My Top 10 NBA Players of All Time: 1-5
Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images
Iowa City, IA (PSF)- Throughout the NBA’s existence, fans have been gifted with some of the best talents they could ever possibly see over the years, dating back to Bill Russell and his 11 NBA championships to Magic Johnson and the ShowTime Lakers all the way past Jordan Bulls to the Warriors dynasty.
The best part of seeing all these players perform over time is that we, as fans, get to talk amongst our peers and argue about who is the greatest player of all time. After giving some thought and making difficult decisions on who would get left off my list, I also would like to emphasize that this is a subjective list. So, here are my top five NBA players of all time.
5. Steph Curry
Accomplishments: 24.5 points (per game), 6.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds, two-time MVP, one-time Finals MVP, four-time NBA Champion, eight-time All-Star, all-time leader in three-pointers made
Steph Curry changed the game for the better with his three-point shooting ability. Curry became the first unanimous MVP in 2016. The underrated part of his game is on the defensive end. His career defensive rating is 107.2 showing he can play solid defense. Curry’s handles are also one of the best of all time, if not the best. He is undoubtedly the greatest shooter of all time, but he can do it all on both ends.
4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Accomplishments: 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.6 blocks, Rookie of the Year, six-time MVP, two-time Finals MVP, six-time NBA Champion, 19-time All-Star, Hall of Fame Class of 1995
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar still might have the most unguardable shot of all time in the Skyhook shot. Abdul-Jabbar dominated at every level, from high school up to the NBA. Abdul-Jabbar played 20 seasons, becoming the all-time leading scorer in 1984, which will stand until LeBron James scores 63 more points to put Abdul-Jabbar down to number two on the record books.
3. Kobe Bryant
Accomplishments: 25 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.4 steals, one-time MVP, two-time Finals MVP, five-time NBA Champion, 18-time All-Star, Hall of Fame Class of 2020.
The 2000s were Kobe Bryant’s decade. I see talks about how LeBron went to eight straight NBA finals, and Jordan won six in the 1990s, but Bryant went to seven of ten NBA Finals in the 2000s, winning five of them.
Bryant should have more than just one MVP, specifically in 2006 when Steve Nash won it over him, but MVPs shouldn’t matter as much in the debate for who’s the greatest. Some critics won’t have Bryant this high because he was never the greatest at his position, but I disagree with that narrative.
Getty Images
2. LeBron James
Accomplishments: 27.2 Points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.5 steals, Rookie of the Year, four-time MVP, four-time Finals MVP, four-time NBA Champion
James is just 63 points away from passing Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time leader in points. That achievement by James still has him second all-time on my list. James has made it to eight straight NBA Finals but only won three titles in that span and has a record of 4-6 in the Finals overall. Nevertheless, James is top-ten in almost all the major stat categories, so it’s hard not to have him in the top two.
If James continues to play and wins another title, he might surpass Jordan.
1. Michael Jordan
30.1 Points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, five-time MVP, six-time Finals MVP, six-time NBA Champion, Hall of Fame Class of 2009.
Michael Jeffery Jordan has set the standard for being the ultimate winner. His influence on Bryant and James is why those players are the way they are today. Jordan’s best season arguably was in 1988, when he became the first player to win MVP and DPOY in the same season averaging 35 points, six assists, six rebounds, and 1.6 blocks.
There are arguments that if Jordan didn’t retire the first time, he would have two more rings at least. The craziest part about Jordan, but also probably what separated him from the rest, was his desire to win at any cost, even if that meant potentially faking a narrative to motivate himself.
Next week, I will finish this list going from 6-10!