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- Michael Jordan.
- LeBron James.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
- Magic Johnson.
The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
NameTeam (s) Played For (years) [a]PosPtsMilwaukee Bucks ( 1969 – 1975) Los ...C38,387Cincinnati Royals / Kansas City-Omaha / ...G16,481Philadelphia Warriors ( 1950 – 1952, 1954 ...F16,266Philadelphia 76ers ( 1984 – 1992) Phoenix ...F23,757- Overview
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Tim Duncan
- Shaquille O’Neal
- Larry Bird
- Bill Russell
- Oscar Robertson
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Magic Johnson
- Michael Jordan
It’s time for Britannica—OK, one editor at Britannica—to jump into the perpetually unresolved “greatest ever in [insert sport here]” fray. We’re not technically a sports website, but this editor (hi!) has been obsessively watching sports for nearly three decades and arguing about them with friends for nearly as long. This list is, naturally, incredibly subjective, and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Unless you agree with me, in which case this was the most meaningful thing I’ve ever written.
This list was originally published in April 2014. LeBron James overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s leading scorer in February 2023.
What? The leading scorer in National Basketball Association (NBA) history is just the 10th-best player ever? Indeedy. While Kareem put up a whopping 38,387 points during his playing days, I can’t look past the fact that he spent a good chunk of his career receiving passes from Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson, the two greatest point guards of all time. Also, his career totals were inflated by the fact that he played roughly 10,000 years in the NBA. (Or 20. Whatever.) Nevertheless, he was an awesome force who dominated the sport for two decades and perfected the sky hook, one of the most gorgeous shots the game has ever seen. Plus, he was hilarious in Airplane! and fought Bruce Lee in Game of Death, so his cool quotient is easily the highest of anyone on this list.
Read Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Britannica essay on the New York Rens.
I have a confession to make: even though I’m a lifelong devotee to all Seattle sports team, I had a fan-fling with the San Antonio Spurs teams of the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Yes, they played the kind of slow-paced ball that put most fans to sleep by the third quarter, but there was often a thing of pure beauty hidden among the tire-fire of a 78–...
At the opposite end of the “attractive play” spectrum from Duncan is Shaquille O’Neal. Where Timmy would work his way around an opponent in the post with his superb footwork, Shaq would often use his extraordinary bulk (7’1” and 315 pounds) to bully his way to the basket. Once there, he would finish with an emphatic dunk, a foolproof strategy that ...
Don’t be fooled by his humble small-college provenance and the “Hick from French Lick” nickname—Larry Bird was one of the fiercest competitors and greatest smack-talkers in NBA history. The uber-confident Bird had arguably the quickest release of anyone to ever play basketball and he’d often let his defender know that the shot was going in soon aft...
Russell was the ultimate winner in the history of the NBA. He won a league title in all but two of his 13 seasons as a member of the Boston Celtics. Yes, the NBA consisted of just 8 to 14 teams during this period, so capturing championships was a statistically easier feat for a single franchise, but even that fact doesn’t minimize Russell’s histori...
Oh jeez, this guy. While I’m too young to have ever seen him play, his statistics are so mind-blowing that I wish I had a time machine for the express purpose of going back and seeing him in action. During the 1961–62 season, “The Big O” averaged a triple-double with 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game. Oh, and the 12-time All-Sta...
Admittedly, Chamberlain played at a time when post players were significantly smaller and basketball wasn’t drawing the types of athletic marvels we see today, but the man was so incredibly dominant that he deserves a spot in the top five regardless of context. The four highest all-time NBA single-season scoring averages all belong to Chamberlain…i...
One of the most ebullient personalities to ever play in the NBA, Johnson’s charm was a major factor in the massive increase in the league’s popularity during the 1980s. But he was so much more than a dazzling smile. Johnson’s otherworldly passing set the stage for the “Showtime” L.A. Lakers teams that captured five championships during his 13 years...
I know I risk getting run out of my beloved Chicago on a rail for daring to suggest His Airness isn’t the best player ever but, well, I just don’t think he is. Most famous player ever? Absolutely. Most important player ever? Quite possibly. Most obsessively competitive to the detriment of ever having normal human relations with anybody? Oh my, yes....
- Adam Augustyn
Feb 23, 2022 · The Athletic's list of the top 75 players in NBA history, voted on by our panel.
Oct 21, 2021 · See the stats and accomplishments of every player on the NBA's 75th anniversary team.
Sep 25, 2023 · HoopsHype ranks the 77 greatest players in NBA history, a list led by the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Oct 6, 2021 · 1. Michael Jordan. Top accolades: Six NBA titles, six Finals MVPs, five MVPs, 10 All-NBA 1st Team selections, 14 All-Stars, one Defensive Player of the Year award, nine All-Defensive 1st Team...
