All-Time Team
Starters: Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Off the Bench: Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, Wilt Chamberlain, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kevin Durant
Team of My Era (1977-2022)
Starters: Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon
Off the Bench: Steph Curry, Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, Kevin Durant, Charles Barkley, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal
Greatest Teams, All-Time
1. Lakers
Starters: Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, George Mikan, Kareem Abul-Jabbar
Off the Bench: Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, James Worthy, LeBron James, Pau Gasol, Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain
2. Celtics
Starters: Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, Larry Bird, Kevin Garnett, Bill Russell
Off the Bench: Nate Archibald, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Jayson Tatum, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dave Cowens
3. Philadelphia (Philadelphia Warriors, Syracuse Nationals & Philadelphia 76ers)
Starters: Allen Iverson, Hal Greer, Julius Erving, Charles Barkley, Wilt Chamberlain
Off the Bench: Maurice Cheeks, Paul Arizin, Billy Cunningham, Dolph Schayes, Moses Malone, Joel Embiid, Chet Walker
Fifty Greatest Players
- Michael Jordan
- LeBron James
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Magic Johnson
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Bill Russell
- Hakeem Olajuwon
- Larry Bird
- Shaquille O’Neal
- Kevin Durant
- Tim Duncan
- Oscar Robertson
- Steph Curry
- Jerry West
- Kobe Bryant
- Elgin Baylor
- Julius Erving
- Moses Malone
- John Havlicek
- George Mikan
- David Robinson
- Dwyane Wade
- Clyde Drexler
- John Stockton
- Charles Barkley
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Nikola Jokic
- James Harden
- Kevin Garnett
- Karl Malone
- Dirk Nowitzki
- Chris Paul
- Scottie Pippen
- Allen Iverson
- Joel Embid
- Isiah Thomas
- Bob Pettit
- Paul Pierce
- Walt Frazier
- Elvin Hayes
- Willis Reed
- Rick Barry
- Nate Thurmond
- Connie Hawkins
- Patrick Ewing
- Dominique Wilkins
- Gary Payton
- George Gervin
- Vince Carter
- Tracy McGrady
Note: This list pertains to the period when the NBA and its immediate predecessors (the NBL and BAA) existed, since 1946. For the earlier history of basketball, honorable mention should be made of: Dr. James Naismith (the founding figure), Cumberland “Cum” Posey, Joe Lapchick, Nat Holman, Charles “Tarzan” Cooper, and Marques Haynes. They crucially shaped the game’s early history; and Posey, Cooper and Haynes were the most important figures who played in the black leagues in the times of segregated basketball.
Greatest Players of Each Decade
1946-56: George Mikan, Dolph Schayes
1956-66: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain
1966-76: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson
1976-86: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird
1986-96: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson
1996-2006: Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal
2006-2021: LeBron James, Kevin Durant
Professional Basketball, 1977-2020: Best at Different Aspects of the Game
Best Player: Michael Jordan
Point Guard: Magic Johnson
Small Forward: LeBron James
Power Forward: Tim Duncan
Center: Hakeem Olajuwon
A. Offense
Scorer: Michael Jordan
Point Guard: Steph Curry
Small Forward: LeBron James
Power Forward: Tim Duncan
Center: Hakeem Olajuwon
Most Elegant Shot: Kareem’s Sky Hook
Post-Up: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Power forward: Tim Duncan
Small forward: Larry Bird
Off guard: Michael Jordan
Point guard: Magic Johnson
Kissing it Off the Glass: Tim Duncan
Outside Shooting – Creating his own shot: Steph Curry
Off the pick: Larry Bird
Sweetest Jump Shot: Walter Davis/ Ray Allen/ Steph Curry
Driving the Lane: Michael Jordan
Dunk: Julius Erving
Getting out on the break: James Worthy
Shooting in crunch time: Michael Jordan
Free Throws: Larry Bird
Picks: Tim Duncan
Pick-and-roll: John Stockton-Karl Malone
Give-and-go: Magic Johnson/ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
B. The Boards
Rebounder: Moses Malone
Power Forward: Dennis Rodman
Small Forward: LeBron James
Off Guard: Michael Jordan
Point Guard: Gary Payton
O’ Boards: Moses Malone
Off His Own Shot: Moses Malone
Weak Side Rebounding: Dennis Rodman
C. Dimes and Dribbling
Passer: Magic Johnson
Off Guard: Dwyane Wade
Small Forward: Larry Bird
Power Forward: Kevin Garnett
Center: David Robinson/ Hakeem Olajuwon
On the set offense: John Stockton
On the break: Magic Johnson
Outlet pass: Wes Unseld
Crossover dribble: Tim Hardaway
D. Defense
Defender: Dennis Rodman
Point Guard: Gary Payton
Off Guard: Sidney Moncrief/ Michael Jordan
Small Forward: Scottie Pippen/ Marques Johnson
Center: Hakeem Olajuwon/ David Robinson
Shot Blocking : Hakeem Olajuwon
Steals: Alvin Robertson
The Best Players, 1977-2022
1. Michael Jordan
2. LeBron James
3. Magic Johnson
4. Hakeem Olajuwon
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
6. Larry Bird
7. Shaquille O’Neal
8. Kevin Durant
9. Tim Duncan
10. Steph Curry
11. Kobe Bryant
12. Moses Malone
13. Julius Erving
14. David Robinson
15. Dwyane Wade
16. Clyde Drexler
17. John Stockton
18. Charles Barkley
19. Giannis Antetonounmpo
20. Nikola Jokic
21. James Harden
22. Kevin Garnett
23. Karl Malone
24. Scottie Pippen
25. Dirk Nowitzki
The Best Players at the Different Positions, 1977-2022
Point Guard
- Magic Johnson
- Steph Curry
- John Stockton
- Isiah Thomas
- Chris Paul
- Gary Payton
- Jason Kidd
- Maurice Cheeks
- Steve Nash
- Russell Westbrook
Off Guard
- Michael Jordan
- Kobe Bryant
- Dwyane Wade
- Clyde Drexler
- James Harden
- Allen Iverson
- Vince Carter
- Tracy McGrady
- Sidney Moncrief
- Ray Allen
Small Forward
- LeBron James
- Larry Bird
- Kevin Durant
- Julius Erving
- Scottie Pippen
- Paul Pierce
- Dominique Wilkins
- Kawhi Leonard
- Bernard King
- Marques Johnson
Power Forward
- Tim Duncan
- Charles Barkley
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Kevin Garnett
- Karl Malone
- Dirk Nowitzki
- Anthony Davis
- Dennis Rodman
- Kevin McHale
- Chris Webber
Center
- Hakeem Olajuwon
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Shaquille O’Neal
- Moses Malone
- David Robinson
- Nikola Jokic
- Joel Embid
- Patrick Ewing
- Alonzo Mourning
- Bob Lanier
Narendra Subramanian 
Vikranth said,
January 22, 2011 at 6:16 am
Frankly stumbled upon your blog through google ; but I have to say your list is very very accurate and true. Being a Spurs and Rockets fan its good to see you have Tim Duncan and Hakeem in your top 10 above Bryant, pity ESPN thinks and markets otherwise.
It was a good read. Thanks.
Naren said,
June 18, 2014 at 3:26 am
Just saw your comment. I have Hakeem, but not Tim Duncan, ahead of Kobe.
NBAsopher said,
January 19, 2016 at 10:26 am
Hi Naren. Your lists are very good and I agree with most of your rankings. However, one thing that I am not so sure about is whether you should rank Lebron so high. I believe that Lebron is a great player and there is no doubt about it, but I also think that most of us have been affected by the hype that surrounded him throughout his career and the way media has presented him as the savior of an NBA era without the superstars of the past. If you think about it Lebron has lost 4 times in the Finals and won only two. I understand that in his first trip to the Finals his team was much weaker than the Spurs as well as the last time Love and Irving were injured, but he could not lead a Miami team with Wade and Bosh to more titles especially when he had literally no competition in the East (comparing with the teams of the West). He also had unbelievably bad games in the Finals (8 points against the Mavs!!!). I think I could write a full essay on the matter, but my point is that we are affected by the lack of superstars (in the way superstars used to be) in today’s NBA (I believe that Curry is much closer to the definition of the superstar). In short, I think that 30 years from today nobody when his career will be long over there will be very few people that will look back at him and consider him as top-5 all-time player; imagine that we criticize Dr J and Wilt of not winning, but isn’t that the case with Lebron? I feel that from the superstars that I have seen in my life he is probably the least able to carry a team to a title (all circumstances considered). I think right now he is hardly a top-10 all-time (i do not see how is he better than Duncan, Bird, Hakeem, Chamberlain, Shaq, Robertson or even Kobe). I would like to hear your opinion on this.
nsubramanian said,
July 8, 2017 at 2:29 am
Thank you for the comments. Unfortunately, I only noticed them now when editing the page. I am uncertain where to place LeBron, between Nos. 2 and 6 all-time. But I definitely place him in that lot, and ahead of Bird, the next greatest small forward in my view. I don’t think we can place too much weight on the number of titles won, although that is certainly a consideration. LeBron was on a team that should have won another championship only in Miami, not in Cleveland. The Heat were still coming together when they lost to the Mavs. Although they had more stars, the Spurs were the better team that jelled better as a group. Despite this, the Heat beat the Spurs once and lost to them once. And in the Warriors, they lost to the better team. In 2016, I think LeBron hugely overachieved in leading the Cavs beyond the Warriors. I don’t think the supporting cast is that strong in Cleveland now – Kyrie can’t play defence that well, Love is on and off, and the rest of the cast is good but not great.
Bird was the greater outside shooter, passer, offensive rebounder, and team defender. LeBron has been the greater inside force, overall and defensive rebounder, and one-on-one defender. I think he won the third team with a weaker team than Bird had on any of his championships, including the first one in which Maxwell was the better player by a bit. It’s also difficult to ignore that LeBron has been good for much longer, though injuries were the main reason why Bird declined after 1987. Of the other great offensive players, I place LeBron above Chamberlain because Chamberlain’s shooting range was very limited and he was less successful in winning titles while playing on stronger teams for longer; and above Olajuwon because Olajuwon wasn’t as dominant as an offensive force. I would say though that there were many players I emotionally preferred to LeBron – including Kareem, Magic, Hakeem, Duncan, Moses, and the Doctor.