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How is the greatest basketball player of all time
Top 10 NBA players of all time in NBA History
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Everywhere in the NBA community, the question of the best basketball players of all time is always a hot topic. Recently, Scott Fujita‘s expert team has the answer. In this article, we will mention the top 10 NBA players of all time.
According to figures from ESPN, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. Besides, there are also many other excellent basketball players.
Let’s go to the details in the below section!
Basketball legends in NBA history
Contents
Top 10 NBA players of all time?
Many disputes broke out about the greatest NBA players of all time. However, we have researched many official information sources and come up with the following rankings:
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Top 10 NBA players right now
Fantasy baseball team names
1. Michael Jordan – Most Points per Game – Most Finals MVP
Who is the best basketball player of all time? Michael Jordan is the best in the top 10 basketball players of all time.
Team: Chicago Bulls (1984-1993, 1995-1998) and Washington Wizards (2001-2003).
Michael Jordan is the man who led the Chicago Bulls to 6 series of NBA Finals. Michael Jordan was a 6-time NBA champion. He also “carried” 6-time Finals MVP awards. Michael Jordan also gained the Defensive Player of the Year in 1988.
View more about Michael Jordan – The highest vertical jump nba
In addition, during the regular season, “Mr. Air” has five more MVP awards, and he deserves to be an icon both on and off the basketball court. Jordan averaged 20 points per game in 2-year Washington’s jersey.
Besides impressive titles and achievements, the leader of best NBA players of all time is also a model of competitive spirit. He excelled in attack and was passionate in defense. Whether training or competing, Michael Jordan does his best to help himself and his teammates reach the top.
Thanks to the above achievement, Michael Jordan has become a measure of success in NBA history. Every NBA player wants to become like Michael Jordan. But so far, no one has passed the level of MJ.
Michael Jordan is the best in the top 10 basketball players of all time
2. LeBron James
LeBron James is one of the best players in NBA history.
Lebron James has won 2 NBA Championship rings and an NBA Finals MVP award. Both times played for the Miami Heat team in 2012 and 2013. LeBron is one of the most leading NBA players in basketball history, with his ability to score goals is undeniable.
From the very beginning, Lebron James stunned fans and encouraged everyone to follow their dreams. Lebron James helped both the Heat and the Cavaliers to win several championships. LeBron James is often “compared” to Michael Jordan – the greatest basketball player ever.
In addition to his wealth and ability to play football, Lebron James is also active in charity activities. It has made James one of the legendary basketball players in NBA history, both on and off the court.
LeBron James is in the Los Angeles Lakers’ jersey
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – Most MVP Awards
Lebron James is the 3rd outstanding NBA player in NBA history.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is one of the top scorers in NBA history. He was never absent from the NBA Playoffs Top 10 Scorers list.
With Milwaukee and Los Angeles, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played 17 games in his 20-season career. He won 6-time champion and 2 NBA Finals MVP awards and for 13 years. He also gained a 10-time All-NBA First Team.
Jabbar scored 5,762 points in history. His best game was in 1974, still against the Bucks. At that time, he scored 515 points after 16 games. Abdul-Jabbar was also the defensive player who led the playoffs in rebounds and blocks
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
4. Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson is one of the greatest basketball point guards in NBA history. The point guard was a vital element of the illustrious “Showtime” generation that helped the Los Angeles Lakers dominate the NBA in the ’80s.
Magic Johnson is the most precise definition for the concept of “talent does not wait for age.” He immediately rose to stardom in his first season in the NBA.
The NBA star has enjoyed countless career successes with the 5-time champion, 3 season MVP awards, and 3 Finals MVP titles. The Hall of Famer averaged 19.5 points in a game, 11. 2 assists, and 7.2 rebounds in 906 games over 13 seasons in his entire career.
Magic Johnson
5. Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant is an outstanding NBA player in league history. He seized the top 5 NBA players of all time.
Kobe Bryant played 17 postseasons of his 19 seasons in the NBA, all with the Los Angeles Lakers. He scored 5,640 points in 220 playoffs. Kobe Bryant won a five-time scoring champion with Los Angeles and two NBA Finals MVP awards in 2009 and 2010.
In 2009, Bryant had the best playoff in points with 695 points, leading the playoffs in points. Over his entire career, he averaged 25.6 points per game.
On May 4, 2006, Bryant had his best playoff game yet. At that time, he scored 50 points after only 52 minutes of play in Game 6.
Kobe Bryant
6. Shaquille O’Neal
One of the other best NBA players of all time is Shaquille O’Neal in NBA history.
Shaq O’Neal is the most formidable basketball player NBA history has ever produced. Possessing a height of 2.16 m and a weight of 147 kg, O’Neal dominated the area under the basketball when he was still playing.
The Orlando Magic picked O’Neal in first place in the 1992 NBA Draft. In his rookie season, O’Neal immediately rose to stardom with an average of 23.4 points and 13.9 rebounds per game. He received the title of Rookie of the Year in 1993. He was the first rookie to appear in the All-Star after Michael Jordan did the same in 1985.
The peak of O’Neal’s career was playing at the Los Angeles Lakers with the late Kobe Bryant. The Hall of Fame center was a critical factor in helping the Los Angeles Lakers win three consecutive NBA championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Shaq O’Neal is also the owner of the league MVP title in all 3 NBA championships.
7. Larry Bird
Larry Bird led the Boston Celtics to three NBA championships and two NBA Finals MVP titles. He was “picked” to the 6th overall draft to the Boston Celtics in 1978.
Many fans have regarded him as the greatest Celtics of all time. Bird defended the three-point shooting title at the All-Star game in 1986.
Larry Bird played with two other basketball legends, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, in the “Dream Team” of the 1992 Olympics. Bird and Magic Johnson took home the gold medal for the United States.
8. Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain is the basketball player who paved the way for the development of today’s NBA stars. He didn’t have many opportunities to show off during college.
But Wilt Chamberlain was an essential piece of the infamous Harlem Globetrotters for a year before starting his NBA career.
With an ideal height of 2.1 meters, Wilt Chamberlain dominated the NBA during its peak.
He marked his place in history as the only player to score 100 points per game. He is also the first person to reach 30,000 points in the NBA.
With this result, can anyone say that Wilt Chamberlain is not a basketball legend?
9. Bill Russell
Bill Russell was the foundation of the Boston Celtics’ reign in the ’60s. He was an uncanny blocker. The defensive player is also the one who revolutionized the NBA defensive competition.
Bill Russell has 5-time MVP awards and 12 times All-Star. The point is that throughout his career, he has accumulated 21,620 rebounds. The average is about 22.5 rebounds in a game.
Russell has one-on-one duels that make the opponent very difficult. That is also the key to helping the Boston Celtics win.
The teams that met Bill Russell were all worried that the throw would be “blocked.” That is how Bill Russell’s quick counter-attack strategy helped the team win.
The Boston Celtics’ number 6 jersey is a terrifying obsession for teams when attacking. The reason is that Russell will reduce the 90% chance of scoring to only 50%.
10. Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan experienced 19 NBA seasons with the San Antonio Spurs.
He brought home 5 NBA championships and All-Defensive team selections. More than that, Tim Duncan is also one of only five players in NBA history to earn more than 25,000 points and 15,000 rebounds.
Duncan is one of the highest-paid players in NBA history. Is it worth overpaying for Tim Duncan? The answer is absolutely worth it. He has made specific contributions to the San Antonio Spurs.
The power forward has had a significant impact on the NBA and world basketball in general. Let’s check out Tim Duncan’s memorable performances in this video.
Other NBA Players Had the Best Performance in NBA History
The top 10 basketball players of all time list is relatively narrow to list all the great NBA players in history. You can search for others here:
Oscar Robertson.
Hakeem Olajuwon.
Kevin Durant.
Kevin Garnett.
Steph Curry.
Charles Barkley.
Charles Barkley.
Jerry West.
Karl Malone.
Julius Erving.
David Robinson.
Elgin Baylor.
Moses Malone.
Scottie Pippen.
Dwyane Wade.
Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Kawhi Leonard.
Isiah Thomas.
John Stockton.
Allen Iverson.
Final Thoughts
Above are the top 10 greatest basketball players of all time. The new generation is trying to establish outstanding achievements with each game. Nevertheless, we will never forget one of the most admired basketball legends in the world.
10 Greatest NBA Players of All Time | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
The NBA has a rich history, dating back nearly 68 years, full of decorated organizations and players. During that time, we've seen our fair share of greats come and go, but which players in the game's history stand out above the rest? To decide that, we'll look at various criteria including statistics, team success and individual accolades.
Do any current superstars like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James make the cut? Let's take a look at the 10 greatest players in NBA history and find out.
10. Hakeem Olajuwon
1 of 10
Barry Gossage/Getty Images
Career playoff stats: 25.9 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.3 BPG
Accolades: 2 NBA titles, 2 Finals MVPs, 1 reg. season MVP
Mostly regarded as the most skilled big man in the history of the game, Hakeem Olajuwon's dominance on the inside was a thing of beauty. He abused many a defender with his trademark "Dream Shake" move. Olajuwon's game is so renowned that superstars like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwight Howard have looked to improve their game under his tutelage.
Offense aside, Olajuwon was one of the game's greatest defenders, partly evidenced by his 3.3 block-per-game average.
"The Dream" led a marginally-talented Houston Rockets team to back-to-back NBA Championships, winning two Finals MVPs and one regular season MVP. He is the only player in NBA history to win regular season MVP, Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season (1994).
9. Shaquille O'Neal
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Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Career playoff stats: 24.3 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 2.1 BPG
Accolades: 4 NBA titles, 3 Finals MVPs, 1 reg. season MVP
Shaquille O'Neal was the most dominant player of his generation—possibly of all time. It was borderline unfair how he brutalized defenders with brute strength.
Shaq led the Los Angeles Lakers to three consecutive NBA Championships in the early 2000s, winning three Finals MVPs in the process. The 2000 regular season MVP winner was also selected to 14 All-NBA Teams in his career.
8. Tim Duncan
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Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Career playoff stats: 21.9 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 2.4 BPG
Accolades: 4 NBA titles, 3 Finals MVPs, 2 reg. season MVPs
Tim Duncan is the model of consistency. Look through his statistics throughout the years, and you won't find too much variation.
"The Big Fundamental" led the San Antonio Spurs to four NBA Championships, en route to three Finals MVPs. His perfect Finals record was blemished last season in a seven-game series loss to the Miami Heat, but four out of five isn't too bad. Duncan been selected to 14 All-NBA and All-Defensive Teams each and still looks to have a little left in the tank.
7. Wilt Chamberlain
4 of 10
Dick Raphael/Getty Images
Career playoff stats: 22.5 PPG, 24.5 RPG, 4.2 APG
Accolades: 2 NBA titles, 1 Finals MVP, 4 reg. season MVPs
Wilt Chamberlain is the reason I said Shaq was "possibly" the most dominant player of all time. Chamberlain's dominance is widely acknowledged, and as time passes he seems more and more like a mythical figure. In the 1961-62 regular season, he averaged 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds. Simply unreal.
Had Wilt accomplished more in the postseason, he would be closer to No. 1. It seems crazy to expect more from a player who averaged 22 and 25, but that's how it goes when you're the most dominant.
6. LeBron James
5 of 10
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Career playoff stats: 28.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 6.7 APG
Accolades: 2 NBA titles, 2 Finals MVPs, 4 reg. season MVPs
LeBron James entered the league burdened with unimaginable expectations. Expectations he surely couldn't live up to, right?
Wrong. The Miami Heat superstar has gotten the championship monkey off of his back two times over and is now chasing history. Just 10 seasons into his NBA career, he's already one of the game's all-time greats. The statistics and MVP counts speak for themselves. "King James" has developed into a great two-way player, being named to 9 All-NBA and 5 All-Defensive Teams.
The next player on the list shouldn't get too comfortable, because LeBron could be slowly creeping up the list by the end of this coming season.
5. Larry Bird
6 of 10
Brian Drake/Getty Images
Career playoff stats: 23.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 6.5 APG
Accolades: 3 NBA titles, 2 Finals MVPs, 3 reg. season MVPs
Derrick Rose gave a rather fitting assessment of Larry Bird in an interview with Rappler Sports recently. Bird was never the most athletic player on the court, but he was always dominant. Whatever he lacked in athleticism, he made up for with his basketball IQ, great skills—including that deadly jump shot—and fierce competitiveness.
Bird led the Boston Celtics to three NBA Championships, compiling three regular season MVPs and 2 Finals MVPs along the way. "Larry Legend" was selected to 10 All-NBA and three All-Defense Teams in his 13-year career.
4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
7 of 10
Dick Raphael/Getty Images
Career playoff stats: 24.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.4 BPG
Accolades: 6 NBA titles, 2 Finals MVPs, 6 reg. season MVPs
Before Duncan, there was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in terms of consistency. His ability to maintain such averages while competing for 20 seasons is simply a testament to his greatness.
Here's a rundown of Kareem's biggest feats: all-time leading scorer in NBA history, most regular season MVP awards (six), 15 All-NBA selections, 11 All-Defense selections, 19 All-Star appearances.
3. Magic Johnson
8 of 10
Andy Hayt/Getty Images
Career playoff stats: 19.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 12.3 APG
Accolades: 5 NBA titles, 3 Finals MVPs, 3 reg. season MVPs
Magic Johnson began his career with greatness and never looked back. He won Finals MVP as a rookie when he famously started center in place of the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals. The Finals were like a second home to Magic and the Showtime Los Angeles Lakers, as they made nine trips during his illustrious career.
The 6'9" point guard used his large frame to shred defenses with precision. Magic's 12.3 assists ranks first all-time in the playoffs. In his 14-year career, he amassed 10 All-NBA selections.
2. Bill Russell
9 of 10
Dick Raphael/Getty Images
Career playoff stats: 16.2 PPG, 24. 9 RPG, 4.7 APG
Accolades: 11 NBA titles, 5 reg. season MVPs
The greatest defender in the game's history led the Boston Celtics to a record 11 NBA Championships.
Bill Russell is an interesting case, as his offensive stats don't jump out at you, but his impact went far beyond numbers. Russell could flat-out dominate the game defensively. Still, his career averages are nothing to sniff at, and if blocks and Finals MVPs were counted/awarded throughout his career, he would've won plenty of those.
Russell is the greatest winner in all of sports. His 11-championship count may be the safest record in the NBA game.
1. Michael Jordan
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Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images
Career playoff stats: 33.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.7 APG
Accolades: 6 NBA titles, 6 Finals MVPs, 5 reg. season MVPs
Michael Jordan is widely known as the game's greatest player—and for good reason.
"MJ" accomplished everything possible in the game, piling up on the stats and awards. On the game's biggest stage—the NBA Finals—Jordan went a perfect 6-for-6, also sweeping Finals MVP in his appearances.
The Chicago Bulls legend dominated both sides of the ball, amassing 11 All-NBA selections, nine All-Defensive First team selections and 10 scoring titles.
There is plenty of evidence to support Michael Jordan's GOAT status, however, his greatest feat of all might have come before he even won an NBA title. In the 1988 season, he won MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and the NBA's scoring title. His insane '88 season went like this: 35 points on 53% shooting, 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 3.2 steals, 1.6 blocks.
Yup, Michael Jordan is the greatest. For now...
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The greatest basketball players of all time: top 10
Top 10 best basketball players of all time
July 22, 2019
Rankings of the greatest, most successful and talented always carry an element of subjectivity. And basketball is no exception. Over the more than 125-year history of basketball, hundreds of legendary players have taken to the floor. Introducing our ranking of the greatest retired basketball players, which takes into account not only record performance on the court, but also achievements in social life, the film industry, and even the fight for human rights.
10. Oscar Schmidt
Oscar Daniel Bezerra Schmidt is a Brazilian basketball player who holds the world scoring record. Schmidt has a career count of 49,703 points at club level and with the Brazilian national team. By comparison, NBA record holder Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has 38,387.
Oscar Schmidt and Scottie Pippen, photo: espn.com
Oscar Schmidt is also the only player in history to score over 1,000 points in the Olympics. The Brazilian took part in 5 Games in a row, but could not lead his team to medals. The best result is 5th place.
Schmidt was nicknamed the Holy Hand for his sniping skills. In 1984, New Jersey (now Brooklyn) drafted him, but the Brazilian never left for the NBA. Oscar did not want to lose his amateur player status in order to be able to play for the Brazilian national team in the international arena.
9. Sergey Belov
Sergey Belov, photo: TASS
Olympic champion, two-time world champion, four-time European champion, Universiade champion, two-time winner of the European Champions Cup (now Euroleague). This is a list of only the main achievements of the legend of Soviet and European basketball Sergei Belov.
In 1991, the International Basketball Federation recognized Sergei Alexandrovich as the best player among all basketball players who played for their national teams (excluding the NBA). Ultimately, even the National Basketball Association noted the merits of Belov, including him in the Hall of Fame. Sergei Alexandrovich became the first non-American to receive such an honor.
8. Jerry West
In his 14-year NBA career, Jerry West has only won one title. He does not have the MVP of the season or Rookie of the Year title. And yet West is an iconic figure in the NBA. The Association's current emblem, the dribbler, was introduced at the end of 1969 years old. After 40 years, the author of the image, Alan Siegel, admitted that he created the emblem based on a photograph of West taken during one of the Lakers games.
Jerry West, photo: quora.com
Jerry West is the first NBA Finals MVP winner. At the same time, West was the only one in the history of the award to receive it as part of the losing team. He is also a member of the "27+" club. Among retired basketball players, only West, Jordan, Baylor and Chamberlain averaged 27 or more points per game.
7. Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant won 5 championship rings, NBA MVP title, 2 Olympic gold medals, 18 All-Star Games. Bryant is undeniably one of the best shooting guards in NBA history, coming as close as anyone to the icon, Michael Jordan.
In addition to numerous awards, Kobe has set unbreakable records throughout his career. Bryant is currently the fourth highest scoring player in NBA history with 33,643 points. He also owns the second result in points scored in one game - in 2006, Kobe shipped 81 points to the Toronto basket.
Kobe Bryant, photo: npr.org
After his retirement, Bryant continued to collect basketball-related awards. In 2018, his film Dear Basketball won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. During the film production, Kobe acted as a producer and writer.
Unfortunately, on January 26, 2020, Bryant tragically died in a plane crash. Kobe's personal helicopter crashed in the vicinity of Los Angeles. Eight other people died in the crash, including his daughter Jeanne Maria, who was 13 years old at the time of the crash.
We have collected all the achievements and records of Kobe Bryant in one article. Read it to learn more about the legendary basketball player.
6. Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson - Mr. triple-double. It is his record (181) that Russell Westbrook seeks to beat. Westbrook was traded from Oklahoma to Houston this season, where he will have to share the ball with James Harden. Therefore, it is highly likely that Robertson's record will stand. At the moment, Westbrook has 138 triple-doubles.
Oscar Robertson, photo: espn.com
In addition to the amazing statistics (25.7 points - 7.5 rebounds - 9.5 assists in a career average), Robertson has a lot of various awards and even inventions. He is considered the author of the “false swing” and “backward throw” techniques, which are still actively used by all basketball players in the world.
5. John Stockton and Karl Malone
John Stockton is arguably the best point guard in the history of world basketball. Who would have thought that a short (185 cm), white man would become the NBA leader in assists (15,806) and steals (3,265) in history. The majority of Stockton's assists went to longtime partner Karl Malone, with whom they played 1,412 side by side games, setting an Association record.
John Stockton and Karl Malone, photo: sportscasting.com
Karl Malone is considered to be one of the best power forwards in the NBA. Over 19 seasons, Malone scored 36,928 points (the second highest in history), twice recognized as MVP of the regular season. For his performance, speed and accuracy, he was nicknamed the Postman.
Stockton and Malone were one of the strongest duos in the history of the Association, but they never managed to win championship rings. As part of the Utah Jazz, they twice reached the NBA Finals, where they twice lost to Chicago, led by Michael Jordan.
4. Bill Russell
Bill Russell, photo: nba.com
Bill Russell was one of the first African Americans to break into the NBA. He earned the right not only to play in the Association, but also to be called the star of the league. Over 13 years of his career, Russell became the champion of astronomical 11 times. He wasn't Boston's scoring leader, but he was known for his good defensive play and industrial-scale rebounding. Bill Russell averaged 22.5 rebounds per match. At the end of his career, he permanently staked out a place in the top 2 best NBA rebounders in history (21,620). Since 2009The NBA Finals MVP Award is named after him.
In 2011, Russell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom (one of the top two honors in the United States) for civil rights achievements both on and off the floor.
3. Wilt Chamberlain
To understand the greatness of Wilt Chamberlain, suffice it to say that he is the only player in the history of the NBA whose number was retired by three teams at once - the Lakers, Philadelphia and Golden State .
Chamberlain played in each of these clubs, showing incredible numbers throughout his career: 30.1 points - 22.9 rebounds - 4.4 assists per game. He became the champion of the Association twice with the Philadelphia and the Lakers, four times he was recognized as the MVP of the NBA. He also has two unshakable records: 100 points scored in one game and 23,924 career rebounds.
Many associate Chamberlain's outstanding statistics with the fact that in his era there were weak rivals who simply could not contain such a giant as him - 216 cm, 125 kg. However, over the course of Wilt's career in the NBA at various times, Bill Russell, Alvin Hayes, Nate Thurmond, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and other great centers and forwards became his counterparts. And Chamberlain successfully resisted even such strong players.
Wilt Chamberlain with the ball, photo: forbes.com
2. Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan certainly deserves the first place in this ranking. As part of Chicago, he became the NBA champion 6 times, while he was invariably recognized as the MVP of the finals. Jordan is a five-time Association Regular Season Most Valuable Player and two-time Olympian. He has also won the Duck Contest twice, NBA Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. It is difficult to name a title that would not be in his collection.
There is no doubt that Jordan would have become the highest scoring player in the history of the NBA, but he retired and returned several times, having spent only 15 partial seasons in the Association in this way.
Yet Jordan is second. There can be no doubts about the legendary character of His Vozdushestvo, but there are doubts about his human qualities. Being almost perfect in terms of anthropometric (height 198 cm, broad shoulders, thin waist, minimum fat) and game data (Michael had a bad three-point shot only - 32.7% of sales), Jordan gave himself to basketball 100%. At the same time, he did not make discounts to anyone, often calling his rivals names and mocking his teammates, bringing them to tears and losing faith in himself. In particular, it is known that the smallest player in the history of the NBA Mugsy Bogues and the 1st number of the 2001 draft Kwame Brown suffered from Michael's words.
At a pivotal moment in the playoff game between Chicago and Charlotte, Hornets point guard Bogues, who was in possession of the ball, heard Jordan defending against him, "Drop it, you fucking midget." Mugsy missed. Boggs never forgot that moment. Subsequently, he began to shoot worse, and his performance fell below the mark of 10 points per game.
Michael Jordan and Mugsy Bogues, photo: Charlotte Observer
Jordan spent the last years of his career with Washington. Here, the newcomer of the team, Kwame Brown, became Michael's new victim. If the Bogz case was a fleeting game situation, then Brown got it from Jordan on a permanent basis. Initially, after the draft, Michael treated the rookie well, trying to help him adapt to the NBA. However, it soon became clear that Kwame did not justify the hopes that are usually placed on the player selected under the 1st pick. In Brown's second year with Washington, Jordan was already humiliating the center in every way. He called him dirty swear words, brought him to tears and shamed him in front of his teammates. The fact of this attitude is recognized by everyone who was at that time in the Wizards.
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
In 1971, the Milwaukee Bucks won the Association Championship for the first and only time in their history. Bucks center Lewis Alcindor was the MVP of the regular season and final series that season. Few basketball fans know about Alcindor, but probably everyone has heard of the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. However, it is the same person. The fact is that the day after the 1971 championship, Alcindor changed his name, becoming Abdul-Jabbar. Even at the university, the basketball player converted to Islam, and this step, apparently, was planned long before the successful season.
The name Lews Alcindor slowly faded into history, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar became one of the league's leading stars for many years to come. Over 20 seasons in the NBA, Abdul-Jabbar became the leading scorer in the history of the Association (38,387 points), was recognized as MVP of the season 6 times (a record figure), with the Bucks and Lakers became the champion of the Association 6 times, more than anyone called up to the All-Star Game (19 times). He is also one of the top 3 NBA players in rebounds (17,440) and blocks (3,189).).
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, photo: ftw.usatoday.com
Kareem hung up his sneakers at only 42 years old. After completing his career, Abdul-Jabbar starred in many films and TV shows, participated in the creation of books and comics, overcame cancer, was elected US Ambassador for Culture and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
It is surprising that the story of his life has not yet been filmed.
The best basketball player in the world
1
186
fifteen
Michael Jordan
Basketball player
Average per game - 30.1 points
American NBA professional basketball player who played as a shooting guard in the 80s and 90's. The most famous basketball player in the world, who made a huge contribution to the popularization of this sport.
The school initially refused to accept Michael into the school's basketball team due to his lack of height and strength. Michael constantly played baseball and basketball in the yard with his father and brothers and trained to get on the team for sure next year. The goal was achieved, and little Jordan quickly became the leader of the team.
The success continued in the university NCAA, and 2 years later Michael decided to take the NBA draft. He got into the Chicago Bulls team, where he gained worldwide fame. Before his debut in the NBA, Jordan managed to become an Olympic champion.
Michael spent 9 years with the Chicago Bulls, then left the team due to the death of his father, trying to make a career in baseball. Realizing that this was not at all, he returned to the club in 1995 and played in it until 1998, again leaving the big sport. In 2001, Michael got into the Washington Wizard club, after which in 2003 he ended his career completely.
Air” has five more MVP awards, and he deserves to be an icon both on and off the basketball court. Jordan averaged 20 points per game in 2-year Washington’s jersey.
LeBron is one of the most leading NBA players in basketball history, with his ability to score goals is undeniable.
He won 6-time champion and 2 NBA Finals MVP awards and for 13 years. He also gained a 10-time All-NBA First Team.
2 assists, and 7.2 rebounds in 906 games over 13 seasons in his entire career.
He was “picked” to the 6th overall draft to the Boston Celtics in 1978. 
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You can search for others here:
Bernstein/Getty Images
Olajuwon's game is so renowned that superstars like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwight Howard have looked to improve their game under his tutelage.
season MVPs
Bird was never the most athletic player on the court, but he was always dominant. Whatever he lacked in athleticism, he made up for with his basketball IQ, great skills—including that deadly jump shot—and fierce competitiveness. 
9 RPG, 4.7 APG
And basketball is no exception. Over the more than 125-year history of basketball, hundreds of legendary players have taken to the floor. Introducing our ranking of the greatest retired basketball players, which takes into account not only record performance on the court, but also achievements in social life, the film industry, and even the fight for human rights. 
In 1984, New Jersey (now Brooklyn) drafted him, but the Brazilian never left for the NBA. Oscar did not want to lose his amateur player status in order to be able to play for the Brazilian national team in the international arena. 
He does not have the MVP of the season or Rookie of the Year title. And yet West is an iconic figure in the NBA. The Association's current emblem, the dribbler, was introduced at the end of 1969 years old. After 40 years, the author of the image, Alan Siegel, admitted that he created the emblem based on a photograph of West taken during one of the Lakers games. 
Bryant is currently the fourth highest scoring player in NBA history with 33,643 points. He also owns the second result in points scored in one game - in 2006, Kobe shipped 81 points to the Toronto basket. 
Westbrook was traded from Oklahoma to Houston this season, where he will have to share the ball with James Harden. Therefore, it is highly likely that Robertson's record will stand. At the moment, Westbrook has 138 triple-doubles. 
Bill Russell averaged 22.5 rebounds per match. At the end of his career, he permanently staked out a place in the top 2 best NBA rebounders in history (21,620). Since 2009The NBA Finals MVP Award is named after him. 
Few basketball fans know about Alcindor, but probably everyone has heard of the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. However, it is the same person. The fact is that the day after the 1971 championship, Alcindor changed his name, becoming Abdul-Jabbar. Even at the university, the basketball player converted to Islam, and this step, apparently, was planned long before the successful season. 
After completing his career, Abdul-Jabbar starred in many films and TV shows, participated in the creation of books and comics, overcame cancer, was elected US Ambassador for Culture and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 
The most famous basketball player in the world, who made a huge contribution to the popularization of this sport. 
