Recently, I’ve been seeing all-time ranking lists of players and thought it would be fun to make a list myself of the best players of all time. I know that this list could be better, and some players are interchangeable. Still, I tried to make the most comprehensive list based on my criteria without going into too much detail, or else people, including myself, would only want to read part of the article.

These rankings only account for the player’s performance and impact on the NBA court and not elsewhere, or else the player’s legacy gets too complicated (e.g., how to measure people shouting Kobe when throwing anything or Iverson’s impact on basketball apparel vs. Kobe’s shoe line).

I’m sure people will disagree with this list, and that’s fine, but if you want to challenge this list, please explain the criteria you’ve based your rankings on. If you want to say Scalabrine is one of the top 10 players of all time, at least explain why. He could be your favorite player of all time, which is fine. I would argue that this is a poor argument, but it is not incorrect since these rankings are all based on opinions.

Lastly, I hope you enjoy the reading. Note that I didn’t include some players because there were better players already who didn’t make this list. Also, all stats are according to the end of the 2023-2024 NBA Season, and no hypotheticals were included.

Here are the criteria that I’ve based my list:

Achievements: MVP, FMVP, DPOY, All-NBA Team, All-Defensive Team, Career Stats

Note: I was hesitant to put All-Star appearances because it’s more of a popularity contest of who the fans want to see, but since all of these players are all at least 10x All-Star, it didn’t really matter.

International Success was omitted as none of the non-USA players won gold at the Olympics

College career was not included as it’s unfair to punish players who skipped college to play with tougher competition earlier in their careers

Skillset & Attribute: If a player perfected a skill where the opponents knew it was coming but still couldn’t stop it or no one else could master it (e.g., Kareem’s sky hook) or if the move was too dominant that the league had to make rule changes (e.g., Durant’s rip-through) it should be praised.

Longevity: This ties in with career stats but accounts for more with years playing at an elite level. Players who played more years at an elite level should also be praised.

Winning: Yes, the NBA’s goal is to win the Finals, but since basketball is a team sport and one player can’t really carry a team to a championship (Lebron was probably the closest in 2007), I didn’t make winning that big of a factor. Also, players who played closer to the inception of the NBA had an advantage. Theoretically, having fewer teams in the league makes it easier to win the championship.

Tier 1: You could make a case for either player here based on your criteria. I won’t argue with you, but I have this based on my criteria.

1. Michael Jordan – 5x MVP, 6x FMVP, 11x All-NBA, 9x All-Defensive, 1x DPOY, 10x Scoring Champ, 3x STL Champ, 5th All-time in scoring

There’s not much needed to say about MJ; the accolades speak for themselves. He tied for second in MVPs and 13th in All-NBA selection (3rd team was introduced in 1988, so this might have affected some players), most FMVPs and the list goes on with all the other achievements he has accomplished. He perfected that fadeaway that only Kobe has come close to mastering (Yes, Dirk’s one-legged fadeaway is also unstoppable, but it’s not exactly the same move) and was a menace on defense while leading the league in scoring. You could argue that Pippen was a better defender, but MJ was still elite at defending. The only blemish for MJ is his retirement, which hurts his longevity as he essentially only played at an elite level for 11 years, which is still an incredible accomplishment.

2. Lebron James – 4x MVP, 4x FMVP, 20x All-NBA, 6x All-Defensive, 1x Scoring Champ, 1x AST Champ, 1st All-time in scoring, 4th All-time in assists, 8th All-time in steals

Lebron’s biggest case is his longevity, where he continues to play at an elite level 20 years into his career. I don’t know his career numbers and achievements when he retires, so he will be judged based on his career up to this point. The biggest argument I see where MJ has the advantage over Lebron is the 6 rings conversation, but the 10 finals appearance is just as incredible. Apart from 2011 and maybe 2014, it’s hard to blame Lebron for losing in the finals as his team wasn’t as good as his opponent’s (You could add 2013, but since Ray Allen saved Game 6, I’m not commenting on it). Another case against Lebron is with the LeChoke or LePass memes, in which I would argue that while Lebron doesn’t have the same killer instinct that MJ or Kobe has, he probably has a higher basketball IQ and shouldn’t be punished for passing up a shot if his teammates could take a better shot. I can’t defend about the choking part, but all players make bad plays or miss critical shots, so there’s that. People could also argue how Lebron deserved more MVPs (e.g., in 2011), but the same could be said about MJ when Malone won in 1997. The only gripe I have against Lebron is his defense, which at one point was elite during his Miami years but has fallen off drastically since. Do I think Lebron can end up at number one when he retires, maybe? He will likely have to do it through career stats, as I don’t think winning another championship would help unless he is clearly the best player in that series; then you could argue for his case.

Tier 2: These players are ranked closer together than the two players mentioned above. Yes, you could argue for moving players up or down on this list, as they are pretty close together.

3. Russell Westbrook – All-time leader in triple-doubles…nah I’m just kidding (MITWestbrook would be proud). I love Russ and think he has a shot for the top 25 all-time, but he’s not in the top 10.

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 6x MVP, 2x FMVP, 15x All-NBA, 11x All-Defensive, 2x Scoring Champ, 1x RBD Champ, 4x BLK Champ, 2nd All-time in scoring, 3rd All-time in rebounds, 3rd All-time in blocks

One of the most accomplished players, first in MVPs, tied for second in All-NBA selection, and 4th all-time in All-Defensive. His longevity certainly helped him as he played at an elite level for arguably 17 years, which accounted for his insane career stats. Unfortunately, the NBA’s stat tracking was pretty bare when he entered the league, so it’s hard to determine his career number for blocks. He had one move that everyone knew but couldn’t defend in the sky-hook, which has become one of the most iconic moves in the NBA, and he retired as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer until Lebron broke it 25 years later. Kareem’s biggest knock is that he had the best teammates out of the three players mentioned so far in Big O and Magic. Yes, Kareem was clearly the better player with Milwaukee, but an argument could be made during his time on the Lakers, which slightly diminishes his rankings on the all-time list. Nevertheless, he’s still a top-three player of all time and should stay there for at least the next five years unless something drastically happens in the NBA.

4. Shaquille O’Neal – 1x MVP, 3x FMVP, 14x All-NBA, 3x All-Defensive, 2x Scoring Champ, 9th All-time in scoring, 8th All-time in blocks

This is probably the biggest shocker on this list, but people tend to overlook Shaq’s impact on the game. It’s still hard to imagine that Shaq has only won 1 MVP in his career. He deserved more, but it is what it is. Shaq played at an elite level for roughly 14 years, and prime Shaq was arguably the most dominant big man ever, though you could make a case for Wilt. What separated Shaq from the rest was how he affected roster construction in the NBA. During his prime with the Lakers, he was so dominant that other contenders were signing bigs who probably didn’t belong in the NBA, so they had bodies that could foul or match up at the center position. Moreover, other generational bigs switched to the PF position, so they didn’t have to guard Shaq. This was unseen before and probably will never happen again due to Shaq’s pure dominance and the emergence of positionless basketball. Nevertheless, it’s unlikely that the NBA will ever have another physical specimen that could outpower anyone while being agile and quick enough to run the fastbreak by himself (I don’t believe Giannis would be able to outpower prime Shaq).

5. Tim Duncan – 2x MVP, 3x FMVP, 15x All-NBA, 15x All-Defensive, 6th All-time in rebounds, 5th All-time in blocks

Had Duncan chosen to play center for his entire career and achieved the same accomplishments, I would have ranked him ahead of Shaq. Duncan is tied for second all-time on All-NBA selections and first all-time on All-Defensive by a wide margin. Timmy tends to be overlooked in his era as he wasn’t flashy and didn’t have the charisma of other superstars during his time. However, this doesn’t diminish the achievements and the consistency that he was able to produce for the majority of his career. Known for his fundamentals, fans knew what they were getting with Duncan night in and night out. While he might not have been the most efficient big man, he would still give you a bucket when needed. Perhaps playing in San Antonio for his entire career has hurt his publicity, as the Spurs were one of the most hated franchises during the 2000s for their dirty play. Still, looking back at his career, he deserved a top-five spot on this list for his consistency and elite two-way game.

6. Wilt Chamberlain – 4x MVP, 1x FMVP, 10x All NBA, 2x All-Defensive, 7x Scoring Champ, 11x RBD Champ, 7th All-time in scoring, 1st All-time in rebounds

Wilt was the hardest player to evaluate, as most people never saw him play. However, when you put up so many records that will never be broken again, you deserve a spot on the list. Yes, he might have been playing with plumbers during his time, but 50.4 pts, 25.7 rbds per game in a season is just insane, especially since he averaged 48.5 min per game that season. I’m unsure if these numbers are achievable in today’s NBA, even if a team tries to stat pad for a player. Put in the fact that blocks were not recorded during his career, it’s hard to imagine that we wouldn’t be in the top 2 all-time in blocks had they been recorded. Cases that hurt him are that All-Defensive teams were not established until the tail-end of his career and that his insane stats started dropping by the time he turned 31. Given that his consistency of elite play was shorter than the previous players mentioned, I had to drop him down to 6th, though you could argue that he was still very dominant towards the end of his career.

Tier 3: This was probably the hardest part of the list to establish as there were around 10 players fighting for four spots. Apart from the first two players, who I believe are guaranteed top-10 locks, the rest all have a strong case to make the list, albeit some might be more deserving based on different criteria that people benchmark against.

7. Kobe Bryant – 1x MVP, 2x FMVP, 15x All-NBA, 12x All-Defensive, 2x Scoring Champ, 4th All-time in scoring

Perhaps the most polarizing player on this list, where some people might rank him in the top three of all-time, while others may not include him in their top 10, he belongs on top of the tier 3 list. Most of us have seen Kobe in his absolute prime, scoring close to 40 every other day while being tripled team. He is undoubtedly the closest player to MJ ever, and I doubt the NBA will ever have another player who could match Kobe and MJ’s intensity again. Similar to Shaq, it’s hard to believe that Kobe has only won one MVP when it felt like he deserved more. During his prime, he was the best scorer in the league while playing elite defense and guarding the opponent’s best player; I don’t think we’ve had another player like that since (2013 Lebron was prob the closest). His intensity towards the game became a double-edged sword in this ranking. He is celebrated for all his incredible seasons during his prime but should also be reprimanded for how inefficient he was at times. Is it his fault that some of the Lakers’ team lacked talent? No, but in the end, efficiency still matters on an all-time list. Lastly, he gets punished for playing with Shaq during the first half of his career. Is that fair to him? No, but Shaq being the better player during their time together makes it hard to rank Kobe any higher on this list (I guess you could make a case for him against Wilt).

8. Larry Bird – 3x MVP, 2x FMVP, 10x All-NBA, 3x All-Defensive

Unfortunately, Bird’s career was hampered by injuries, resulting in him just playing 13 seasons in the league. In those 13 seasons, though, he was arguably the most well-rounded player ever, along with the Big O, before Lebron joined the league. Bird could play inside out and was a better passer than what many people give him credit for. He was also a better defender than what people remembered him, as he even finished 3rd in DPOY in 1983. He was the best shooter in the NBA during his time, introduced threes to the game, and honestly, there wasn’t anything that he couldn’t do apart from staying healthy.

9. Hakeem Olajuwon – 1x MVP, 2x FMVP, 12x All-NBA, 9x All-Defensive, 2x DPOY, 2x RBD Champ, 2x BLK Champ, 10th All-time in steals, 1st All-time in blocks

Had MJ not existed, Olajuwon would likely be the face of the NBA during the 1990s. One of the greatest players to play in an era dominated by bigs, it’s hard not to put Olajuwon as the best of the bunch (Shaq and Duncan’s prime were after Olajuwon’s peak). Known for his dream shake and offensive mastery underneath the basket, Olajuwon is one of the most skilled bigs ever. Moreover, he’s one of the greatest defenders ever and the only player in the top 10 in steals and blocks. Olajuwon is tied for 6th all-time in All-Defensive and 7th all-time in All-NBA selection. Again, it’s hard to find a knock on him as he has played at an elite level for such a long time, but his FG% does leave more to be desired, given that he is often touted as one of the most skilled bigs ever.

10. Magic Johnson – 3x MVP, 3x FMVP, 10x All-NBA, 4x AST Champ, 2x STL Champ, 7th All-time in assists

Magic and Bird were the two most influential players that popularized the NBA during the 1980s. Like Bird, Magic had a relatively short career that dropped him down the list. At his peak, Magic was one of the best players ever to play the game and put on a show with his phenomenal passing. He was also a better scorer than what people remember, as he averaged over 22 points thrice in his career. What caused him to fall under Bird was that he played with Kareem, who was arguably better than him for the first half of his career. Therefore, it was hard to determine if the team game plan was more around stopping him or Kareem, whereas Bird was the clear-cut number one option. Defensively, he wasn’t as good as Bird, ultimately impacting him on the all-time list.

Honorable Mentions:

Stephen Curry — It was really close between him and Magic, as they’ve both played at an elite level for around 12 years in their careers. Curry’s no doubt the greatest shooter of all time and continues to perform at an elite level. Ultimately, I just felt Magic had had a better career so far, but if Curry continues his play for a few more years, he will surpass Magic.

David Robinson — He gets sometimes overlooked due to Olajuwon and Duncan, but the Admiral was certainly a top-five player during his era. You could argue that he had a better career than Olajuwon, but I felt that Olajuwon’s prime was a bit longer than Robinson’s.

Kevin Durant — He gets hate for joining the Warriors, but he is one of the best scorers of all time. He could score anywhere on the court and fit alongside most teams. He’s also sneakily a good defender and still plays at an elite level. KD also has a shot at making this list if he can continue his play for a few more years.

Karl Malone — Not the best model citizen, but similar to Duncan, he was one of the most consistent players ever and played at an elite level for many years. He’s also a good defender, but it’s hard to debate that he was better than Hakeem or Robinson.

Oscar Robertson — The original Mr. Triple Double, who was also one of the greatest scorers of all time. Likewise to Wilt, Big O gets punished for playing in the earlier era of the NBA, when there was limited footage and it was really hard to benchmark his stats against his competitors.

Moses Malone — Could argue that he deserved to be in the top 10. My only reasoning for not including him was that his peak was shorter than that of his competitors; other than that, he certainly has a case.

Bill Russell – I know that he wasn’t needed for his scoring, but never scoring above 19 points a season when playing against plumbers while players like Pettit and Baylor were averaging over 25 is a bit of a concern.

Giannis Antetokounmpo & Nikola Jokic – Simply haven’t played long enough, wouldn’t surprise me if they made the list by the time they retire.