players list. But what defined the Hall of Famer's 18 seasons, aside from his shooting prowess, was his loyalty. Stats: 17.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG in 21 seasons with Minnesota Timberwolves (1995-96 to 2006-07; 2014-15 to 2015-16), Boston Celtics (2007-08 to 2012-13) and Brooklyn Nets (2013-14 to 2014-15). -- Youngmisuk, 1987-98, 2003-04 Chicago Bulls; 1999 Houston Rockets; 1999-2003 Portland Trail Blazers, Pippen carved out a career for himself with unbelievable consistency on both ends of the floor. -- Youngmisuk, 2005-2011 New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets; 2011-2017 Los Angeles Clippers; 2017-2019 Houston Rockets; 2019-2020 Oklahoma City Thunder; 2020-22 Phoenix Suns, Still going strong in his 17th season, Paul became the first player in NBA history to reach 20,000 career points and 10,000 career assists. Oh yeah: Along the way, he was a six-time NBA Finals champ, six-time NBA Finals MVP, five-time NBA MVP and 14-time NBA All-Star. -- Kevin Pelton, 1958-73 Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers, Greer was overshadowed by spending a large chunk of his career playing alongside the legendary Wilt Chamberlain, but he goes down in history as not only the first player to have his number retired by the 76ers but also remaining as the franchise's leader in a host of categories, including games, minutes and points. Garnett played with legendary passion and a gift of trash talk that rivaled the greatest in the game. Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 15-time All-Defensive team, two-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP, 2000 All-Star MVP, 1997-98 Rookie of the Year, five-time NBA champion. Wade gave Heat Culture its championship pedigree while earning a Finals MVP and leading the league in scoring (2008-09 when he averaged 30.2 points per game). To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. And for the first time in the list's history, there's a new No. -- Andrews, 1986-93 Detroit Pistons; 1993-95 San Antonio Spurs; 1995-98 Chicago Bulls; 1999 Los Angeles Lakers; 2000 Dallas Mavericks, The unofficial titleholder for the most dominant rebounder in NBA history, Rodman led the league in the category for seven consecutive seasons. Vote up the best basketball player ever, and those who follow close behind. -- Pelton, 1998-2013 Boston Celtics; 2013-14 Brooklyn Nets; 2014-15 Washington Wizards; 2015-17 LA Clippers, Perhaps one of Pierce's biggest moments was in 2000-01, when he played all 82 games, became the first Celtic to score 2,000 or more points since Larry Bird in 1987-88 and averaged over 25 points in just his third year in the league. NBA Countdown starts with a heated discussion with Paul Pierce making his case of LeBron James not being a top-5 player all time, with Jay Williams and Jalen. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 1972-73 MVP, 1973 All-Star MVP, 1970-71 Rookie of the Year, two-time NBA champion. Players such as Allen Iverson, Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Wilt Chamberlain, and others have left their mark on the franchise and the NBA as a whole. NFL. -- Bontemps, 2003-10, 2014-18 Cleveland Cavaliers; 2010-14 Miami Heat; 2018-20 Los Angeles Lakers, Standing 6-9 and weighing north of 250 pounds with a 40-inch vertical, James' game is built on power, but his passing ability might be his strongest skill. Stats: 18.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG in 18 seasons with Indiana Pacers (1987-88 to 2004-05). All-Time #NBArank: The 10 greatest power forwards in NBA history, Photos: Classic action shots of league's best power forwards. Stats: 10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG in 13 seasons with Baltimore/Capitol/Washington Bullets. Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, four-time MVP, 1972 Finals MVP, 1959-60 Rookie of the Year, 11-time rebounding champ, seven-time scoring champ, 1967-68 assists champ, two-time NBA champion. He threw down some of the most memorable dunks in NBA history, but one of the plays he's remembered for most is a layup. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG in 15 seasons with Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1958-59 to 1972-73). -- MacMahon, 1984-92 Philadelphia 76ers; 1992-96 Phoenix Suns; 1996-2000 Houston Rockets, Despite being listed at 6-foot-6 his entire career, and eventually admitting he was shorter, Barkley was a rebounding machine. He was the league MVP in three consecutive seasons (1984-86), something only Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell had accomplished. However, he led the league in scoring at 31.1 PPG in 1976-77 while playing for the New Orleans Jazz, earning one of his four All-NBA honors. His numbers -- including scoring an NBA-record 100 points in a single game and averaging 50 points per game for an entire season -- are mythical. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1988 Finals MVP, three-time NBA champion. The 30 Best NBA Players of All Time, Ranked By Adam Caparell, Zion Olojede, Angel Diaz, Zach Frydenlund Jun 17, 2022 Image via Complex Original The toughest debates may not be the obvious ones.. He also was one of the most complete players ever, capable of playing several different positions as well as being an outstanding two-way player. Davidson Wildcats. TrueHoop TV: Is Kevin Garnett too low in all-time PF rankings? Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. (/ d w a n /; born January 17, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. Stats: 18.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.4 APG in 18 seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (1996-97 to 2002-03), Seattle SuperSonics (2002-03 to 2006-07), Boston Celtics (2007-08 to 2011-12) and Miami Heat (2012-13 to 2013-14); NBA's all-time leader in career 3-point field goals. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, 1958-59 Rookie of the Year, 1959 All-Star MVP. Why he rose three spots. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, three-time MVP, two-time Finals MVP, 1979-80 Rookie of the Year, 1982 All-Star MVP, three-time NBA champion. -- McMenamin, 2003-16, 2018-19 Miami Heat; 2016-17 Chicago Bulls; 2017-18 Cleveland Cavaliers, The greatest player in Heat history, Wade did it all with flair, toughness and clutch play. His unstoppable skyhook allowed him to score more points than anyone in league history, and while he wasn't flashy, there has arguably never been anyone better. NFL. -- Collier, Personifying the concept of being a star in your role, Worthy's ability to defend, run the floor and finish enabled the Showtime Lakers to be so effective playing the style they employed. *All stats/accomplishments for active players are entering the 2021-22 season. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, five-time MVP, 1963 All-Star MVP, four-time rebounding champ, 11-time NBA champion. Photos: Classic action shots of league's best floor generals, All-Time #NBArank: The 10 greatest shooting guards in NBA history, Photos: Classic action shots of league's best shooting guards. His fast breaks and no-look passes catapulted the NBA from an era when Finals games weren't televised live to the global game it is today. NBA75: Meet the best players in league history, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, Sources: Warriors eye Curry return next week, Lakers' Davis out vs. OKC with right foot injury, V. Bryant settles crash photos suit for $28.85M, Sources: Lakers to reassess LeBron in 2 weeks, Benner, longtime Pacers PR director, dies at 67, Irving: Need to scale back self-imposed pressure, Jokic sixth player in 100 career triple-double club, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, Meet the man scouring Nigeria for the next generation of NBA and NFL talent, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas. You might have seen the articles being passed around over the last several weeks. In fact, he owns three of the top four such streaks. -- Andrew Lopez, 1968-71 San Diego Rockets, 1971-72, 1981-84 Houston Rockets; 1972-73 Baltimore Bullets, 1973-74 Capital Bullets, 1974-81 Washington Bullets, The "Big E" made an immediate impact, averaging 28.4 points and 17.1 rebounds as a rookie in 1968-69. -- Friedell, 25.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.4 3s PG, Known for his unyielding work ethic and full-fledged commitment to master his craft above all else, Bryant and his "Mamba Mentality" set the standard for scores of players hoping to make a mark on the game. After rupturing his in January 1992, Wilkins was ready for the following year and averaged 29.9 points. Stats: 26.4 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 3.0 APG in 11 seasons with Milwaukee/St. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, two-time NBA champion. -- Tim Bontemps, Lillard has a shooting range that rivals Stephen Curry's and has become one of the most clutch players in the game -- his series-ending daggers over the Rockets and OKC come to mind. Gamecast; Preview; Vermont Catamounts vs Bryant Bulldogs Stats . 1. Stats: 20.6 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.3 BPG in 19 NBA seasons with Buffalo Braves (1976-77), Houston Rockets (1976-77 to 1981-82), Philadelphia 76ers (1982-83 to 1985-86; 1993-94), Washington Bullets (1986-87 to 1987-88), Atlanta Hawks (1988-89 to 1990-91), Milwaukee Bucks (1991-92 to 1992-93) and San Antonio Spurs (1994-95); also played two ABA seasons with Utah Stars (1974-75) and Spirits of St. Louis (1975-76). Then our ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, with voting based on both peak . Northwestern State Lady Demons . Stats: 24.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.6 APG in nine seasons with Portland Trail Blazers (2012-13 to 2020-21)*. Stats: 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG in 13 seasons with Boston Celtics (1956-57 to 1968-69). ESPN's NBA expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head player matchups, taking into consideration the quality and quantity of their NBA contributions. On March 12, 1985, Larry Bird put on a shooting clinic for the ages, scoring a Celtics-record 60 points in a game against the Atlanta Hawks. He played like a swingman, shooting midrange shots and becoming just one of three players in NBA history to have at least 20,000 career points, 10,000 career rebounds and 5,000 career assists. Julius Erving. Stats: 17.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG in 11 seasons with Washington Capitols (1950-51) and Boston Celtics (1951-52 to 1960-61). -- Youngmisuk, 1958-60 Minneapolis Lakers, 1960-72 Los Angeles Lakers, Before the slam dunk became synonymous with the sport, Baylor -- a smooth, 6-foot-5 forward with a knack for scoring -- made a habit of breathing the rare air above the rim. Off it, he was always one of the league's biggest enigmas. Those qualities also helped him earn five MVP awards and 11 All-NBA selections. Give me a break. The man they call "The Human Highlight Film" was one of the greatest dunkers of all time. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, 1992-93 MVP, 1991 All-Star MVP, 1986-87 rebounding champ. He's so clutch that his performance in the final stretches of games has garnered its own nickname: Dame Time. 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