JohnnyMax
10-08-2016, 12:35 PM
25 Charles Barkley
Chuck was a logical paradox -- a "6-foot-6" power forward with a taste for McDonald's who actually stood just 6-foot-4 yet somehow gobbled up boards to the point that he earned the nickname "The Round Mound of Rebound."
24 Elgin Baylor
This list will tend to skew toward the modern era, because the level of competition you played against matters as well. But Baylor was so outstanding with the Lakers that it's impossible to hold his era against him.
23 Reggie Miller
One of the greatest shooters and scorers ever -- and a guy who's overrated thanks to a couple of high-profile playoff moments against the Knicks.
22 Kevin Durant
If Durant wins a ring (or, more likely, multiple rings), will people forgive him for helping to form one of the NBA's most egregious superteam? Yeah, probably. People love championships.
21 Dirk Nowitzki
If for no other reason than leading the Mavs to their title over LeBron's Heat, Dirk has to be in the top 25. His reign as the best-shooting big man of all-time solidifies his standing.
20 John Stockton
"Longevity without dominance or rings": the John Stockton story.
19 Karl Malone
The John Stockton story is also the Karl Malone story, conveniently enough. Bonus points to the Mailman for being one of the few NBA players to fix his free-throw shooting over his career.
18 Kevin Garnett
Perhaps the first surprising name on this list, KG checks off dominance (particularly on defense, where he might somehow be underrated these days) and championships.
17 Dwyane Wade
Old Wade is a player trying to f!ght against age and the rising tide of 3-point shooting in the league. Young Wade was one of the greatest scorers ever.
16 Scottie Pippen
A man who sacrificed glory for the sake of the team. No one outside of LeBron James can touch Pippen's versatility, and his defense was second-to-none.
15 Julius Erving
Dr. J made his reputation as a scorer and high-flyer, which is kind of a shame. He was a fantastic playmaker and all-around player as well. When you're that good around the rim, though, that's what people remember.
14 Jerry West
He's the Logo, after all.
13 David Robinson
Maybe the most underrated player in NBA history.
12 Kobe Bryant
Nothing I can say here will change your mind about where Kobe stands as an all-timer. Let's just move on.
11 Oscar Robertson
If Robinson is the most underrated player in basketball, Robertson is the most overlooked. You can point to the different pace of the game and all the context you want; the fact of the matter is the man averaged a triple-double in a season, which is absolutely ridiculous.
10 Hakeem Olajuwon
Olajuwon had kind of an odd career, peaking as an all-around player in his 30s. Prime Olajuwon was a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the floor. If he played today, he'd give LeBron a run for his money as the best player in the game.
9 Larry Bird
Inside the top 10, we're really splitting hairs. Bird is a bit lower in my book than he might be in others because of the injuries -- and because he didn't revolutionize the game the way Steph Curry is these days. Yes, I penalize Bird for not taking more 3s. Deal with it.
8 Wilt Chamberlain
As I briefly mentioned in ranking Elgin Baylor, your competition matters when we're talking about dominance. Wilt was undoubtedly one of the three most dominant players ever, but he played in a weaker era -- and he couldn't overcome his nemesis.
7 Bill Russell
I used to have Russell in my top three. I've recently had a bit of a "Come to Jesus" moment about the game in its early days, however, and I can no longer in good conscience have Russell ahead of the modern stars in the top six here. If you want to claim he's a top-three player, though, I'm down with that.
6 Magic Johnson
Had Magic not retired early, he'd be the second-best player ever.
5 Tim Duncan
Duncan defined one of basketball's most successful franchises for almost 20 years. From the moment he stepped into the NBA, he was one of its best players. And while most people won't a.ssociate Timmy with dominance, that's only because we're looking at the wrong end of the floor. He was the driving force behind some of the greatest defenses in history. In a game that's often decided by the sum of your errors, Duncan rarely made mistakes.
4 Shaquille O'Neal
I understand the arguments against Shaq being even a top-10 player. He took entire seasons off. He was rarely in shape after he won his first championships. And he poisoned locker rooms.
With the caveat that I never watched Wilt Chamberlain, however, Shaq was the single most dominant player I've seen. His ability to pulverize the opposition makes him one of the very, very best in my book.
3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The all-time leading scorer is famous for his longevity and all the records that came with a storied career. I'm just afraid we ignore Cap's dominance because of his 20 seasons in the league. He was the definition of unstoppable.
2 LeBron James
Leading the Cavs back from a 3-1 deficit cemented LeBron's status as the second-best player in NBA history. No one has ever come close to combining his dominance, versatility, and intelligence into one package. It seems absurd to say right now, but LeBron might end up making 10 straight Finals appearances. Hate on him if you want, but only one player can claim to be greater.
1 Michael Jordan
The GOAT.
http://www.foxsports.com/nba/gallery/ranking-the-25-greatest-players-in-nba-history-100716
Chuck was a logical paradox -- a "6-foot-6" power forward with a taste for McDonald's who actually stood just 6-foot-4 yet somehow gobbled up boards to the point that he earned the nickname "The Round Mound of Rebound."
24 Elgin Baylor
This list will tend to skew toward the modern era, because the level of competition you played against matters as well. But Baylor was so outstanding with the Lakers that it's impossible to hold his era against him.
23 Reggie Miller
One of the greatest shooters and scorers ever -- and a guy who's overrated thanks to a couple of high-profile playoff moments against the Knicks.
22 Kevin Durant
If Durant wins a ring (or, more likely, multiple rings), will people forgive him for helping to form one of the NBA's most egregious superteam? Yeah, probably. People love championships.
21 Dirk Nowitzki
If for no other reason than leading the Mavs to their title over LeBron's Heat, Dirk has to be in the top 25. His reign as the best-shooting big man of all-time solidifies his standing.
20 John Stockton
"Longevity without dominance or rings": the John Stockton story.
19 Karl Malone
The John Stockton story is also the Karl Malone story, conveniently enough. Bonus points to the Mailman for being one of the few NBA players to fix his free-throw shooting over his career.
18 Kevin Garnett
Perhaps the first surprising name on this list, KG checks off dominance (particularly on defense, where he might somehow be underrated these days) and championships.
17 Dwyane Wade
Old Wade is a player trying to f!ght against age and the rising tide of 3-point shooting in the league. Young Wade was one of the greatest scorers ever.
16 Scottie Pippen
A man who sacrificed glory for the sake of the team. No one outside of LeBron James can touch Pippen's versatility, and his defense was second-to-none.
15 Julius Erving
Dr. J made his reputation as a scorer and high-flyer, which is kind of a shame. He was a fantastic playmaker and all-around player as well. When you're that good around the rim, though, that's what people remember.
14 Jerry West
He's the Logo, after all.
13 David Robinson
Maybe the most underrated player in NBA history.
12 Kobe Bryant
Nothing I can say here will change your mind about where Kobe stands as an all-timer. Let's just move on.
11 Oscar Robertson
If Robinson is the most underrated player in basketball, Robertson is the most overlooked. You can point to the different pace of the game and all the context you want; the fact of the matter is the man averaged a triple-double in a season, which is absolutely ridiculous.
10 Hakeem Olajuwon
Olajuwon had kind of an odd career, peaking as an all-around player in his 30s. Prime Olajuwon was a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the floor. If he played today, he'd give LeBron a run for his money as the best player in the game.
9 Larry Bird
Inside the top 10, we're really splitting hairs. Bird is a bit lower in my book than he might be in others because of the injuries -- and because he didn't revolutionize the game the way Steph Curry is these days. Yes, I penalize Bird for not taking more 3s. Deal with it.
8 Wilt Chamberlain
As I briefly mentioned in ranking Elgin Baylor, your competition matters when we're talking about dominance. Wilt was undoubtedly one of the three most dominant players ever, but he played in a weaker era -- and he couldn't overcome his nemesis.
7 Bill Russell
I used to have Russell in my top three. I've recently had a bit of a "Come to Jesus" moment about the game in its early days, however, and I can no longer in good conscience have Russell ahead of the modern stars in the top six here. If you want to claim he's a top-three player, though, I'm down with that.
6 Magic Johnson
Had Magic not retired early, he'd be the second-best player ever.
5 Tim Duncan
Duncan defined one of basketball's most successful franchises for almost 20 years. From the moment he stepped into the NBA, he was one of its best players. And while most people won't a.ssociate Timmy with dominance, that's only because we're looking at the wrong end of the floor. He was the driving force behind some of the greatest defenses in history. In a game that's often decided by the sum of your errors, Duncan rarely made mistakes.
4 Shaquille O'Neal
I understand the arguments against Shaq being even a top-10 player. He took entire seasons off. He was rarely in shape after he won his first championships. And he poisoned locker rooms.
With the caveat that I never watched Wilt Chamberlain, however, Shaq was the single most dominant player I've seen. His ability to pulverize the opposition makes him one of the very, very best in my book.
3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The all-time leading scorer is famous for his longevity and all the records that came with a storied career. I'm just afraid we ignore Cap's dominance because of his 20 seasons in the league. He was the definition of unstoppable.
2 LeBron James
Leading the Cavs back from a 3-1 deficit cemented LeBron's status as the second-best player in NBA history. No one has ever come close to combining his dominance, versatility, and intelligence into one package. It seems absurd to say right now, but LeBron might end up making 10 straight Finals appearances. Hate on him if you want, but only one player can claim to be greater.
1 Michael Jordan
The GOAT.
http://www.foxsports.com/nba/gallery/ranking-the-25-greatest-players-in-nba-history-100716