Top 10 Best NBA Players of All Time

Is the NBA more competitive in 2024 than it was in the 1980s? Is Lebron James better than Michael Jordan? Ask any basketball fan these questions, and you’ll probably debate with them for hours. When we sat down to create a list of the top 10 best NBA players of all time, there was a lot to consider.

After comparing players from different eras across the NBA’s 77-year history, we ended up with ten of the greatest players. Unfortunately, there were significantly more than ten basketball superstars to choose from. That means certain individuals missed out. If you disagree with our list of the best NBA players of all time, let us know via social media.

10. Jerry West

Starting our list of the top 10 best NBA players of all time is Jerry West. The Los Angeles Lakers legend is one of the hardest-working players in history. Coming from a troubled household, his father was unforgiving of any mistake he made. West carried this mindset with him throughout his NBA career. The thought of losing tormented him, often avoiding his teammates after a defeat. This fear of defeat created a monster on the court, earning the nickname “Mr. Clutch” for his game-winning performances.

Jerry West has many nicknames. “The Logo” is probably the most famous, earning the nickname after unofficially being used as the silhouette of the NBA logo. His 60-footer against the New York Knicks spawned the alias “Mr. Outside”. But the Lakers might have missed a trick, as he should have been called “Mr. Consistent”. West’s points-per-game average is amongst the best. Averaging 27.0 points, West is 8th in the NBA records, just 0.12 points below Lebron James.

Despite his hatred of losing, West had a hard route to his only NBA Championship. The Lakers were in the finals nine times during West’s career but only won the championship once. West finally got his hard-earned championship ring in 1972. But we will remember his career for his performances and work ethic, not his team’s achievements.

• Years Active: 1961-1974
• Games Played: 932
• Career Points (RS): 25192
• Points Per Game (RS): 27.0
• Career Triple-Doubles (RS): 16

9. Oscar Robertson

Referred to as the NBA’s forgotten man, we had to include Oscar Robertson in this list. With his insane triple-double records, amazing assist numbers, and an outstanding 1962 season, Robertson deserves a spot.

Robertson had an incredible rookie season for the Cincinnati Royals. The point guard averaged 30.5 points, 9.7 assists, and 10.1 rebounds per game in his first season. However, in 1962, the “Mr. Triple Double” nickname was born. Across 79 games for the Royals, Robertson averaged a triple-double in every contest. In his second year of professional basketball, he averaged 30.8 points, 11.4 assists, and 12.5 rebounds per game. Robertson recorded 181 triple-doubles, the second-most in NBA history. Russell Westbrook is the only player to have more, posting 198.

Happy 85th birthday to one of the greatest players of all-time, Oscar Robertson! 🐐

Oscar averaged a triple double over his FIRST FIVE seasons! 😳

1960-61: 30.5 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 9.7 APG, 47 FG%
1961-62: 30.8 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 11.4 APG, 48 FG%
1962-63: 28.3 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 9.5 APG,… pic.twitter.com/49q8AG75cr

— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) November 24, 2023

Because of Oscar Robertson’s creativity, he recorded a lot of assists. Roberton is eighth in the all-time assist records. The Cincinnati icon got 9,887 assists during his career, beating Russell Westbrook, who has 9,418. Despite spending ten years at the Cincinnati Royals, the point guard never won an NBA Championship. However, in 1970, they traded Oscar Robertson to the Milwaukee Bucks. It was rumored that Robertson was selfish and had a poor attitude in Cincinnati. Robertson proved everyone wrong in 1971. “Mr. Triple Double” finally got his NBA Championship and cemented his legacy as one of the best NBA players of all time.

• Years Active: 1961-1974
• Games Played: 1040
• Career Points (RS): 26710
• Points Per Game (RS): 25.7
• Career Triple-Doubles (RS): 181

8. Shaquille O’Neal

When he wanted to be, Shaquille O’Neal was among the best NBA players of all time. He often drove Kobe Bryant crazy with his lack of work ethic and overindulgent lifestyle. However, O’Neal was born to play basketball, and by the age of thirteen, he was already the size of an average NBA player. Because of his size, Shaq was an obvious first-overall pick for the Orlando Magic in 1992. O’Neal had one of the best rookie seasons ever. After his first season in the NBA, they named him the Rookie of the Year, featuring in the all-star game and finished 7th in the MVP vote.

Shaquille O’Neal moved to the Los Angeles Lakers after contract disagreements with the Orlando Magic. The switch was highly successful, winning three NBA championships with the Lakers between 1997 and 2004. But the Lakers’ team morale suffered, so they traded Shaq to the Miami Heat, with Los Angeles favoring Kobe Bryant. However, this wasn’t the end of O’Neal’s career. The legendary center won his final NBA Championship in 2006 and made the all-star team thrice while playing for Miami. Shaq retired in 2011, and they inducted him into the Hall of Fame. The Heat and the Orlando Magic retired the number 32 jersey, while the Lakers retired the number 34.

O’Neal’s career outside of basketball has also been successful. Featuring in video games, films, music, and regular television appearances. Shaq has a net worth of 500 million dollars because of his ventures and basketball career.

• Years Active: 1993-2011
• Games Played: 1207
• Career Points (RS): 28596
• Points Per Game (RS): 23.7
• Career Triple-Doubles (RS): 2

7. Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant was born into a privileged household. His father, Joe Bryant, played in the NBA but relocated to Italy, where Bryant spent his childhood. But the road to becoming one of the best NBA players ever wasn’t easy. Bryant started his NBA career early after skipping college to enter the 1996 draft. The Charlotte Hornets selected the high schooler in the first round but traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers. His rookie season wasn’t great, getting just 7.8 points, 1.3 assists, and 1.9 rebounds per game. In his second season, the 19-year-old had a much better year, playing in the all-star game.

26 years ago, the Lakers acquired rookie Kobe Bryant from the Hornets.

The rest is history 🐍💜💛 pic.twitter.com/XSyGJEDqBx

— ESPN (@espn) July 11, 2022

In 2000, Kobe Bryant lifted his first NBA Championship. The Lakers formed one of the best NBA teams of all time and won five more championships during Bryant’s career. We might never see his achievements for Los Angeles beaten. The guard has the most games, minutes, 2-point field goals, 3-point field goals, and total points for the Lakers. He also became the first guard in NBA history to play 20 seasons and posted the second-most points in a single game; getting 81 against the Toronto Raptors in 2006. Wilt Chamberlain holds the record with 100 points versus the New York Knicks in 1962.

After giving up on professional basketball in 2017, the Los Angeles Lakers retired the number 8 and 24 to honor his outstanding career. Kobe Bryant died in a tragic helicopter accident alongside his daughter in 2020. Since his death, they inducted the Lakers legend into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

• Years Active: 1997-2016
• Games Played: 1346
• Career Points (RS): 33643
• Points Per Game (RS): 25.0
• Career Triple-Doubles (RS): 21

6. Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain was the greatest athlete the NBA had ever seen. Standing over 7 feet tall, Chamberlain could run 100 meters in just over 10 seconds and bench press up to 500 pounds. Despite his size, the Philadelphia legend was one of the nicest men in basketball and avoided using his physical abilities to bully other players. “Wilt the Stilt” was always searching for his next challenge. In 1962, Chamberlain posted a record-breaking 100 points against the New York Knicks. But instead of striving for even more points, he wanted to get assists. During the 1967-68 season, Chamberlain got 702 assists, the most in the league.

60 years ago today, Wilt Chamberlain dropped an NBA record 💯 points for the Philadelphia Warriors #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/xcEyu9lTdd

— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 2, 2022

Because of Wilt Chamberlain’s unique view of basketball, many overlook him when discussing the best NBA players of all time. Chamberlain’s NBA Championship count is noticeably lower than the others mentioned here. But he could have won more if he played “boring” basketball instead of changing styles to make the game harder. His physical advantages over the opposition meant Chamberlain could have dominated the point-scoring tallies for years. He retired with an average of 30.1 points per game.

After leaving the NBA, Wilt Chamberlain was successful in various sports. He formed Wilt’s Athletic Club, which produced multiple Olympic champions. Even in his forties, Wilt the Stilt was challenging himself. Chamberlain played volleyball to a high standard and beat the Olympic champion in a shot put contest.

• Years Active: 1960-73
• Games Played: 1045
• Career Points (RS): 31419
• Points Per Game (RS): 30.1
• Career Triple-Doubles (RS): 78

5. Larry Bird

If Larry Bird had a longer career, he could have easily secured himself above the best NBA players of all time. However, Bird’s 13 seasons in professional basketball are nearly flawless and set the standard for today’s forwards. Not only is “The Hick from French Lick” regarded as the smartest player ever, but he also had one of the greatest three-season runs in history. Between 1984 and 1986, they named Bird the NBA MVP in three consecutive years. Only Bird, Bill Russell, and Wilt Chamberlain have achieved three MVPs in a row. The Boston Celtics legend averaged 26.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 10.1 rebounds per game across the three seasons. These numbers stack up against any of the greats.

Larry Bird is the last player to win three consecutive MVPs

On this day in 1986, he joined Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell as the only three to ever do it 🏆 pic.twitter.com/25rCdbAh7u

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 28, 2020

The Boston Celtics formed one of the best NBA teams ever during Larry Bird’s 13-season career. However, Bird only won three NBA Championships, which is still impressive considering his career length. But The Hick from French Lick was more than just stats. Bird had a reputation as the biggest trash-talker in NBA history. Dennis Rodman, an NBA legend in his own right, recounted playing against Larry Bird in the 1987 NBA Playoffs. Rodman said Bird was constantly heckling him, repeatedly asking, ‘Dennis, are you guarding me?’ whenever Rodman tried to defend against him. Bird even asked Detroit’s head coach, Chuck Daly, to replace Rodman during the game.

Larry Bird retired in 1992, having only played for the Boston Celtics during his career. However, Bird continued his involvement in basketball. The Hick from French Lick was the NBA Coach of the Year during a three-season stint in charge of the Indiana Pacers. He also won the NBA Executive of the Year as the Pacers president of basketball operations.

• Years Active: 1980-92
• Games Played: 897
• Career Points (RS): 21791
• Points Per Game (RS): 24.3
• Career Triple-Doubles (RS): 59

4. Magic Johnson

Fittingly, fourth on our list of the best NBA players of all time, and therefore above Larry Bird, is Magic Johnson. Bird and Johnson’s rivalry during the 1980s is legendary and was a golden era in basketball. At this time, either the Boston Celtics or the Los Angeles Lakers were in the NBA Finals. However, Johnson won two of the three matchups against Bird. Magic’s career stats aren’t as impressive as The Hick from French Lick, but he missed four seasons because of HIV. Despite Bird’s reputation for trash talk, he acknowledged Johnson’s greatness and famously said that Magic Johnson was:

Head-and-shoulders above everybody else in the league. – Larry Bird

Magic Johnson’s versatility might have held him back. Johnson played any necessary role for his team and wasn’t obsessed with personal achievements. This selfless nature earned him five NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. He also featured in the all-star game all but twice during his career. Despite putting the team first, Johnson almost averaged a triple-double during the 1981-82 season, his best individual year in the NBA.

However, Johnson saved his best performances for the post-season and holds multiple records in the playoffs. He has the joint-most assists (24) in a single playoff game and has the most assists (21) during a Final. Johnson still has the record for the most playoff assists, recording 2,346 during his career. His creativity didn’t go unnoticed, winning the NBA Finals MVP award three times. They immortalized Magic Johnson in 2002 in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

• Years Active: 1980-1996
• Games Played: 906
• Career Points (RS): 17707
• Points Per Game (RS): 19.5
• Career Triple-Doubles (RS): 138

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is undoubtedly one of the best NBA players of all time and certainly the greatest center in basketball history. Many of his records are still unbeaten. Abdul-Jabbar was an all-star in every season besides the 1977-78 campaign. “The Captain” spent most of his career at the Los Angeles Lakers, but started his NBA journey with the Milwaukee Bucks.

During his six seasons with the Bucks, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the best player in the league. “The Captain” won Rookie of the Year in his first season, alongside an all-star appearance, and was third in the MVP vote. Across his six seasons in Milwaukee, Abdul-Jabbar averaged 30.4 points, 15.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. The center was named the NBA MVP thrice and made the all-defensive team several times. He also led Milwaukee to the NBA Championship in 1971. However, the culture in America’s Midwest didn’t suit Kareem, and he left the Bucks in 1975.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s time with the Los Angeles Lakers was just as successful. He won the NBA Championship five times between 1980 and 1988. Abdul-Jabbar was MVP three times and an all-star in 13 of his 14 seasons in Los Angeles. Besides all his achievements, The Captain is best known for his trademark skyhook. The shooting technique was so efficient that only five players could block Kareem’s skyhook shots.

However, Abdul-Jabbar’s stats could have been much better if he retired early. The last three seasons of his career weren’t great. He still made the all-star team every year, but only posted 14.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. The Captain retired after the 1988-89 season and made it to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.

Years Active: 1970-1988
Games Played: 1560
Career Points (RS): 38387
Points Per Game (RS): 24.6
Career Triple-Doubles (RS): 21

2. Michael Jordan

Yes, we believe Michael Jordan is the second-best NBA player of all time. An outrageous statement to most, as Jordan is one of the most beloved players in basketball history. His achievements on and off the court are nearly unmatched. Jordan won six NBA Championships in 15 seasons and was so dominant that he turned to baseball for a new challenge. He also created a business empire with a net worth of over three billion dollars.

Jordan started his legacy at 21, joining the Chicago Bulls ahead of the 1984-85 season. “MJ” played 82 games in his rookie season, starting every appearance. He averaged just under 30 points per game and unsurprisingly won the Rookie of the Year award. Jordan broke his foot in his second season with the Bulls. In the handful of games he played, he averaged 22.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.

On this date in 1994, the @whitesox signed Michael Jordan to a minor league deal. pic.twitter.com/yJA7CMtdxy

— MLB (@MLB) February 7, 2017

Michael Jordan recovered from his broken foot, and the golden era started. Between 1986 and 1993, Jordan cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history. Jordan’s shooting was immense, averaging an accuracy of .518 and 33.2 points per game across seven seasons. The Chicago legend won three MVP awards and the Defensive Player of the Year in 1988. After his return from baseball, Jordan played another four seasons with the Bulls, winning the MVP award twice and leading the scoring thrice.

“MJ” retired for a second time in 1998, returning after three seasons. Jordan signed for the Washington Wizards, but his best days were behind him. He still made the all-star team in both seasons but only averaged 21.2 points per game. At 39 years old, Michael Jordon left the sport forever. They cemented Jordan’s place in the Hall of Fame in 2009, one of the easiest entries in history.

• Years Active: 1985-2003
• Games Played: 1072
• Career Points (RS): 32292
• Points Per Game (RS): 30.1
• Career Triple-Doubles (RS): 28

1. Lebron James

The greatest career in basketball history is ongoing. Lebron James became the first player to record over 40,000 points this year. Along with his four NBA Championships, twenty all-star appearances, and four NBA MVP awards, “King James” is, in our opinion, at the top of the best NBA players of all time list.

Even this season, James is a force to be reckoned with, averaging 7.2 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 25.2 points per game. An insane achievement within itself, given his career started in 2004. His first season in the NBA is statistically his worst. However, the Cleveland Cavaliers 1st round pick still won the Rookie of the Year award and posted 20.9 points per game. His rookie year remains the only season James wasn’t an all-star.

Despite Lebron James’ amazing career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he didn’t win a single NBA Championship in his first stint. However, his numbers were crazy, and James was the MVP three times. During his first seven seasons with the Cavaliers, King James averaged 27.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game. It was these impressive stats that caught the attention of the Miami Heat. In the summer of 2010, Lebron James joined the Heat. He only played four seasons in Miami but finally got his hands on the NBA Championship. After Miami assembled one of the best NBA teams of all time, James won consecutive championships in 2012 and 2013. He also added two more MVP awards to his collection.

King James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 and won his third NBA Championship. But his latest championship ring was extra special. In 2020, Lebron James collected his fourth NBA Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. At 36 years old, James is among some of the oldest players to win a championship. The 39-year-old is still playing, meaning he cannot be in the Hall of Fame yet. James is under contract with the Lakers until the end of the 2024-2025 season. Whether he retires in 2025 is unknown. Whatever happens, Lebron James is the greatest NBA player of all time.

• Years Active: 2004-Current
• Games Played: 1479*
• Career Points (RS): 40114*
• Points Per Game (RS): 27.1*
• Career Triple-Doubles (RS): 110*

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our Top 10 Best NBA Players of All Time list. At Novibet, we are constantly creating new sports content, including basketball predictions, betting picks, and listicles. Come back next week and see what else is new!