By: Tony LiebertNow that the 'Last Dance' documentary has concluded. I thought it would be a great time for a list. This is what I believe to be the 50 greatest NBA players of all time. 1. Michael Jordan, G, Wizards/Bulls 5-year-peak stats: 33.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 6.2 APG, 2.9 SPG, 51 FG% The 'Last Dance' documentary should've confirmed that Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. The pure dominance he executed-going six for six in NBA finals and never folding in a big moment is something we will likely never see again. *2. LeBron James, F, Lakers/Heat/Cavaliers 17-year-peak stats: 27.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 50.1 FG% LeBron's greatness is so different than MJ's. His longevity of really never peaking during his 17 year career, while coming into the league as a teenager with the greatest expectations a modern-day athlete has ever had, has been remarkable. His ability to make his teammates better and CARRY mediocre teammates to the finals is something than MJ never endured. While a level-headed person could respect both players' remarkable careers, unfortunately others don't. It is fair to say that both players are in the their own individual classes ahead of the rest. 3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, C, Bucks/Lakers 5-year-peak stats: 30.7 PPG, 15.4 RPG, 4.3 APG, *3.4 BPG, 54.6 FG% Abdul-Jabbar was dominant, as he was a guaranteed 25 and 12 for nearly 15 years. He had simply the most unguardable move in basketball history (the 'sky hook') and none of his peers were ever able to figure out how to stop it. 4. Wilt Chamberlain, C, Warriors/76ers/Lakers 5-year-peak stats: 41.6 PPG, 25.3 RPG, 3 APG, *8.8 BPG, 50 FG% The Twitter-heads often criticize the 60's as being plumber basketball, but what was Wilt suppose to do about that, it was the best players for him to play against. While playing lesser competition you would expect a top five player of all time to put up unfathomable numbers and Chamberlain did just that. *His 8.8 blocks is a rumored number, as blocks were not an official NBA stat at the time. 5. Larry Bird, F, Celtics 5-year-peak stats: 27.3 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.7 SPG, 50.8 FG% Bird's smooth, efficient, all-around game dominated 80's basketball. He was nearly automatic from the free throw line, while being the first elite three point shooter of all time. If Steph Curry never came around Bird might be considered the best shooter of all time. 6. Magic Johnson, G, Lakers 5-year-peak stats: 19 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 12.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 54 FG% Magic was the first point guard to ever take home the multiple MVP awards. His abnormal size and flashy passing was WELL ahead of his time and it is clear that he could dominate in any era. 7. Bill Russell, C, Celtics 5-year-peak stats: 17.4 PPG, 23.4 RPG, 3.5 APG, *8 BPG, 44 FG% Similarly to Chamberlain, Russell's era of basketball often gets criticized, and once again what was he suppose to do about that. If the "so-called" seventh best basketball player ever played in that era you would expect him to rarely if not ever lose, and Russell did that as he won 11 out of 13 championships. *His 8 blocks is a rumored number, as blocks were not an official NBA stat at the time. 8. Shaquille O'Neal, C, Celtics/Cavaliers/Suns/Heat/Magic/Lakers 5-year-peak stats: 27.3 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 2.9 APG, 2.4 BPG, 56.8 FG% The Big Aristotle is often referred to as the most dominant player in the history of the NBA. There is a lot of evidence to support this claim. I am fine with any list that he lands in the top 10 as long as it as ahead of Kobe Bryant as his dominant offensive game made him unguardable. 9. Kobe Bryant, G, Lakers 5-year-peak stats: 29.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.6 SPG, 44.6 FG% Not to bash Kobe, but his inefficient style of play will always hold him back on my list. He played with the 8th best player ever, so I would hope he would've won three championships. He led his team to two, but I believe his killer, never-lose mentality should still have him in the top 10 of any list. 10. Oscar Robertson, PG, Royals/Bucks 5-year-peak stats: 30.2 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 10.6 APG, *3.2 SPG, 48.2 FG% I believe the Big-O might be the most underrated player of all time. He obviously was carried by Kareem to his only championship similar to Kobe, but averaging a triple double with 30 points while shooting 48% from the field shouldn't go un-noticed. *His 3.2 steals is a rumored number, as steals were not an official NBA stat at the time.
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May 2020
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