The NBA has been around since the middle of 1946 but has only recently exploded as a thriving professional sport. The players have become bigger, faster, and stronger over the years, which has made for some of the best basketball ever seen by fans. There are a lot of NBA legends that have played throughout the years and it’s hard to rank these greats among each other, but here is a shortlist of the ten best players to have ever played in the NBA.
Top 10 Greatest NBA Players of All Time
Who is the best NBA player of all time? Over the course of their careers, many NBA players have risen to the top and claimed themselves as one of the best in the league. Some of these players include Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Wilt Chamberlain. This article will explore the best top 10 NBA players in history and what made them so great.
1. Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan takes the number one spot as the best basketball player of all time. He’s a winner, a champion, an MVP, and a team owner.
Jordan was born in Fort Greene, America, and spent his childhood in a place called Wilmington in the state of North Carolina. He was the son of James and Deloris Jordan. His father was a mechanic, and his mother worked as a bank teller.
The greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan, has been called many things by many different people throughout the world of basketball. The greatest, the best, the legend, the man, His Airness, and of course, “His Royal Airness” are all titles that have been used to describe the man known simply as Michael Jordan.
Michael Jordan is arguably one of the best basketball players of all time. He played for the Chicago Bulls for 13 years, winning six NBA championships.
2. Bill Russell
When you’re talking about the best basketball players who have ever lived, you have to include a guy like Bill Russell, who was not just one of the greatest players of all time, but also one of the greatest winners of all time. It’s never been argued that Russell is top 10, but where he fits into the top 10 is constantly debated by basketball fans and experts.
Bill Russell was played for the Boston Celtics for his 13-year entire career from 1956 to 1969. He won 11 championships and was the first black player to win an NBA championship. He is considered one of the greatest players in the history of basketball.
He was drafted as the second overall in the first round by the St. Louis Hawks. People thought that it was a bad idea, since he was too slow, to take another shot at him. This is the first time a black basketball player was ever drafted in the NBA. Besides that, Bill Russell is a very good defensive center player. He is a player that will not let you advance without him fighting you the whole way. He is a player that will run through walls to get the ball for blocking shots.
3. LeBron James
The son of Gloria Marie and Anthony McClelland, LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player. He has three children: two sons Bronny and Bryce, and a daughter Zhuri. LeBron played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
A famous basketball player, LeBron James was born in Akron, Ohio. He began playing basketball in second grade and continued to play until high school. In 2003, LeBron James was named the Naismith High School Player of the Year and was named to the all-state first team in Ohio. He is the winner of four NBA championships, and four NBA Finals MVPs.
4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
One of the top 10 best NBA players in NBA history, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was born to Cora Lillian and Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr. in New York. He was the NBA’s all-time leading scorer until he was surpassed by Michael Jordan. He was a basketball sensation while in high school, leading Power Memorial Academy to 71 straight victories, and was named MVP of the New York City Catholic High School Athletic Association. Abdul-Jabbar went on to star for the UCLA Bruins, leading them to three straight NCAA titles (1967-69). Abdul-Jabbar, who was named 3 times the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA tournament in 1967, 1968, and 1969. Also won a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.
In honor of his playing career, here is a list of Abdul-Jabbar’s NBA career accomplishments: 6 times NBA champion, 2 times NBA Finals MVP, 6 times NBA Most Valuable Player, 19 times NBA All-Star, 10 times All-NBA First Team.
5. Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson was born on 14 August 1959 in Lansing, Michigan. He was purchased by the Los Angeles Lakers as the first overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. Johnson started playing basketball when he was young and was even given the nickname “Magic” by his teacher because of his passing skills for basketball. Johnson played for the Lakers for the next 13 years (1979–1991), helping them win five championships. After he retired from basketball, he founded the Magic Johnson Foundation in 1991, which helps HIV/AIDS-infected children.
Earvin Magic Johnson is widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He won championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in both the NBA Finals and the World Championship in his rookie year, becoming the first rookie to do so.
6. Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional NBA player. He has won five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe Bryant is the second-youngest player to play in the NBA at the age of 18 years. He has been selected to play in 4 All-Star Games MVP. Kobe Bryant played his entire 20 years career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.
He is often referred to as the “Black Mamba”, due to his highly aggressive style of play. Bryant is a two-time NBA Finals MVP, and 18 times NBA All-Star. He has also been named to eleven All-NBA first teams and nine All-Defensive first teams. As of the end of 2008, Bryant was the most valuable player in the NBA.
7. Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain was played for the Harlem Globetrotters, San Francisco Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Los Angeles Lakers. Chamberlain was born on 21 August 1936 in Philadelphia.
Chamberlain was the first player in NBA history to score 100 points in a single game. He was also the first player in NBA history to earn at least $100,000 a year, and the first player in basketball to break the 3,000 points barrier.
At 7’1″, Wilt Chamberlain towered over the competition. He dunked so powerfully that he caused the rims to break during games. His records for the highest career scoring average, most rebounds in a single game, and most rebounds in a season remain unbroken.
8. Larry Bird
Larry Bird is a retired American professional basketball player who played for the Boston Celtics from 1979 to 1992. The 6’9″ small forward is widely considered one of the best basketball players of all time, as well as one of the greatest players of all time.
He was a 3 times NBA Champion and 2 times NBA finals MVP, and his number 33 hangs in the rafters at the Celtics’ home arena. In 1998, Larry was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
9. Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal is one of the best players in the history of the NBA. He has won four NBA titles in his career and has been to the NBA finals five times. He was a 15 times NBA All-Star and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2000. He was awarded 3 times NBA All-Star Games MVP, and he scored 28,596 career points in all-time. He was also a member of the United States Olympic Team in 1996.
10. Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan is played his entire 19 years career for the San Antonio Spurs. He is the most successful basketball player of his era. Tim Duncan has been named to an All-NBA first team 10 times and has been the MVP of the NBA Finals three times. He has a reputation for being a defensive specialist, awarded 15 times NBA All-Star.
The 6 feet 11 inches player, Duncan is a five-times NBA champion. He was a power forward and center. He was born on 25 April 1976 in Saint Croix, US Virgin Islands.
Our Special Honor as a Greatest NBA Players
Oscar Robertson
It might be more accurate to say that Oscar Robertson is the best basketball player of all time. His combination of talent and skill helped to shape the game as we know it. He invented the head fake and the fadeaway jump shot, and his incredible passing ability, his triple-double ability helped him score a total of 26,710 points in his career, 9,003 more than Magic Johnson.
In summary, these players had the best performance in their position in history. For any basketball fan, their list of the “Top 10 Best NBA Players of All Time” would include many different names. Some teams have been lucky to have a player that stays on the team for years and has a great career there. Other players may get traded from team to team and have shorter careers but are still remembered by fans even if they’re not playing anymore. We have listed above the top 10 best American former professional basketball players. If you have any questions about the post, you can ask in the comment section below.
