Rankings
50 Greatest Basketball Players Ever
The NBA and basketball's all-time finest players ranked.
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| # | Athlete | Sport | Why They Rank Here |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Jordan American · b.1963 |
Basketball | Six-time NBA champion and universally regarded as the greatest basketball player… |
| 2 | LeBron James American · b.1984 |
Basketball | The NBA's all-time leading scorer with over 40,000 points and four-time champion… |
| 3 | Kobe Bryant American · b.1978 |
Basketball | Five-time NBA champion and Lakers legend whose Mamba Mentality and 81-point game… |
| 4 | Magic Johnson American · b.1959 |
Basketball | Five-time NBA champion who revolutionised the point guard position and sparked t… |
| 5 | Larry Bird American · b.1956 |
Basketball | Boston Celtics legend and three-time champion whose rivalry with Magic Johnson r… |
| 6 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar American · b.1947 |
Basketball | The NBA's all-time scorer before LeBron — six-time champion and inventor of the … |
| 7 | Shaquille O'Neal American · b.1972 |
Basketball | The most physically dominant player in NBA history — four-time champion whose sh… |
| 8 | Stephen Curry American · b.1988 |
Basketball | Golden State Warriors' revolutionary shooter — unanimous MVP, four-time champion… |
| 9 | Kevin Durant American · b.1988 |
Basketball | Two-time NBA champion and one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history — a 7-… |
| 10 | Wilt Chamberlain American · b.1936 |
Basketball | The most statistically dominant player in NBA history — scored 100 points in a s… |
| 11 | Scottie Pippen American · b.1965 |
Basketball | Michael Jordan's indispensable partner in Chicago — six-time champion and member… |
| 12 | Hakeem Olajuwon Nigerian/American · b.1963 |
Basketball | Nigeria-born champion widely considered the finest centre of the 1990s and the g… |
| 13 | Charles Barkley American · b.1963 |
Basketball | The Round Mound of Rebound — NBA MVP in 1993 and one of the most dominant power … |
| 14 | Hakeem Olajuwon Nigerian/American · b.1963 |
Basketball | Dream — two-time champion and owner of the most refined post game in NBA history… |
| 15 | Giannis Antetokounmpo Greek · b.1994 |
Basketball | The Greek Freak — two-time MVP and 2021 NBA champion whose transformation from u… |
| 16 | Dirk Nowitzki German · b.1978 |
Basketball | Germany's greatest basketball player — MVP and champion with the Dallas Maverick… |
| 17 | James Harden American · b.1989 |
Basketball | Houston's offensive juggernaut — scoring champion and MVP whose beard became as … |
| 18 | Russell Westbrook American · b.1988 |
Basketball | The most spectacular triple-double machine in NBA history — averaged a triple-do… |
| 19 | Chris Paul American · b.1985 |
Basketball | The Point God — considered one of the finest point guards in NBA history whose b… |
| 20 | Kawhi Leonard American · b.1991 |
Basketball | Silent assassin — two-time champion, two-time Finals MVP and two-time Defensive … |
| 21 | Oscar Robertson American · b.1938 |
Basketball | The Big O — the first player to average a triple-double for an entire season, Os… |
| 22 | Julius Erving American · b.1950 |
Basketball | Dr J — the most creative offensive player in basketball history before Michael J… |
| 23 | Jerry West American · b.1938 |
Basketball | The Logo — his silhouette is the NBA logo, and his performances in 14 seasons wi… |
| 24 | Bill Russell American · b.1934 |
Basketball | The greatest winner in American team sports history — 11 NBA Championships in 13… |
| 25 | Bob Cousy American · b.1928 |
Basketball | The Houdini of the Hardwood — Bob Cousy's no-look passes, behind-the-back dribbl… |
| 26 | Elgin Baylor American · b.1934 |
Basketball | The player who invented modern basketball — Elgin Baylor's mid-air improvisation… |
| 27 | Moses Malone American · b.1955 |
Basketball | The greatest offensive rebounder in basketball history — Moses Malone won three … |
| 28 | Isiah Thomas American · b.1961 |
Basketball | The heart of the Bad Boy Pistons — two-time NBA champion whose leadership of Det… |
| 29 | Dominique Wilkins American · b.1960 |
Basketball | The Human Highlight Reel — Dominique Wilkins' ferocious athleticism and spectacu… |
| 30 | Dennis Rodman American · b.1961 |
Basketball | The greatest rebounder of the modern era — five NBA championships with three dif… |
| 31 | Gary Payton American · b.1968 |
Basketball | The Glove — the greatest defensive point guard in NBA history, whose ferocious o… |
| 32 | Patrick Ewing American/Jamaican · b.1962 |
Basketball | The greatest player to never win an NBA Championship — Patrick Ewing's 17 season… |
| 33 | Bob Pettit American · b.1932 |
Basketball | The original power forward — the first player to score 20,000 NBA points and the… |
| 34 | John Stockton American · b.1962 |
Basketball | The all-time assists and steals leader — John Stockton's 15,806 assists and 3,26… |
| 35 | Karl Malone American · b.1963 |
Basketball | The Mailman — the second-highest scorer in NBA history with 36,928 points across… |
| 36 | Allen Iverson American · b.1975 |
Basketball | The Answer — the most explosive scorer ever at 6ft tall, whose 2001 MVP season, … |
| 37 | Clyde Drexler American · b.1962 |
Basketball | Clyde the Glide — one of the most complete guards in NBA history, whose explosiv… |
| 38 | David Robinson American · b.1965 |
Basketball | The Admiral — two-time NBA Champion with San Antonio, Navy veteran, scoring cham… |
| 39 | Dwyane Wade American · b.1982 |
Basketball | Flash — three-time NBA Champion and the most complete shooting guard of his era,… |
| 40 | Kevin Garnett American · b.1976 |
Basketball | The Big Ticket — the most intense defender of his era, one NBA Championship and … |
| 41 | Paul Pierce American · b.1977 |
Basketball | The Truth — one NBA Championship, Finals MVP and the greatest player in Boston C… |
| 42 | Reggie Miller American · b.1965 |
Basketball | The greatest clutch shooter in NBA history — Reggie Miller's eight points in nin… |
| 43 | Pete Maravich American · b.1947 |
Basketball | Pistol Pete — the most gifted ball-handler in basketball history, whose college … |
| 44 | Chris Bosh American · b.1984 |
Basketball | The underappreciated cornerstone of the Miami Heat dynasty — Chris Bosh's sacrif… |
| 45 | Tony Parker French · b.1982 |
Basketball | The most successful European point guard in NBA history — four championships wit… |
| 46 | Manu Ginobili Argentine · b.1977 |
Basketball | The greatest sixth man in NBA history — Manu Ginobili's creative genius, fearles… |
| 47 | Tim Duncan American · b.1976 |
Basketball | The Big Fundamental — five NBA Championships, two Finals MVP awards and the most… |