30 best NBA players of all time: The greatest hoopers ranked
Teams source new talent each season from the NBA Draft, Developmental leagues, and international scouting. These players remain influenced by revered champions and legends. The best NBA players of all time receive such high praise because of their achievements, skills, and impact on the sport.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Best NBA players of all time
- 1. Bill Russel
- 2. Michael Jordan
- 3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- 4. Scottie Pippen
- 5. Magic Johnson
- 6. Kobe Bryant
- 7. Tim Duncan
- 8. LeBron James
- 9. Shaquille O'Neal
- 10. Stephen Curry
- 11. Larry Bird
- 12. Stephen Curry
- 13. Dwyane Wade
- 14. Hakeem Olajuwon
- 15. Wilt Chamberlain
- 16. David Robinson
- 17. Kevin Durant
- 18. Isiah Thomas
- 19. Kawhi Leonard
- 20. Bob Pettit
- 21. Dirk Nowitzki
- 22. Kevin Garnett
- 23. Moses Malone
- 24. Jerry West
- 25. Julius Erving
- 26. Oscar Robertson
- 27. Giannis Antetokounmpo
- 28. Karl Malone
- 29. Elgin Baylor
- 30. Charles Barkley
- Who is statistically the best NBA player?
- Who are the best NBA players who never won a championship?
- Where does Kobe Bryant rank all-time?
We strive to provide factual and accurate information. As a result, we have used data from NBA career profiles, all-time stats records, official team websites, and other credible sources to rank each player by their achievements. While this list does not conclusively cover all the best NBA players, it includes some of the most notable players.
Best NBA players of all time
Who is the greatest NBA player ever? Good sportsmanship, top-notch performance, and a commitment to community and social change are the basic requirements for a player to receive such ranks. The hoopers in this list have set and broken standards of excellence in the sport.
| Player | Achievements |
| Bill Russel | 11 NBA Championships, 12 All-Stars, 4 NBA MVPs, 4 Sporting News MVPs |
| Michael Jordan | 6 NBA Championships, 11 All-NBAs, 5 NBA MVPs, 6 Finals MVPs |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 6 NBA Championships, 15 All-NBAs, 2 Finals MVPs, 2 Scoring-Champion |
| Scottie Pippen | 6 NBA Championships, 7 All-NBAs, 10 All-Defensives, 7 All-Stars |
| Magic Johnson | 5 NBA Championships, 3 NBA MVPs, 3 Finals MVPs |
| Kobe Bryant | 5 NBA Championships, 4 AS MVPs, 15 ALL-NBAs, 2 Scoring-Champion |
| Tim Duncan | 5 NBA Championships, 3 Finals MVP, 15 All-Stars |
| LeBron James | 4 NBA Championships, 20 All-NBAs, 4 NBA MVPs, 4 Finals MVPs |
| Shaquille O'Neal | 4 NBA Championships, 2 Scoring-Champion, 14 All-NBAs, 3 AS MVPs, 3 Finals MVPs |
| Stephen Curry | 4 NBA Championships, 10 All-NBAs, 2 NBA MVPs, 2 Scoring-Champion |
| Larry Bird | 3 NBA Championships, 3 NBA MVPs, 12 All-Stars, 3 3-point Champion |
| Dwyane Wade | 3 NBA Championships, 1 Finals MVP, 13 All-Stars, 8 All-NBAs |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | 2 NBA Championships, 3 BLK Champions, 2 TRB Champions, 12 All-NBAs, 2 Finals MVPs |
| Wilt Chamberlain | 2 NBA Championships, 4 NBA MVPs, 1 Finals MVP, 12 All-Stars |
| David Robinson | 2 NBA Championships, 1 NBA MVP, 10 All-Stars |
| Kevin Durant | 2 NBA Championships, 4 Scoring-Champion, 14 All-Stars, 11 All-NBAs, 2 AS MVPs |
| Isiah Thomas | 2 NBA Championships, 1 AST Champion, 12 All-Stars, 5 All-NBAs |
| Kahwi Leonard | 2 NBA Championships, 2 Finals MVPs, 1 AS MVP, 6 All-NBAs, 6 All-NBAs |
| Bob Pettit | 1 NBA Championship, 2 NBA MVPs, 4 AS MVPs, 2 Scoring-Champion |
| Dirk Nowitzki | 1 NBA Championship, 1 NBA MVP, 1 Finals MVP |
| Kevin Garnett | 1 NBA Championship, 1 AS MVP, 4 TRB Champions, 1 NBA MVP |
| Moses Malone | 1 NBA Championship, 3 NBA MVPs, 1 Finals MVP, 6 TRB Champions |
| Jerry West | 1 NBA Championship, 14 All-Stars, 12 All-NBAs, 5 All-Defensives |
| Julius Erving | 1 NBA Championship, 2 ABA Championships, 2 AS MVPs, 4 NBA MVPs, 16 All-Stars |
| Oscar Robertson | 1 NBA Championship, 1 NBA MVP, 3 AS MVPs, 11 All-NBAs, 12 All-Stars |
1. Bill Russel
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- Full name: William Felton Russell
- Date of birth: 12 February 1934
- Place of birth: West Monroe, Louisiana, USA
- Date of death: 31 July 2022
The Celtics' centre led his team to eight consecutive NBA Championships between 1959 and 1966, out of eleven Championships. He is a 12-time All-Star, 5-time MVP, and 2-time NCAA Champion who won the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award.
2. Michael Jordan
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- Full name: Michael Jeffrey Jordan
- Date of birth: 17 February 1963
- Place of birth: Fort Greene, Brooklyn, USA
- Age: 60 years (as of 2024)
Who is the GOAT of basketball? Jordan began his reign with the 1982 NCAA title, which propelled Air Jordan towards NBA domination between 1984 and 2003. His achievements earned him entry into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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- Full name: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr.)
- Date of birth: 16 April 1947
- Place of birth: Harlem, New York, USA
- Age: 77 years (as of 2024)
In April 1984, Kareem set an all-time scoring record that remained unbroken until Lebron James broke it in February 2023. He had accumulated 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, and 3.6 APG at his retirement in 1,560 matches. As of 2024, he holds the highest record for field goals made (15,837) and the highest field goal percentage (55.9%).
4. Scottie Pippen
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- Full name: Scotty Maurice Pippen Sr.
- Date of birth: 25 September 1965
- Place of birth: Hamburg, Arkansas, USA
- Age: 59 years (as of 2024)
Pippen finished his 17-year career with an average of 16.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. His performance efforts, which led the Bulls to six NBA Championships, were recognised in 1996 when he was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history.
5. Magic Johnson
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- Full name: Earvin Johnson Jr.
- Date of birth: 14 August 1959
- Place of birth: Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Age: 65 years (as of 2024)
The former basketballer turned business mogul retired from the sport, still holding the record in assists. As a rookie, the point guard played in all five basketball positions during Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals, scoring 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, earning his team a 123-107 victory.
6. Kobe Bryant
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- Full name: Kobe Bean Bryant
- Date of birth: 23 August 1978
- Place of birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Date of death: 26 January 2020
Before his untimely death in 2020, Bryant had established himself as a formidable force on and off the court. Recognised as the 2016 Richest Entrepreneurs Under 40, Kobe retired in the same year, winning five NBA Championships, two Finals MVPs, 18 All-Stars, and four All-Star Game MVP titles.
7. Tim Duncan
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- Full name: Timothy Theodore Duncan
- Date of birth: 25 April 1976
- Place of birth: Saint Croix, USVI, USA
- Age: 48 years (as of 2024)
Tim Duncan, the Big Fundamental, is recognised as one of the best NBA defenders of all time. Although retired, he still holds the third-highest defensive rebounds (11,232) and the fifth-highest blocks (3,020) records. He also won two MVP, three Finals MVP and five Championship titles.
8. LeBron James
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- Full name: LeBron Raymone James Sr
- Date of birth: 30 December 1984
- Place of birth: Akron, Ohio, USA
- Age: 39 years (as of 2024)
Is LeBron the best player ever? As one of the greatest basketball players ever, LeBron James has bagged all the top accolades from the league.
At the time of writing, the 2007/08 Scoring Champion averages 23.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game. His 17.3 PIE guarantees his team's success on the court.
9. Shaquille O'Neal
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- Full name: Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal
- Date of birth: 6 March 1972
- Place of birth: Newark, New Jersey, USA
- Age: 52 years (as of 2024)
Standing over seven feet, Shaquille O'Neal, or The Big Aristotle and Shaq, was a defence force to reckon with. The fun-loving centre outperformed himself, earning a Rookie of the Year award in 1992 with the Lakers. Later, he teamed up with Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson to win three consecutive Finals MVP titles between 2000 and 2002.
10. Stephen Curry
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- Full name: Wardell Stephen Curry II
- Date of birth: 14 March 1988
- Place of birth: Akron, Ohio, USA
- Age: 36 years (as of 2024)
Curry is one of the best current NBA players. The four-time NBA and two-time scoring champions average 23.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 6.6 APG. He holds the record for the highest three-pointers in the sports league (3,779).
11. Larry Bird
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- Full name: Larry Joe Bird
- Date of birth: 7 December 1956
- Place of birth: West Baden Springs, Indiana, USA
- Age: 67 years (as of 2024)
Bird is widely regarded as the best white NBA player of all time. After retiring from active play, he joined coaching and executive teams, where he won MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year in NBA history.
12. Stephen Curry
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- Full name: Wardell Stephen Curry II
- Date of birth: 14 March 1988
- Place of birth: Akron, Ohio, USA
- Age: 36 years (as of 2024)
Curry is one of the best current NBA players. The four-time NBA and two-time scoring champions average 23.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 6.6 APG. He holds the record for the highest three-pointers in the sports league (3,779).
13. Dwyane Wade
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- Full name: Dwyane Wade
- Date of birth: 17 January 1982
- Place of birth: Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Age: 42 years (as of 2024)
Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. is a former basketball player who won three NBA Championships. He has also won 13 All-Stars, one Finals MVP, and an Olympic gold medal.
14. Hakeem Olajuwon
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- Full name: Hakeem (Akeem) Abdul Olajuwon
- Date of birth: 21 January 1963
- Place of birth: Lagos, Nigeria
- Age: 61 years (as of 2024)
Lago-born centre Hakeem Olajuwon began his NBA career in 1984 after leading the University of Houston Cougars to three successive Final Four appearances. In the NBA, he led the Houston Rockets' consecutive wins during the 1994 and 1995 Championship titles. He is a 12-time All-Star, 2-time rebound leader and 3-time blocks leader.
15. Wilt Chamberlain
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- Full name: Wilton Norman Chamberlain
- Date of birth: 21 August 1936
- Place of birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Date of death: 12 October 1999
Chamberlain is a 13-time NBA All-Star who began his career as the highest-scoring rookie, averaging 37.6 points per game. When he retired in 1972, he was an all-time stats leader with 31,419 points and 23,924 rebounds. Other records include the most points set in a single game and the most consecutive field goals, with an average of 50.4 PPG.
16. David Robinson
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- Full name: David Maurice Robinson
- Date of birth: 6 August 1965
- Place of birth: Key West, Florida, USA
- Age: 59 years (as of 2024)
In 2002, Robinson hung his boots with an average of 21.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 3 blocks per game. The Admiral is a 2-time NBA Champion, 3-time Olympic gold medallist, and 10-time NBA All-Star.
17. Kevin Durant
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- Full name: Kevin Wayne Durant
- Date of birth: 29 September 1988
- Place of birth: Harlem, New York, USA
- Age: 36 years (as of 2024)
Durant is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and the USA men's basketball team's only leading point scorer ever. The Phoenix Suns forward averages 27.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 3.4 APG.
18. Isiah Thomas
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- Full name: Isiah Lord Thomas III
- Date of birth: 30 April 1961
- Place of birth: Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Age: 63 years (as of 2024)
Like Charles Barkley, Isiah Lord Thomas III completed a 13-year career in the league as a basketball player before pursuing related jobs in coaching and punditry. The Hall of Famer, who serves as an analyst for NBA TV, is a 12-time All-Star and a 2-time Champion.
19. Kawhi Leonard
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- Full name: Kawhi Anthony Leonard
- Date of birth: 29 June 1991
- Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, USA
- Age: 33 years (as of 2024)
Leonard is one of the best NBA defenders right now. He made a name for himself with the Raptors when he won back-to-back two straight defensive Player of the Year awards.
20. Bob Pettit
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- Full name: Robert Lee Pettit Jr.
- Date of birth: 12 December 1932
- Place of birth: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
- Age: 91 years (as of 2024)
Robert Lee Pettit Jr played 11 seasons in the league with the St. Louis Hawks from 1954 to 1965. His fame skyrocketed in 1956 and 1959 when he became the first recipient of the league's MVP award.
21. Dirk Nowitzki
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- Full name: Dirk Werner Nowitzki
- Date of birth: 19 June 1978
- Place of birth: Würzburg, Germany
- Age: 46 years (as of 2024)
Dirk is arguably the best European player to grace the league. He led the team to an NBA championship in 2011 and was named Finals MVP in the same year. At the time of this writing, the 2007 NBA MVP still has standing records among the top ten NBA stat leaders.
22. Kevin Garnett
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- Full name: Kevin Maurice Garnett
- Date of birth: 19 May 1976
- Place of birth: Greenville, South Carolina, USA
- Age: 48 years (as of 2024)
Garnett is a former professional basketball player who played for 21 seasons before retiring. He is one of five players to have won both an MVP and a DPOY award in the same season.
23. Moses Malone
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- Full name: Moses Eugene Malone Sr.
- Date of birth: 23 March 1955
- Place of birth: Petersburg, Virginia, USA
- Date of death: 13 September 2015
Malone is among the few who dominated the ABA and NBA straight out of high school. He retired with a stockpile of hardware, including the 1983 Championship and 3 MVP titles.
24. Jerry West
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- Full name: Jerry Alan West
- Date of birth: 28 May 1938
- Place of birth: Chelyan, West Virginia, USA
- Date of death: 12 June 2024
Jerry West, a 3-time Hall of Famer, remains enshrined as the silhouette of the NBA logo. West's records include the third-highest points scored (25,192), second-highest free throws (7,160), and fifth-highest assists (6,238).
25. Julius Erving
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- Full name: Julius Winfield Erving II
- Date of birth: 22 February 1950
- Place of birth: East Meadow, New York, USA
- Age: 74 years (as of 2024)
Before dominating the league, the small forward made a name for himself in the ABA, winning two MVPs and two Championships. After joining the NBA, he led the Philadelphia 76ers to the 1983 Championship and won 11 All-Star titles.
26. Oscar Robertson
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- Full name: Oscar Palmer Robertson
- Date of birth: 24 November 1938
- Place of birth: Charlotte, Tennessee, USA
- Age: 85 years (as of 2024)
In his 14-year career, the Big O averaged 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 9.5 APG while playing for the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks. His best statistical season came in 1961/62 when he averaged a triple-double for the entire season, a feat that remained unmatched until 2016/17.
27. Giannis Antetokounmpo
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- Full name: Giannis Sina Ugo Antetokounmpo
- Date of birth: 6 December 1994
- Place of birth: Athens, Greece
- Age: 29 years (as of 2024)
At the time of writing, Giannis has amassed an average of 30.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game. With a 20-point PIE, it is no surprise that the power forward led his team, the Milwaukee Bucks, to the 2021 NBA Championship.
28. Karl Malone
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- Full name: Karl Anthony Malone
- Date of birth: 24 July 1963
- Place of birth: Summerfield, Louisiana, USA
- Age: 61 years (as of 2024)
Even years after his retirement, the two-time NBA MVP still features heavily among the NBA's stats leaders. He has the seventh-highest games played (1,476), third-highest points (36,928), second-highest defensive rebounds (11,406), third-highest field goals made (13,528), and highest free throws attempted (9,787).
29. Elgin Baylor
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- Full name: Elgin Gay Baylor
- Date of birth: 16 September 1934
- Place of birth: Washington, D.C., USA
- Date of death: 22 March 2021
Fondly referred to as Rabbit, Baylor ended his career in 1972 with an average of 27.4 points, 13.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. Despite leading the Lakers to eight NBA Finals, he retired without winning any championship rings.
30. Charles Barkley
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- Full name: Charles Wade Barkley
- Date of birth: 20 February 1963
- Place of birth: Harlem, New York, USA
- Age: 61 years (as of 2024)
Although he does not possess a Championship ring, Barkley has accomplished everything else the sport offers, from active play to TV coverage and analysis. The power forward won an All-Star MVP, an NBA MVP, and two Sporting News MVPs and is listed among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
Who is statistically the best NBA player?
LeBron James is the NBA's all-time scoring leader. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
Who are the best NBA players who never won a championship?
James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Chris Paul are among the many stars who are still waiting for an NBA championship win. Other retired players in this category include Eglin Baylor, Charles Barkley and John Stockton.
Where does Kobe Bryant rank all-time?
In a 2024 poll by the New York Times of 103 NBA players, Kobe Bryant was ranked third as the greatest basketball player of all time, behind Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Other high-ranking players are Steph Curry and Magic Johnson.
The debate on the best NBA players of all time has sparked endless controversies among basketball fans. However, fans, analysts, and up-and-coming players must consider each player's role and contribution to a team's success.
Legit.ng recently published an article on the richest NBA players in the world. The National Basketball Association is one of the most popular and financially successful sporting organisations worldwide.
The wealthiest NBA players in the world have retired with millions earned from the sport. Learn more in this post.
Source: Legit.ng
