Greatest Basketball Players Of All Time

pertaining to the comments made about rule changes...dont all players have to abide by these rule changes...MJ had the perfect combination of poise,dexterity,flare & grace...he could find a way to score and defend against any team in the universe...look at space jam

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6 rings, 6 finals mvp, 5 league mvp, 2 time all star mvp, defensive player of the year, 10 time scoring champ Wilt don't have that many. 7 of them in a row. 2 time dunk champ. Never lost in the finals. Wilt did numerous times, magic did, bird did, russell did. And for the younger crowd kobe and lebron too. All the greats did except one...Guess who! When you look at the total picture, nobody is even close.

The greatest ever, the living legend and the symbol of basketball. .......Basketball worldwide and the nba is what it is today because of Michael Jordan .....lebron, Kobe, Kevin D are what they are today because of what MJ did for the game of basketball.

If MJ wouldn't have retired he would have scored more than Jabaar.

If you consider high school, college, and the pros-Kareem is by far the best. He only lost 8 games in his h.s. & college career. 1 loss due to injury, 1 due to no 24 sec clock. Because of him dunking was outlawed for 11 years in college. He won an NBA title in his 2nd year. It took Jordan 7 years to win an NBA Title. Jordan got cut form his High School team. Plus Kareem holds the all time NBA scoring record.

Not saying he was better, but do you all realize Jabbar has 6,000 more points than Jordan.

He was the greatest ball player of his type ever. If you think scoring a lot points isn't as impressive as scoring a lot of points, getting a ton of rebounds and blocking almost every shot taken within ten feet of you then Wilt is your man.

Michael Jordan was more than a man but less than a god, like Hercules or something.

Yes I remember a player flying and jumping for a dunk and etc. and from a few posters and his teammate Scottie Pippen came and had watched some or little of the Lakers game then and Boston Celtics and knew of the team and their hometown court and stlye playing and Bernard King was active and a top player and a top player for Larry Bird and Bernard who had came around running and moving to score and smaller defensive players and fast movers too and from Michael Cooper three pointers to James Worthy or Kurt Ramson running and playing and from Earvin Johnson playmakings and passes to his players and especially Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for memorable moments etc. and running and moving of the players of the Celtics to score and play the board etc and from Lakers moving own routines too and I had thought of Julius Erving the player who was one of a good player and only one and who had not played or his last years and who was one player in the league good like him or played could play him really one on one with the moves he had of his own and physical all around and that he was and the one player who was there and to do that to brighten us of his plays and artwork wills for basketball.."!" still when Michael was playing and the players from the Lakers or the Celtics team. and before those players of his days or of their days and who had the skills to do that and they played and of their own strength or kind of skills!

When 1 tries to determine the best they usually ask the best. Whenever any of the greats that played were asked they all said Air Jordan was the best of all time. Bird, Magic, Sir Charles, et al. People always say ohh well players today are faster, taller, stronger... Basically to be the best in a team sport you have to have the best team leaders. Everyone on the "Dream Team" said that Jordan was the leader. That should speak volumes into who is the best of all time.

MJ still kick ass at age 40 in wizards...no doubt he could still dominate players from this era.

There wsnt as many good players in the NBA at that time like today i mean yea they were all good but everybody was not avg 6'6 220 like today the competition is much tougher today. Players are stronger faster taller heavier. Put Jordan in the league today at his prime and he wouldnt be nearly as good.

If Michael Jordan was still in the nba I would want Michael Jordan vs Lebron Jame's.

he is the BEST basketball player who ever lived on this earth hes a all around player with dunking ability, clutch,good defense,good shooting,passing,and he also has the moves. 6 titles 6 finals mvp 5 mvp and a 10 time scoring champ. and once again he is the best nba player player ever.

Michael Jordan brought an unstoppable legacy into the NBA that no one else could. The 1992 Dream Team was built around him. Every game he played in, he would not disappoint. He is the greatest basketball player in NBA history. It's as simple as that.

as far as the stat argument goes, it's not even close. Wilt has by far, BY FAR more impressive stats. and the Championship argument goes to Russell. so what's left?

For everyone that says that Larry bird was better than Jordan just take the game where Jordan dropped 60 points on bird and bird proclaimed him "God in basketball shoes"

air jordan is no doubt one of the five arguably top three players of all time but taking nothing away from him guys like russell chamberlain and kareem were better in my opinion

There is no discussion about who is the best basketball player of all time: look some of his game and his statistic and there will no doubt that he was and will be the best basketball player of all time. Thank you MJ for all you do you are so strong !

Magic and Bird made the NBA big business in the 80's then the fear of what would happen when they retired got Stern and the media to overhype Jordan. He was great, but not such a clear-cut GOAT as they made him out to be. And move him and his Bulls back 10 years and they don't win a single championship.

OF COURSE

duh...

when anyone else has 6 nba championship rings in 8 years come back and tell me that MJ aint the best

Micheal Jordan is the bomb

Kaddak aahe...

the best 6 championships and had one great player for a teammate and the rest mediocre

thank you, clearly Michael Jordan is the best and everything else is way off on this list

He is the best because he always wants to win ballgames and off course the title.

best player ever

The timing comment is on point. The greater players of the 80s were winding down their careers just in time for Jordan---but he still had to wait 1/2 dozen years+ until they were REALLY done. Then enter David Stern who is very much a promoter for his league------he made sure Michael Jordan was advertised as the GOAT. He cleared the path for Shaq to get away with offensive fouls when Shaq became the annointed torch bearer for the league once MJ retired the 1st time. Jordan only started beating Bird's teams after Bird was shot (1989-1992) and he beat a Lakers team in the Finals that was barely a .500 team without the HIV inflicted Magic Johnson in 1991 (which also lost Scott & Worthy during that series). The Bulls were 51-21 with Pippen in 1994 after Jordan retired the 1st time---which is a better record than they had in 1993 WITH Jordan (57-25).

Michael Jordan's truest claim to fame is his timing. He was there when the league needed someone to take the place of Magic and Bird and rode the over-hyping.

Like "guest" said 8 days ago, go to "Top 20" on the next page to get closer to the truth. Although they've got Jordan too low, he isn't the best all around player I've ever seen. And he isn't the most dominate player ever. Those two different titles go to two different players, Magic and Wilt.

"There's Michael Jordan and then there is the rest of us." –Earvin 'Magic' Johnson

The people voting on The Top 20 Of All Time on the next page have more sense. Although they have Jordan too low. Anywhere from 3rd to 5th is realistic.

The Bulls couldn't win without Jordan? They won 55 games without him in 1994 when he retired the 1st time. If anything, they proved they COULD win without him. When he retired the 2nd time, Pippen was gone, Phil Jackson was gone and probably others. Pippen played for winners without Jordan in Chicago and elsewhere. Jordan NEVER played on a winning team without Pippen.

Remember this, among a long list of reasons he was overhyped, they made a rule change and a change physically in court markings to HELP his game. Bringing the three point line into his wheelhouse. They had to make rule changes to STOP, or help stop Wilt. Changing the size of the key.

I love kobe but I still think Mike is the best.

whoever says Michael Jordan isint the best basketball player ever you are nuts.this guy dominated the game.he is the king.basketball is mikes game no one would beat him.whoever says kareem is the best or even wilt you have serious issues.yeah kareem is good but no one is better than michael jordan.michael jordan is number 1.mike is the best ever.

hes the best player off all time how this site is riduclous to have him wnywhere but number one come on 28?

Although he should really be in the top 10. Maybe amongst the top 5. But not #1.

Finally! People seem to have gotten over the hype and favoritism!

Michael Jordan and the bulls hold the best record without him they couldn't win he proved that when he retired. He is also undefeated in the Finals.

Best player of all time... how can he be at number 8?

michael jordan is the #1 best bball player of all time no doubt

Thanks "Magic" Earvin Johnson you were great and like a king in baskeball and for basketball!

even tho he should b ranked lower he is a fixed player at 6'9 and plays piont gaurd magic could play all positions. also he could get triple doubles.and he could kill at crazy passing.but i still think he should b at 6.

BTW, Magic received endorsements as the greatest player ever from Bill Russell and Larry Bird (who held a H2H advantage over Jordan's career). That's praise from the greatest champion ever (I mean when there were 8-12 teams and the Celtics BENCH was stacked with HOFers) and the guy who said "I've seen Jordan do amazing things, but Magic is the greatest player ever". Jordan receives endorsements from the commercialized league and a humble Johnson in '93 during the Suns final. What else was Magic going to say? Enough with the Kareem arguments, for most of his career w/Magic he wasn't even as impacting as Pau Gasol (by possessions per game), while Jordan won 1-out-of-10 games (including 2 sweeps on teams that had Charles Oakley, Paxon, Daily who averaged 16ppg, Woolridge who avg. 21ppg, George "Iceman" Gervin, and HOFer Artis Gilmore) before Scottie Pippen came and raised Chicago out of the 1st round. Like Kobe and unlike Magic, Jordan didn't make his teammates better in what is a team game until halfway through his career.

HOLD UP Rizzo and others! I like some of your arguments but let's set the record straight. Lakers were swept twice and lost to the Bulls in 1991 in 5 games because they had multiple injuries. Worthy-Nixon-Mac all out in '83, Magic and Scott out in '89 (after sweeping the West), and Worthy-Scott out in '91. We may not even be talking about Jordan had teams been leveled. Magic fought hard with Tony Smith and Elden Campbell in the starting line-up in game 5 and nearly had a 2-1 lead up 13 in game 3 only to lose in OT after Worthy and Scott's injuries caught up with them. And Isaiah? Unlike Magic, he played in games 6 and 7 with a sprained ankle, tough Mofo, but still had a great impact and his numbers were unaffected. MAGIC'S DEFENSE? He was a really good, maybe not great defender. Fastbreak showtime didn't call for full coverage every play down, it was a streaking game that Magic ran other players off the court but don't forget, Magic won 2 steals titles, drew multiple offensive fouls and controlled the game with his pace and tempo. He was a good team defender too leading LA to the 2nd best defense in 1991 without Coop! Jordan? Well, as great as he was a defender for the 1st half of his career, Pippen and Harper often did his dirty work during the 2nd 3-peat, and took the tougher d-assignments. Jordan's 9 or 10 d-teams are simply a product of media bias, coach and league preferential voting and treatment. I've never seen a player so inflated with awards he didn't deserve. One-on-one as I recall, Magic owned Jordan in the post, but it wasn't wise getting into a shooting battle with Jordan. If they played in '92 or '93 w/o injuries, I think Magic would have lead LA to victory but it's just conjecture.

The best all-around player was the Big O. he was stronger than Jordan or Magic. A better dribbler than Jordan or Magic. it's very close but i say he was more fundamently sound than Jordan, Magic or Bird. A better rebounder than Jordan or Magic. A better one on one player than Magic or Bird. A better defensive player than Magic or Bird. And to top it off he had better stamina than Jordan, Bird or Magic. In the history of the league he ranks 3rd all time in minutes played per game behind Wilt and Russell. So he was a point guard with the strength of a power forward and the stamina of a center. That is why he had all thos triple doubles. And that is why pound for pound he is the best player ever.

The point that Jordan would beat Magic 1 on 1 only illustrates the problem with thinking Jordan was greater than Magic. Jordan, HIMSELF, thought the NBA was about 1 on 1-----it's no wonder his teammates played better in 1994 with him retired. Magic made teams BETTER because he incorporated the other 4 guys on the floor with him. Jordan just wanted them to get out of his way and fetch his misses and guard the toughest opponents for him.

NBA basketball isn't one-on-one. Jordan played on some teams that didn't even win half their games. That would NEVER happen to Russell or Magic or Bird. No Pippen on the team= no winning record for the team. Check it out.

look magic is good but not better than jordan.if they played one on one jordan would beat him 10 out of 10 times.magic is in the top 20 but definitely not the best.kareem is not better or wilt or kobe.you are all nuts to think magic is the best.i have seen them all play and jordan would beat all of them easily.if it was kobe and lebron versus jordan.jordan would beat them at the same time.2 on 1 jordan takes it guarntee it.i would bet you money jordan would take both of them.

wery good. but not better then michael jordan

Magic Da Best!!!!

The Lakers also lost Scott and Worthy in Game #4 of that series for the rest of the series.

The 1991 Lakers without Kareem were NOT a great team. That same group in 1992 with Sedale Threatt instead of Magic was a 43-39 team. We know what the Bulls were without Jordan in 1994.

he won an mvp defensive mvp and scoring tittles against the "varsity" then he beat the 2 time champs and beat magics lakers to win a ring, or i guess magic in a year after he won back to back mvps couldnt could win withought kareem? so your either saying that jordan didnt beat a "varsity" or your saying magic couldnt win without kareem, which one is it? who are you rooting for anyways, if jordan isnt the GOAT your knocking down one of his biggest competitors

Jordan didn't do it against the Varsity.

good point, most are never able to sacrifice there individual numbers for the team, or win championships, something jordan did. also how many scoring champions won the tittle because he led the league every year he won the tittle. most players fall into the steriotype there given, a scoring champ that cant win, a white guy cant compete against black players ex. but the greats can overcome those, and once they do are no longer bunched in the group of statistics the others that failed to do are confined too. jordans best numbers were in the 80s, it doesnt mean its because of the same reasons others have enjoyed better numbers on worse teams(although jordan had his best numbers on his upper 50 win teams, not bad teams at all just not his championship teams). nice try though

Players enjoying their best numbers on their least relevant teams is a constant in basketball.

problem is most of his team shouldnt have even made freshmen

Those people aren't wrong.

i was laughing at the spelling and grammer comment, and for the most part I agree the elite teams of the 80s were better then the elite teams of the 80s, i just think the best bulls team could best the best 80s team and i believe MJ is the GOAT right above larry and magic. not disagreeing. funny thing is jordans best numbers came from the era when the varsity was playing

Ehhh... I WASN'T saying those people were wrong, either...

haha, word

Oh, I can read fine. Though, admittedly, your spelling and grammar test the limits.

The problem is that there are folks who you will NEVER convince that the 90s bear any resemblance to the 80s as far as great teams are concerned, so to them, talking about Jordan's dominance in the Finals in the 90s is like waving C.Y.O. trophies in their faces and saying 'look at THESE' .... Instead, they wanna know where he was when the VARSITY was playing the previous 6 seasons.

my point of jordans will to win was in context of once his teams could compete on the level birds and magics did at there prime his late will to win would trump theres, I mostly meant his late game heroics but i think it would work in a game by game sense as well. larry lost 2 finals magic lost 3 and was SWEPT 2wice, jordan would have never allowed a team to sweep his at that level, in fact never LOST a finals series. and he acually beat the pistons to make them done they wernt done on there own acount. bulls beat them in the eastern finals in 91, after they won back to back tittle and 3 straight trips to the finals. jordan would have had to have had the same team in those years he didnt make it to the finals to have "waited". the pistons were an all time great team in those 3 finals apearances shoulda gone 3-0 if thomas doesnt get injured and they lose in 7 to LA. jordan had the will to win from day 1 as well as evident in why he scored so much and had so many game winning shots, even in the playoffs. he didnt get drafted to a team with a 5 time and riegning league mvp on it. or too a quality franchise dedicated to winning for the last 5 decades. but ya bird and magic had a will to win as well as all the tools needed to acually do so. this had nothing to do with russle but ya read my post on russles section yall dont know how to read i think

You know who ELSE'S 'will to win' was no match for Jordan's? Bill Russell's. That guy STOLE a paycheck. Practically SLEPT through most of his career. Why if he had JORDAN'S 'will to win', he may have won 11 championships in 13 seasons as the most valuable player of his own team.

I think RUSSELL'S Celtics have to be the greatest NBA dynasty----the the 80s Lakers. But Jordan DID wait like a good, patient little boy for the Lakers to get done and the Celtics to get done and the Pistons to get done, didn't he?

Ahhh... Jordan's 'will to win'... Naturally, Magic had no 'will to win', right? Jordan's 'will to win' was especially great LATER in his career, hmmm? Well, Magic had a 'will to win' from Day ONE.

michaels will to win expecially later on in his career would be the thing that puts his bulls teams over the other teams in the 80s if you drop him in the 80s. once he adapted his game to beat the pistons his teams were almost unstopable. he personaly tore up those great 80s teams IN the 80s, once he elevated his game his team would have been able to compete and beat those teams. its kind of wierd because he learned how to conduct a great team by watching and learning from those teams i believe because it took him a few years to "get it" but when he did he "did it" better then has ever been done. when he was young he was the best individual player in the league, virtually unstoppable. once he started to mature as a player he became the best winner in the game as well as the best player. thats one thing thats great about him, no matter what kind of success he had , it was his failures that drove him to greater hights. i feel birds stock declined after 86, his 6th year in the league and magic improved a little and stayed basically the same untill he was forced to retire(which came at a good time i think, he didnt wanna see jordan in the finals after 91) but jordan, although personally at the top of the league continued to get better and greater.

"The extremes that Michael dominated in..." You know, I believe that if you move those Bulls back ten years they're extremely lucky if they win one Championship. the competition was way better and harder in the eighties and any accomplishment in that decade is worth tenfold in the 90's. Magic's Lakers are the best Dynasty there ever was and the Celtics of the same decade are the second best ever. Michael had to wait for their decline to even get on the map.

i agree on magic being the most complete player , my arguement simply is that the extremes that jordan dominated in are enouph in number and importance that he is a greater player then magic. magic is number 2 in my mind, and if you only are counting acomplishments id give it to magic because he won high school champ and led his team to a ncaa champ, while jordan won the ncaa champ for his team he was not the leader in 82, and they are so close with nba tittles id have to give it to magic as far as team acomplishments. and if jordan wasnt on champ teams hisnumbers wouldnt count for as much but he did and they do. ive also watched both of them play, watching the whole game and being able to analyse what was going on while i was watching and ive got to say ive never seen any other player dominate how jordan did, expecially in the big games

caldwell jones was the backup center on the eastern conf. champions, behind dawkins. Now please tell me one point guard or even a shooting guard (Jordan) who could match up against the third string center of the worst team in the league and get those kind of numbers. You just don't get it. And another thing, one of the hardest skills to master in the game is to dribble all the way up the court, at full speed, under control, with your head up and seeing the whole court. No knock on some of the greatest players ever but I've seen Dr. J and Jordan dribble the ball of their feet on a number of times. Not saying Magic was the only player able to do that so well but all of the others who could, couldn't get 12, 15 rebounds a game. Couldn't post up a power forward down low for a hoop. And look at the triple doubles. All aspects, skills, and responsibilities of the game considered, no one was ever as good as he was. Or has been since.

as far as finals competition michael beat magic and beat the 2 time champ pistons to get there, thats a strong team he lead in 91. the blazers made it to the finals 2 times, the suns with barkley were beast that year, the sonics had payton and kemp, and the lazz had the alltime assist and 2nd point leader and an all time coach went to the finals 2 times, the bulls didnt play bad teams by any means although i admit they wernt as good as the 80s teams, but, maybe its because of jordan! look at how many hall of famers and future hall of famers he kept from getting a tittle? the nicks were pretty dam good those years they lost in the finals in 94 but what if theres no bulls they go to the finals a couple of those years maybe beat rockets in 94 does that make them a better team, maybe not but there look as so by history at that point. the bulls played teams on the level of the teams of the 80's, just none of them were as consistant and were defeated by the bulls. hell, maybe besides the 4-5 teams of the 80s everyone else just wasnt that good, and it made them look even better. maybe jordan played against teams that in that season were almost to just as good as any of those 80s teams and the league just had better overall competition so different teams would make it to the finals every year. every stat and every tittle he aquired count as much as anyone elses, so by what measure do you think bird or magic are better. magic played multple positions and birds team without him did do as good, wow, they are miles above jordan how could i have missed it

another food for thought magic was swept 2 times in the finals. if a team is dominating another expecially if both teams have made it to the finals or confrense finals its a match up problem because most teams must be good if they make it that far. dont you think they would have game planed to use magics abilitys to try to win if that may have been the case against the sixers or pistons when they got swept? also if thomas doesnt get injured in game 6 in 88 and sits for game 7 lakers dont win that series. likewize if magic doesnt flake out in the 84 series against boston maybe they win that game 7 and bird only has 2 tittles both against the rockets. if bulls win game 7 agianst pistons in 90 there in the finals against the blazzers who they beat 2 years later, maybe 7 rings for jordan. i play ball used to play competitive and i always tryd to play like magic watched him in the finals 4 times in my life huge fan, but i have to say jordans better and there are so many more reasons for it then for anyone else. when you start making one thing more important then the other or disqualify a particular arguement for whatever reason, you usually do it to give your side the advantage. i dont disqualify any arguement for magic or bird but some are worth less then some of you...or maybe its just one of you...want to make them out to be.

who ever posted the link good stuff i like some of the stuff in it. when it comes to magic and his defense acually he was a liability to smaller point gaurds he was really only considered decent when playing post d agianst gaurds but not by any means a shut down defender, a huge difference from someone who made all defensive 1st team 10 times. this gap in defensive skill should cover the spread on the multiple positions advantage magic has wouldnt you say? defense is half the game right? and i do remember daryle dawkins but not as a defense big man, good stuff though i forgot he played for them. he had a great game but that doesnt mean he can do that consistanly or for a season or even on call for a random game like that again, fortunity it happened to be in a game 7 adding to his "magic". and my horse may have legs because nobody cares how jordan would score against a bad team the whole arguement is how did he do against the good teams or the good defenders or his playoff sucess early, so matching up against regular ass players or teams isnt the measure its playing against the top guys, i dont think caldwell jones is a great center, so in games with solid teams how effective would he be, like i said you didnt see him play big man against the sixers when they were down 3-0, you think if he could be that great at any position wouldnt they have at least tryd him out when they bought to get swept? maybe its because he didnt play that before game 7 and the sixers didnt know how to game plan around him, maybe they waited to long to do anything about it, but theres prolly a reason why that skill of his was never utilized and he stuck to point, that reason might be because all though it sounds great, its would have worked out the way you can fantasize it would

by the way rizzo, the 76'ers centers were daryl dawkins and caldwell jones, both better and much better than your average centers. magic played all 5 positions in that game. his ability to not only play all 5 positions but play them at an all-star level is a fact that i've never heard anyone but bird and jordan fans deny. and while not a dominating defensive player, sportscasters and players who've played against him always rated him as better than average. your argument is, how shall i say it? that horse has no legs.

he was not a great defensive player much less a good defensive against big men, put him at center against a good to great center there is a serious matchup problem as well as rebounding advantage, he would not be as effective by any means playing center. he was very versitile i agree but to what extent? does it really give him that many points in a competition of whos the greatest player ever, i feel there are advantages which jordan has that outwiegh magics advantage of being able to "play" multiple positions, not dominate. i think my point was missed but let me put it this way, find out who phillys center was in that series and if you ever heard of him. maybe magic shoulda played center against the sixers when they had moses malone and SWEPT the lakers in the finals

Sorry to get so petty Rizzo, but I think you're quite wrong about Magic's abilities. And there's never been anyone else before or since close to that.

magic was an AMAZING player , i can amagine a world without larry bird where magics lakers win 8 championships in the 80s, and if he never left like he did they could have made it the finals more then once in the jordan era maybe even been able to deal jordan his first L in the finals. an innovater of the game and one of the best and most successfull players ever, a hard combo to find. one thing that seperates great players who had great success and legends in sports is a little touch of....well, magic. the dramatics of the game give rare oppertunities to players be create moments that will never be forgotten and magic rose to those hieghts many times in his carreer. his rivalry with bird and the celtics was the greatest ticket basketball has ever seen i believe, no other 2 match ups including lakers celtics of the 60s can stack up, magic was the leader on those 5 champ teams. to those that think hes number 1 because he can play all positions he played center in game 7 right he didnt play center against moses or parish it worked for that game, again a great moment, but dont act like he could play centerfor a season.

In 1994 when the Bulls won 55 games WITHOUT Jordan (as opposed to 57 WITH him the year before), the starting lineup was, except for Scottie Pippen, ALL CHANGED by the year they won 72. It wasn't 'Jordan coming back'.... it was 80% turnover in the starting lineup INCLUDING Jordan. And let's not forget that Jordan DID return in 1995 for the last 20-25% of the regular season plus playoffs---and that the Bulls didn't even get to the Finals.

dude, in 94 the Bulls won won like 55 games, when MJ came back they won 72 games, and the championship. Thats definitley an impact. Plus Kareem and Magic combined to win 5 series, MJ won 6.

The year was 1991 when Magic took the Lakers to the Finals without Kareem---but everything else is accurate.

You find out a lot about the value of a player when he ISN'T there... the 47-win Lakers add him and soar to 60 wins and the NBA championship (and Kareem, who WAS having an MVP series, didn't play Game 6 in Philly)... then Magic takes a Kareem-less Laker team to the Finals in 1993, retires----and the Lakers with Sedale Threatt and everybody else back in 1994, fall from 58-24 and the Finals to 43-39. Michael Jordan never made any such impact.

One of 2 players in NBA history (Bird) who's team won 60+ games for every 82 he played in... Played in 8 Finals in the 80's alone... Could play all 5 positions at All-Star level for a playoff series... The Lakers team he took to the Finals that went 58-24 went 43-39 the next year without him...

who is this haskel person. he/she is really dumb

I dont know much bout B-ball but my moneys on him.

And another thing..You could ask him to score 30, 40, or more and he could. You could ask him to get you 20 rebounds in a big game and he would. You could ask him to get 15 assists in a playoff game and it was done. He could play all 5 positions and well enough in all five to start for most teams and well enough to make the all stars if he did. He was the best.

For some reason this list won't let me rank him at no. 1, but for all-around greatness at every aspect and position in the game, I've never seen better. Including Jordan.

for some reason this list won't let me rank him no.1, but for all-around greatness at every aspect and position in the game, I've never seen better. Including Jordan.

Great player a legend and a hall of famer no doubt. But two things 1) Name is spelt wrong 2) He isnt third all time, to high on the list.

do you mean nowitzki

Dirk over Larry Bird, that is absurd. Larry deserves the #3 spot.

Best European Player ever.. deserves to be in the top 100... Loyal to his team..

Maybe spell his name right?

and Bird is 11 ..........WHAT IS THIS WORLD OMING TO!

DIIIIIIRRRRRK in the german moses Best clutch shooter ever. carried the mavs to a championship this past year

Oh hey what Leron can move and get some great hard plays done and to dunk the ball in the basket and can shoot a good or great 3 pointer from the outside and you can see his games and one game you may see how he will just throw the ball and to make it out from there and with some kind of spin to the ball or motion to that when he just does that and it goes in and they mentioned about a former NBA old-Timer who has a good three-pointer from long distance and from higher above and drops in like coming from a raindow view! And Bob Pettit has some body moving to run and to get the ball in the basket and he has somekind of great motion to that moving playing in physical and he can be here of this list order if Lebron James is here on the #3 list order and Bob Pettit is taller and maybe stronger and stronger to get the boards and to swoop by above easily more than Lebron and though Lebron is a nice shooter from the inside too and outside sometimes and can run in too and faster from the outside maybe! And maybe Julius Erving go go here or a step higher in the list of this order and he has the more amazed hand control of the ball then Lebron James all-around, sorry!

LeBron is still young and need to grow. You cannot honestly rank him against Magic,Bird,Jordan come on this kid need to do a lot of growing up!!

Earl "the GOAT" Manigault was probably the greatest basketball player of all time, however he did not play in the NBA and I believe he deserves this spot and not a baby like lebron

I agree he desireved it he is stronger and faster than evryone

He is not better than kobe Bryant he has no rings and Kobe Bryant has 5

YEA RIGHT HE IS DEFINITELY NOT BETTER THAN PEOPLE LIKE LARRY BIRD, KAREEM ABDUL JABAAR, OSCAR ROBERTSON, AND MANY MORE...

y is number 3?...kobe is # 3..he doesn't have a championship ring and he is not a team player compared with kobe..

Kobe has 5 rings man. Bron had his chance to get one this year. he and bosh aint **** alone, and just about aint **** together. Kobe bryant is the number 2 great of all time. now ask urself who can stop mike.... now who can stop kobe. now who can stop bron... shawn marion

Lebron is ****ing **** and hasnt won a chmpionship so **** off

sooooo terrrrible!!!!!! magic should be number two!!!!!

Can we please STOP the LeBron VS Bird stuff at least for the time being? LeBron shrunk from the moment in the Finals. It's CLEARLY ridiculous to be mentioning him with Larry Bird.

I agree that LeBron hasn't accomplished enough to be in the discussion for GOAT yet, but there is NO denying that his IMPACT on a Cavalier team that cannot win a game anymore was remarkable. They were winning 61 & 66 games with little else different outside of LeBron (Shaq's modest contributions notwithstanding) different from that team today. Michael Jordan NEVER impacted a team like that. He didn't make a bad team that much better and he wasn't missed greatly by a good team when he left. LeBron does more to involve teammates than Jordan ever did----and I think that's the key. There's a reason why Larry and Magic are the only 2 players in NBA History to win 60+ games for every 82 they played------they facilitated the games of their teammates. LeBron gets it. I don't like him personality wise-------but he understands what it takes to win and he goes to a different school than Kobe or Jordan did.

If you haven't. Won a championship you don't deserve to be on the list at all

right know. he will kill kobe

lebron is a very good player, with a couple flaws that need to be worked on but still overall a great player will do great things in his carrer, but why is he on this list he hasnt acomplished anything except winnin 2 mvps, im pretty sure steve nash did that why is he not in the top 10? lebrons biggest problem is not even him its yall, tryna crown him with **** before hes even done it, wait till its his time to be on a list like this before you put him there. right now hes alex english, let him decide his career and create his own legacy stop tryna create it for him. i hope he wins 3 or 4 rings before his time is up but bron bron, please, work on the J it looks so horrible sometimes lol

LeBron should be ashamed at 6'8" and 260 with his athletic ability that he averages under 6 boards per game and farts around outside shooting long jumpers when Miami is starving for a post game from somebody. He is also a turnover machine. He is doing a horrible job in Miami. We watched him dance after his 'decision' and less than 6 rebounds per game and tons of turnovers is all we get?!? The guy is a BUM.

Lebron, in my opinion doesn't need to win a flippin championship ring to determine if he is good or not! Lebron should be ranked in the top 3!

LeBron leads the NBA in turnovers. He wants double digit assists but doesn't possess the skill set to handle the ball like he desires. Somebody has to tell him to stop pretending he's a 'distributor' like a Magic. Nobody will. That will be all of LeBron's teams' downfall-----nobody will man up and tell the brother that he is NOT what he thinks he is out there. Slide down to the block and post up, LeBron. Get a baseline game. The league is giggling with delight that you choose to be 25 feet from the basket in a halfcourt set like you're Chris Paul.

lebron should not be on the list

You cannot run to somebody else's team and be a Top 3 All-Time Player. You gotta man up and get it done where you are to be Top 3. LeBron is a coward who wants no part of being the man.

Dude practically runs and hops with the ball. It's called a traveling violation unless David Stern has annointed you a star.

Hey, win something already... the most self-absorbed unaccomplished 'star' in recent memory... You gotta beat the best to BE the best---and he chose to be Dwayne Wade's caddie instead.

He overdominates the ball. He's 6'8" and 260 and he doesn't have a post game. He can't shoot well from where he insists on handling the ball (out beyond the top of the key)... He'll have to change his game to make it work in Miami. 7 years in, he has yet to win a single Finals GAME. I have no idea what that makes him the 'King' of...

even though Lebron doesnt have any rings, he proves himself time and time again that he deserves on and is the best nba player that is playing today. kobe always had a better team and lebron need more than one person to help him win a championship. the cavs are a good team but they arent really giving lebron any support in the playoffs. Lebron is the best but just needs more help like kobe had. then lebron could have as many rings as he wanted

how can lebron be higher than kobe. Kobe has 4 championship lebron stil has none Lebron can't be in the top 20 till he wins a championship

Jordan would be shooting outsiders all night if he had to face a Chamberlain team. Getting 50 or so points 20 or so rebounds and 4 or 5 blocks beats just getting 50 or so points. Get it? It's a fundamental fact of the game.

to say the people of then couldn't compare to today is to basically say they sucked....but their stats still stand today. Who else has 100 points in a game? compare stats side by side and no one beats Wilt

best of all time...even Jordan cant compare to his stats...nuff said

Sorry to other players smaller fast players or quick players and talented players or team leaders too and Wilt was there and played and can move around to play harder or stronger than any player or most players to get the ball and to keep it for what play he may need to get and usually and he can he does put up a show of that! He score as much or more than any player and blosk as much as any player or get as much rebounds or more rebounds and because he can and not only because hes taller than many and stronger too and can make his own play making too. And he can dunk high and as good as many players or tall Centers or any Center! When he asked Shaquille O'Neal if he wanted to play one on one during the Top 50 NBA players All-Time show he had told him No could...you "?". He was the player of basketball and he was big for the guy and big of a player too!

around this area is the right spot for wilt (even tho he is at 3. in my list) had 100 point game and also a 55 rebounding game. has good statistics and dominated at everything.

needs to be higher than lebron james because i dont think lebron has had a 100 point game plus wilt did it without the 3 point line

U can't compare someone like wilt or russell to guys like Lebron or Kobe because if they played today their stats would be COMPLETLY different (lower)

there is no question that wilt chamberlain is the best it doesnt really matter about championships sure there good but that doesnt make a player good it records its statistics and so on so how about all u jordan lovers kobe lovers lebron lovers magic lover go back into youre little hole and stay there wilt chamberlain is the greatest of all time..... nuff said

scored 100 points in a game and the coach pulled him out because he was embarrassed for the other team.

Russell, Thurmond, Reed, Bellamy, Beaty, Jabbar, Hayes, Dukes, Ellis, Felix were some of the centers Wilt played against in the 1960's and none of these guy were 6'8 white guys. They were all black guys ranging in height from 6'9 to 7'. In fact Wilt wasn't even the tallest player in the league his first 2 years. That honor goes to 7'3" Swede Halbrook of the Syracuse Nationals. If it was all about height why didn't Swede dominate like Wilt? And no Kevin Love wouldn't make the HOF if he played back in the '60's.

100 Points in 1 Game says it all

id like to think if i was around back then id be a huge celtic fan but also a wilt fan, as he got older seemed to get stronger, and he did defeate the celtics in the middle of there 13 year 11 championship dynasty, so he did win against russle once that counts for somethin, but...lets be honest, his stats dont mean as much because...well...for the most part he played against 6'8 white centers, werent any shaqs or hakeems or ewings or moses malones. kevin love would be a hall of famer if he played back then. now , im not saying wilt couldnt be dominant in todays game or that he wasnt skilled, but the 50 ppg and most of his stats need to be put in the right perspective. i think that translates to 30 or so in future eras. plus once he joined the star studded lakers still lost 2wice in the finals

Wilt is the only person who could even POSSIBLY be better than Jordan

To ME, you almost have to set aside the historically iconic big men and put them in their OWN wing. They did things that made the orchestrators of the leagues they played in CHANGE the rules because it just wasn't fair they were SO dominant. With Wilt, they had to widen the 3-second lane from 6 to 12 feet. He averaged 50ppg one year. He was ridiculous. He also (no matter what that self-serving entity/ boot-licking ESPN says) was a greater athlete than Michael Jordan ever was (and so was Jim Brown and Jim Thorpe and a guy named Deion Sanders and the list goes on and on...). I wonder how many shots he blocked. A shame we don't know.

Wilt was the sports greatest defender, greatest scorer, greatest re bounder and while block shots were not keep during his career he exceed anything that Russell did. Also led league in assisst. With all the players from the past to present day, if you had first draft choice in a draft ...you pick Wilt

You have 5 championship rings of the ABA and NBA combine you were probably as great player of your performance like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant who had one more ring onlyetc. and you had played players similar to them too and they had not and only of them and only of similarr fast and good dunker players too. Lebron James was fast and pretty of a hard working player maybe or strong player and just a regualr talented dunker of his own kind of hard dunks etc. And Julius had played in a team of the ABA called the Nets and had pretty tuff players or just a few and like one their Center Billy Paultz etc. and the other were not known players of today like these guys or most guys werent Hall of Famer and probably who may just had made it?. And he had won three championships with the team and others team and one or two or maybe three Hall of Famers and he had played in the same league with Connie Hawkins, George Gervin and Larry Kenan, Darrell Hillman and who was one of the highest flyers of basketball and Darrell Griffifths who was also one of the highest flyers aof all-time and Darrell"Dr. Dunk" Hillman can fly high and dunk and Darrell Grifftih and maybe strong too! And they were similar players like Michael Jordan someways or ? and Clyde Drexler and Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter or Dominique Wilkins and Dwane Wade etc!

Julius Erving is the best showman flyer or a best showman of one of the showmen of different eras during the NBA years!

He changed the game like no other, he is the most talented and creative player in the history of the game, not only in the NBA, I'm talking about what he did for basketball overall. He made basketball as we know it today.

Do people realise that if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have Slam Dunk Contests, Alley-Oops and the ABA would never merge with the NBA? He truly revolutionized the game of basketball, and no other player had a bigger impact in professional sports, culturaly and ideologically. Not to mention his MVP, 1983 Title and his amazing style. If we count the ABA years, he won 3 titles, 6 MVPs and averaged 35+ points per game, with 30,000+ points in his career, that would rank him 5º All-Time in USA professional basketball. Dr. J is considered, by far, the greatest player in ABA history and, as I said before, was the main reason for the ABA/NBA merger in 1975, so Erving is the most important player for basketball evolution.

He is thee best

Every kid growing up with ME wanted to be HIM. He gets short changed sometimes because he had some GREAT ABA years that get discounted to a large degree. A power dunker on the break with NO peer. An acrobatic artist who could have beefed up his own stats if he chose not to play a team game.

The most unstoppable shot in the history of all sports!!!! The KING, THE SKYHOOK!!!

Kareem is probably or is the best tall men basketball player thaat can play and to score and help the team to take the lead for a game and for a kind of one of a kind player that plays and to have one of those moments in a game every game and is a memorable kind of great player you can put him fora first men player to play for the Center position!

Kareem won a title without Magic, Magic never won without Kareem! Most unselfish player ever, could have averaged over 40 points a game during the 70's if he chose to hog the ball.

he was a straight beast in his day but managed to only win 1 championship in the 70s, a weaker era then the 60s and 80s as far as the elight teams, and he had an older oscar robertson so he wasnt by himslef, then had one of the greatest squads ever around him in the 80s that he aquired 5 more rings from. wouldnt put him at number 1 although his legend status is up there.

Jordan had talent, but other players had greater impact.

M. Jordan he is just has natural talent and he is amazing at playing. Yes there are other people out there that are good and close to him, but they aren't there yet. In my opinion though. There are many others

LeBron James averages 5 rpg and is among the league leaders in turnovers. He is a super talent who won't be a truly great PLAYER until he starts doing the things his TEAM needs. Abdul-Jabbar is an all-time great, as is Jordan. Kobe is another flawed player who is super talented---yet doesn't always do what the TEAM needs.

there is no way he should be #1! Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, or the best, Michael Jordan should be #1

They banned dunking in the NCAA because of him. NOT Chamberlain... NOT Russell... but because of HIM. 6 MVPs. 6 championships. He was, according to Wilt, the '1st player I ever needed help defending'... When he was 27, he was a monster-----10 years later, he was still torching the league's best in the playoffs (except a lot of people who comment on these things are too young to remember him being unstoppable)... I remember him dropping 40 on Olajuwon and Sampson in the 1986 Western Conference Finals---and he was in his late 30's... Unreal.

6 NBA Championships with two teams – 6 times MVP - Holds NBA career record for: Most points (38,387), Most minutes played (57,446), Most field goals made (15,837), Most field goals attempted (28,307), Most All-Star selections (19), Most All-Star games played (18) – 3 NCAA Championships – Points 38,387 – Rebounds 17,440 – Assists 5,660 – Blocks 3,189 --- More Assists, Points, Block shots and Rebounds that Michael. -- Magic only surpassed him in assists

while i don't rate him higher than magic..go to this page for a convincing argument that he was better than m.j. www.bleacherreport.com/articles/187016-michael-jordan-is-not-the-greatest-player-in-nba-history

Larry Bird is the best SF ever and a top 5 at least

larry legend is easily a top 5 player, Dirk Nowitzki is not. Bird is the most underrated player on the list without a doubt

what is larry bird doing at 10.?? when he should b at 5. and hes also the best forward thats ever played in the nba.

what larry bird it the best SF in nba history he should be 2nd

bird should be at least in the top 10

Bird the best SF of all-time? Not even by a long shot, there's no way somebody would consider him better than Baylor or Dr. J at the position, so there's no way he can be higher than number 3 at the SF list. For me even Dominique and Gervin were better, so he's number 5 in my SF's ranking. I can understand people who think that he's better than Gervin or Nique, but there's zero chance to win any kind of case against Erving or Baylor.

18? Are you serious? Greatest SF of all time is Larry Legend His only weakness was he couldn't jump

Bird always beat Jordan. Bird's teams couldn't function on NEAR the same level without Bird. Jordan's teams weren't markedly better with him than without. Bird EASILY is better than Jordan.

Without a doubt, Bird was better than Jordan. I don't know about THE greatest all-time------but better than Jordan? Without question.

You had several GREAT teams in the 80s that were on 'what could have been' dynastic runs----had the OTHER great teams not existed. Multiple teams were on great runs CONCURRENTLY---or at least with much overlap... and only ONE of them could win the championship. If the Sixers, Celtics & Lakers didn't have each other to contend with----they all could have been dynasties. The Bulls in the 1990s faced none of this. The Pacers and the Knicks and the Jazz of the 90s were weak sisters compared to those 80s beasts. Without interference from the Celtics & Lakers, the Sixers would have been champs in at least 1980, 1981, 1982, &1983. Boston would have been champs in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 had they not been interferred with by Philly & LA.... The Lakers could have been champs in 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987 & 1988 had Boston & Philly not interferred. Then, later in the 80s, the Pistons finally broke through and THEY could have won at least 4 in a row (1987-1990) had Boston and LA not interferred. And Jordan was there playing when that Pistons team grew up-------and he couldn't them, either, until they got old and ran their course.

Bird 'lost' almost as many Finals as he won? Jordan was on 5 teams that weren't even winning teams. Bird's teams never won fewer than 51 games as long as he was playing. The 80s were MUCH rougher to win in than the 90s----particularly in the Eastern Conference. Bird had to get his team through the Sixers and the good, young Pistons just to GET TO the Finals. Then he had a younger Magic and a still dominant Jabbar waiting 3 of those years (not to mention Worthy, Scott, etc). Jordan lost to the Pistons until they go old and he faced nothing that compares to the '84, '85 and '87 Lakers in the Finals. Jordan never 'went through' another great team in the middle of that other great team's dynastic run. And don't compare the Jazz to those Laker teams. People can blab on about 'how good' those players were in the 90s that Jordan beat----but the truth is none of them ever won anything.... and stop saying it was because Jordan beat them because a lot of those players started in the NBA in 1984. The Barkleys, Karl Malones, Stocktons, Ewings, etc. They didn't do anything. Those great players that came just before them did-----the Magics and Birds and Isiah Thomas's and guys before them who were still winning in the 80s-----the Dr. Js, Jabbars, Moses Malones. Jordan beat a bunch of guys in the 90s who never won anything themselves in the 80s. He didn't start winning until greater players got old. He was there when those greater players were still at the top------he just could do anything with them and neither could anybody else who became stars in the 90s.

Bird didn't compile huge career stats because he was healthy for only 9 years and hobbled for another 4... but he was THE best player in the world at the top of his game and he lost ZERO sleep when he came up against any team Michael Jordan was on as long as he (Bird) was healthy.

Lack of longevity is a valid knock on Bird's claim to GOAT

lost almost as many finals series as he won, only was efficent in the league for 8 years, cant be the greatest compared to what pther players have acomplished longevity wize as well as in winning and numbers

bird was another magical player, put on his best performances when greatness called for him to do so, one of the cleverest players ever as well. the leader of one of the best teams ever played in 5 finals won 3 only lost to magics lakers but 2wice. one of the most clutch players ever. if he had more longevity in his carreer that would have been nice. I believe he played with as good as a TEAM as magic did, but magic played with better players then bird, they made for a perfectmatch up i felt.

NOT BETTER THAN CAMBERLAIN,JORDAN,RUSSEL,SHAQ,or KOBE. REAL LIST 1.Jordan 2.Chamberlain 3.Russel 4.Magic Johnson 5.Shaqulle O'neal 6.Kareem 7.Tim Duncan 8.Kobe 9.Bird 10.Dr.J 11.Elgin Baylor 12. Hakeem the dream Lebron is #32

This impact on team winning is the most important thing, IMO.... much more important than any personal statistics.... and it's not like Bird's personal stats are lacking, either.

He joined a bad team in 1980 and they led the league in wins... he left a very good team in 1989 and they couldn't play .500 ball without him. You add him, you increase winning games a TON. You lose him, you can't win 1/2 your games even with everyone else there. Who else can claim this?

I looked up the Celtics in 1988 with Bird and 1989 without him (he limped around for 6 games, then missed the next 76)... In 1988, they went to the Eastern Conference Finals with a 57-25 record. In 1989, they went 24-28, then traded Danny Ainge for front court help (Brad Lohaus went with Ainge to the Kings for Ed Pinckney and Joe Kleine)... Robert Parish and Kevin McHale and Reggie Lewis had played in all 52 games to that point for Boston!! Dennis Johnson played in 48 of those 1st 52 games, and Boston was 22-26 in HIS games and 22-23 in Ainge's 45 games with Boston that year. They absolutely fell flat on their faces without Bird. Unbelievable. Compare that to how well the Jordan-less Bulls did with Pete Myers starting...

Only non-center to win 3 consecutive League MVPs (Chamberlain, Russell)... Played 34 times VS Jordan and his team won 23 of them... before injuries compromised him (startinng with season-ending double heel surgery in 1989), his team won 20 of the 1st 23 meetings VS Jordan's teams... Team never lost to a Jordan team in a single playoff game... He is the only player in NBA history in the top 10 in playoff points, assists, rebounds and steals... Sparked the biggest single-season W/L turnaround in NBA history where just one player (him) was different from the previous season's starting 5 (Celtics were 29-53 in 1979 and 61-21 in 1980 with him as the only change to the starting lineup)... The Celtics--- who had been 57-25 with him in 1988---went 42-40 with him gone for 76 games in 1989, despite still having Parish, McHale, Dennis Johnson, Danny Ainge and Reggie Lewis... 1 of only 2 players in NBA history whose teams won 60+ games for every 82 he played in (Magic Johnson).

Really "magic" earvin Johnson got those triple-plays with players he had and settings they had played for him too and how they played and of the kind of skills each one had to perform and can move fast too to play and receive a play from "Magic" and because maybe its magic or not and because the kind of talented player "magic" Johnson is and strength to play tuff! He a type of player who can get or grab the ball from different plays or players and throw a pass over the player or etc. and to throw a ball from somekind of range too! He can average a triple double on occasions or a lot of occassions and only some years and of the games he can play! And Oscar was a commonly great all around player to get triple douples and what he does and to play for the team he can average or just close to a triple -play a lot because he get the job done!

181 lifetime triple-doubles. The next closest is Magic with 138 (in virtually the same number of seasons). Nuff said.

oscar was great from his stats never really see things to impressing on the films ive seen though, did he just never get a squad around him or was he just a fluke in the playoffs? dont remember him doin anything significant till he won with kareem in 72 was it?

Averaging a triple double for an entire year is just ridiculous.

Wilt, Kareen and Bill Russell all said the Big O. was the best player ever, so ...

You can put Bill Russell in the order of the list a step higher then Julius Erving or just next to him and these commnets does that to put his list order here and common theres a video of julius Erving standing or walking next to Bill Russell and who had wal;ked there then and Julius Erving and turned away a little and walked aay some and of somekind of impression embarras or sigh feeling to that of him next to Bil Russell! If these players ar mention here or the talked most aboput of of this order list and Michael jordan and Earvin Johson is on the 1st or 2nd number order and they have somekind of a better skill of abilities then them or they each are best of their own kind of skills then and thes two players are somekind of players or a legend and as much then these players too then they can be equally good or skillfull in one order together!

The best defensive player in the game who can play smaller men or taller men then and there and theres many top players andtop players offensively and if hes the best to play them offensively or defensively or any type of players on offinsive and whom he had played had hes ranked the best or one of the top best defensive men then he can play them defensively then who plays better or one on one?... Bill Russell! And he maybe not as big or stronger then many players too or as fast a player too! 1 1 1 1 1 2..!

Most winningest player ever to play any sport because not only did he win 11 rings with the celtics but he won back to back championships in college

I am 42 yrs old and even know that bill makes the top 5 no matter what

Bill Russell is number one and its not even close! 11 rings! thats the only arguement I need but I'll argue anyways, he has overcome every challenge; racism, the boredom of winning and competing every year (Jordan's only flaw), he overcame Wilt; When you hear about Wilt scoring 50 or 60 points, they were'nt against Russell! Russell has held Wilt scoreless for an entire half in the playoffs! he beat him every time, Even when Wilts team was favored to beat the celtics, Russell still won. Jerry West and Elgin Baylor could'nt stop him, he played in 10 game 7s and won all 10. During those game 7s he averaged 18 points and 30 rebounds so he was clutch. I love Jordan, but when when Pippen and the Zen master were leaving, Jordan bailed. Russell won without his best players, and when Red left, Russell became the player coach and still won. He really won with like 3 or 4 DIFFERENT teams. notice he is the ONLY player with 11 rings, Sam Jones has like 8. He also won 2 in college. He won in the olympics also. Other teams were'nt quick enough, tough enough or smart enough to beat Russell. He was a world class athlete that won in the high jump in the olympics, hurdles, and sprinting. He knew how to maximize the abilities of his team, If you play with Russell, he'll make you a hall of famer.

He's great in a timeless fashion like Babe Ruth and baseball---and he can't be knocked off that perch. Nobody will play 13 seasons, go to the Finals 12 times and win the Championship 11 times as the team's most indispensible player.

He won 11 championships and for his career averaged 20/20

russles greatness...GREATNESS is what makes him so special. he had a vicous squat of hall of famers but wow 11 in 13 years defeatin LA (the celtics biggest rival and only real challangers threwout the years) with wilt(russles biggest personal rival) in game 7 down to the wire IN LA!!!! hes old and everbody thinks there done, he sees that jack kent cook put the ballons in the rafters before the game to celebrate the game 7 victory and he tells his team "there gonna have to clean those ballons out te rafters one by one...wow thats the stuff of legend right there. i dont know if hes the best player ever of even if i would put him 3 4 5 6 or 7, but hes the motha Fing man

That anyone would deny Bil Russell a place in the Top 6 is just sad.

nope he should not be this highly ranked!

He gets to Boston where they had never won a championship and they immediately win... 11 in 13 years. Greatest sports dynasty ever. 5 league MVPs in a league that had Wilt Chamberlain, the greatest statistical beast in NBA hisory... Russell provided exactly what the team needed to win---things it could not get from anybody else.

sould b higher he is a dominant player with 4 titles

The most overrated player of all time. He did not win without Kobe and DWade and great centers. But there is no denying in his skills.

Wilt played on a 12 foot lane---not 6. It was moved to 16 feet after Wilt scored 50 ppg.

If this guy had had the work ethic of, say, Moses Malone he'd own every record in the books.

no way

Ball hog

Do you realize that Jerry West average 2 points, 1 reb, 2 assists, per game more than Kobe Bryant and shot 47% to Kobe's 46%

Kobe can beat a player on his own occasion and to score and move around and run for temporary only and when needed and can do and some or a little of his ability some games or most games or any game and may do one day and another game too of the same team he had player or team by team and maybe not every game or most games to perform that of his abiltiy of beating his players and in physical and with fast running etc! He was great of that too and can do more but to play with those players and continue ? is the same and feat of his strength and skills! Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan or kind of a basketball showmen and man and character and it may be a real show of a sport and not like The rabbit and the turtle characters in the cartoons and similirity of something of attitude or leadership and like Julius Erving may be the the King or other prince of a leader of a character and Elgin Baylor the real Prince or guardsmen!..

Kobe is the 2nd greatest of all time. When he retires, there will be no prime left in the NBA.

i love kobe

kobe is the best player he should be no. 4 :)

Kobe is a very good basketball player don't get me wrong me wrong but he belongs at number 5. He should be way ahead of Dirk Nowitski.

my favorite basketball player

Kobe is far from being a top 5 all-time, being ranked as no. 3 in this list it's just ridiculous, not even in a top SG list he'd be the third, MJ, Sam Jones, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Drexler are ahead of him, if you consider only the player, individualy, I'd put Reggie Miller, Wade and Iverson before Kobe on the list, and that's just among SGs, there's no way Kobe can be ranked higher than Dr. J, Magic, Wilt, Russell, Baylor, Kareem, Isiah, Gervin and Shaq, that's just preposterous.

Kobe is a selfish, arrogant, egomaniac, imature, less talented version of MJ. Don't get me wrong, Kobe is good, but not top-10 good, there's a lot of guys more important and impressive than Kobe in NBA's history, pound-for-pound even players like Iverson are ahead of Bryant, the main reason of KB's succesful career can be credit to the teams that he played on, he rarely had to carry a franchise on his own like AI and LBJ did for several years, and at the only time he was alone he couldn't lead LA past the first round of the playoffs, Kobe is clearly overrated and his achievements are missleading, his name is bigger than his game.

kobe bryant blocked michael jordan so i think kobe is better

Ok, so now we have 2 Michael Jordans, LeBron James who never won anything and Kobe Bryant as the greatest players of all time? Did bus loads of 19 year olds just find this poll? Kids! The NBA goes back farther than 1991!

Kobe is to arrogant to realize that he will never be as good as michael jordan

shaq won the lakers the first 3 rings with REDICULOUS missmatches at his position, kobe was a contributer to those rings though. he was the best player on his last 2 rings but he didnt really put up the best performances the whole time. he LOST 2 finals already so he can never be on jordans level in that perspective. hes a decent defensive player but this has only been in the last couple years and he ussually doesnt gaurd the best player so that he has energy for offense, pretty sure jordan gaurded the best player on EVERY team and was all defensive 10 straight seasons. kobe is a clutch player...in games that dont matter ussually. he consistantly comes up short in big game clutch situations and suprisingly hes been in the finals 7 times already and has how many signature highlights from those finals games? kobe is also a dominate offensive player...ussualy against bad teams though. jordan scores 63 agianst the celtics in the playoffs, kobe score 80 agianst the rapters in the regular season. thats all im sayin. besides that and the fact he tried to destory his dynasty and couldnt play team ball till 5 years ago, im a kobe fan

Kobe COULD have more rings if he kept things nice with Shaq---and he is stupid and less a winner than he COULD have been because he didn't take care of Shaq... HOWEVER... this is NOT to say that Kobe is or ever will be on a level of greatness with Michael Jordan. It will NEVER be. He had to be sat in Game #7 this year so that the rest of the team could get involved and beat the Celtics. He wasn't getting it done HIS way (which is me, me, me) and Phil had to give him a blow and let Gasol and Fisher and Co. breathe.

Jordan participated in the 1995 playoffs. You can't say the Bulls woulda won with him----they LOST with him that year. Also, in 1994, if the man's heart wasn't in it------why assume the team wins anyway with him? You gotta play to win----Jordan didn't play in 1994, then played 15-20 games in 1995 before the playoffs and then lost in the playoffs to the Magic. You can't 'not count that'. Kobe could have more rings if he let Shaq be the man longer. His ego wouldn't allow it. That's all I'm saying.

You can say Kobe might have 8 rings if he could control his ego, I doubt that. Michael Jordan would have 8 rings if he didnt retire for two years. That is a fact, Kobe was the second wheel for the first three championships, and he might get another ring, at the most. But that will leave him with three finals MVPS, and one MVP. Jordan has 6 finals MVPs 5 regular season MVPs. Kobe willnever be as good as MJ

No one in the world can compare to Kobe Bryant.

Possibly the best basketball player of all time.

kobe will be in the top 5 when he retire !!

This guy isn't even CLOSE to being the greatest LAKER of all time. There must be a lot of 15 year olds voting here on this stuff.

Knucklehead might have 7 or 8 rings if he could keep his ego in check with Shaq. That there alone reduces any 'greatest' claims to hogwash.

Kobe just had to be sat in a Game #7 at the end of the 3rd Quarter and to start the 4th Quarter so his team could actually get involved in the game. That's a BAD reflection on Kobe. Phil Jackson knew the only way to get the REST of the TEAM going was to sit Kobe. He is a tremendous TALENT. I don't know how GREAT he is, though. He doesn't understand TEAM.

Kobe is the best player currently, and is going to be the best of the best when he retires(5-6 years). Who ever is saying that Lebron is better should die. Lebron is good but not as good as Kobe. Lebron has better stats because he is like the only maxed up player in his team. In the other hand, the Lakers are a team of all-star players. If Kobe wants to, he can shoot 40-50 a night if he wants. Also, Kobe can shoot extremely difficult shots that Lebron can't. GO KOBE!!!!

about right

Tim Duncan is one the best nba ploayers of all time. hes won 4 titles and 3 finals mvp and also he is the big fundamental he has so much skills in my opinion hes ranked at 9.

i'm not so sure, duncan has 3 finals mvps, bird only has 2.

larry bird's better than him what the hell!

Not saying wade is better than lebron but he did win a championship by himself on the heat which Lebron couldnt do while he was on the cavs he needed wade and bosh just to win one championship

wade should have no. 5

Man if Lebron James is three Dwyane Wade should be #2 because D Wade is always 1 step ahead of Lebron James don't hate me it's just facts

Yes, nice of him to let LameBron on his team.

Is Batman to LeBron's Batgirl. I guess that makes Chris Bosh Alfred. At least Wade had DONE something in his career.

wade should definetly be number 1 without a doubt

I would probably put Durant at maybe 7 or so he's not as good as Lebron or Michael for sure but better than Kobe

Kevin Durant is better than Kobe Bryant forever and always!!! i want to see Kevin Durant at #1!!

best player in nba now

Like this position you are in rated you are here listed and could be there or here with any other good or great player and player not listed and because he dont or didnt played in the NBA or ABA and played only in the street parks etc. and one Earl "The Goat" Manigault and tuff and incontrolled player with some speed and leaping ability and playing greatness too in all and can jump higher then anyone for a small men basketball player and to shawa waka swawa to do and sweet move and play to shine one too! And he listed here or not? next to Michael Jordan!

Dream is the sickest! He has a long collection of statistics that can't be matched. Most 5x5s, Most quadruple doubles, all-time leading in blocked shots, top ten in steals all-time (meaning he is BY FAR the only center in the top 10, and destroyed all of his rivals in an era where great centers still existed). There will be 10 more Michael Jordans before there is ever another Dream!

the dream is WAY more better than 15. he should be at about 10. just imagine he is king at quadruple doubles and he is so dominant.

So much better than fourteenth. Olajuwan could not only rebound block and score he could shoot which neither of the centers above could do. I don't think he is better than wilt but I do with shaq and jabbar.

Most skilled big man of all time on both sides of the floor. Top 5 all time with mj, king james, wade, and shaq.

The best big man of his era.

Started playing basketball at a very late age, then rose meteorically. Was named the Most Outstanding Player in the 1983 Final Four despite not winning. He averaged over 20 points and 20 rebounds per Final Four game that year. Was better than his contemporaries Sampson, Ewing & Robinson and outplayed a young Shaq (even though the NBA was looking the other way when officiating Shaq). Probably closer to 6'10", he was a rabid defender, great rebounder and tremendous scorer on the block.

Not as strong a rebounder early in his career as you though he should be (nor was he in college, for that matter---despite the gushing praise for him as a collegian). Some of the bigger rebounders in the league got old/ retired in the 90s and you saw his numbers go up. Looney Hubie Brown once coached him and tried to make him a power forward alongside Bill Cartwright because Olajuwon and Sampson were able to pull it off in Houston... No one should let Hubie Brown near an NBA roster ever again..... Good shot blocker and he developed a terrific offensive arsenal for a classic center during his NBA career.

Ray Allen is so one dimensional

Can you actually say that Ray Allen was better than Jerry West?

Ray allen has the stroke and rhythm to mixed with the quickness of his release so i think he is one of the shooters that is difficult to guard specially when you're a meter away. He is my idol too....

ray allen has the prettiest jumpshot ever.he is the best three point shooter ever.he will pass up reggie miller after the 2011 season.dont argue with me.this guy can shoot the lights out.did you see in 2010 nba finals 8 three pointers.kobe couldnt even stop him.celtics should have won the finals.they were up by 13 with 7;50 to go in the third quarter.enough of that.ray allen still has the best jumpshot ever.best three point shooter ever.all time greats.no dought

Remember iverson even got Michael to bite and crossed him up and for a guy that small to play with Giants and still take over a game deserves top 10 top 15 at least

Iverson best HANDS DOWN

It's amazing how a player so short, was capable of leading the league in scoring for multiple years playing against people much taller and stronger than him every night, being 5 inches taller he would be the greatest ever.

Great talent but his field goal percentage put a hole in his legacy.

A talented little fool who never understood the responsibilities that come with being a leader. Never won a title and it's no suprise. Durable for a gnat, I'll give him that.

He is underrated but you got to consider how he didn't win a single championship throughout his whole career

Underrated was a 22 / 12 / 4 guy

An absolute force at PF.

Malone is WAAYYYYYYYYYY higher then 57

Awesome pick-and-roll finisher. Good mid-range shooter for such a thick man. He might have a ring if those normally strong hands didn't allow Jordan to steal a ball late in a Game 6.

One of the greatest outside shooters ever, and elevated his game in the playoffs. Too bad he never had a great surrounding cast.

thats great if your name is mike tyson

great player, if we are makiing a list of best player ever conisdering a moment in time he def has allot of pull to be number 1, i love players like him. another fav of mine was barkley id love to see them on opposite teams

Without a doubt, at his best, was the best rebounder I've ever saw. If this was a list of top glass cleaners ever, Wilt would be on top if figured on his entire career but if we were to go by "at his best" Moses would top it by a mile. If anyone was within 100 poits I'd be amazed by the lack of knowledge here.

The man who said: 'There's only one ball... and I want it' ---when asked what makes him such a great rebounder. Destroyed Jabbar in the 1983 Finals in a sweep of the Lakers. Took a 40 win Rockets team to the Finals in 1981 vs the Celtics. Could score and rebounded like an animal. THE baddest cat in the league for a window in time during the late 70s-early 80s. For those who appreciated Rodman's rebounding, just imagine if Moses Malone could do ONLY rebounding---and wasn't the focal point of his team's offense, having to post up instead of boxing out all the time for someone's else's miss. He averaged 17+ rpg as the number one option on offense. He would have grabbed perhaps rebounds per game in the low 20s had he just been allowed to rebound----and that would be closer to the early 80s, not 60s.

A great, young, old-school point guard.

Elgin was one of the first hang in the air handle the ball like a grapefruit (a.k.a Dr. J). His prime was the early sixties. One of my favorite Lakers with West and Chamberlain. An original Minneapolis Laker.

An entry in that evolutionary line of graceful athletes who floated and soared... those darned Celtics tarnished many a player's legacy from Elgin's era----as multiple championships were denied in all likelihood.

Must say Clyde drexler is EXTREMELY underrated because he competed to be the best SG against MJ. Having averaged 23 points in his career is great

Forget Allen Iverson and Derick Rose and Dwane Wade and maybe Isiah Thomas because they were rated the best player for one year or temporary and not number 1 or 2 or 3 usually to be rated the greatest of all-time and only for small guards sometimes during their career and not rated the best usually like Kobe Bryant or Lebron James or Shaquille O'Neal or Tim Duncan or maybe like Steve Nash or Kevin Garnett and why not mention another player for their rank order or better or more skilled of somekind and who played before them and was rated or considered one of the best player usually during his days of playing like Bob Cousy and for a small guard too who can dribble usually commonly great and maybe better and control the ball in some speed and to pass it too and these players would of had been ranked with players like Bob Davies or Paul Arizin or a Nat Clifton or Harry Gallatin for the greatness they had their days of playing and then the greatest of these players had these days had palyed or performance shgow of greatness and was capable to do their own days of all players listed here! Joe"Jumpin" Fulks can be listed here for some reason or with other greatness of a player had and ok somekind of his talent like Larry Bird or Lebron James or Tim Duncan and maybe like George MiKan! Joe had the skills to perform them more or as much then many players like to score and get some tuff rebounds and higher rebounds then some or many and can take a far basket made "shot" from a distance to add more points! Joe Joe Joe Fulks Fulks Folks! One kind of nice and sweet player too and for appearance too. And he can be rated with there with Earvin Johson! A 6'5 tall(0r 6'6") player!

The best true point guard of all time. A magician and orchestra conductor unparalleled. I never saw Isiah turn the ball over. Ever.

'Pocket Magic'... Arguably the best ball handler I've ever seen in the NBA. Picture John Stockton with better scoring ability.

45TH to 60th - Tracy had like 7 really good years and 3 bad years. I would rank him right below David Thompson and Vince Carter.

I Believe that T-mac could easily be ranked as one of the most talented ball players to EVER play...he has always been on a one man team, being himself, and was virtually unstoppable until he was injured. and he DID consistantly put down kobe...if he stayed healthy i believe the same fate would have fallen upon lebron. But he didnt. He still deserves to be higher then the likes of d-wade and chris paul. Tracy mcgrady could do everything Drive. Shoot. Pass. Rebound. Defense. everything but practice and stay healthy.

tracy mcgrady hasn't averaged over 10 points per game since 2008! He kind of reminds me of Yao Ming because after he got injured his carrer was in the trash. There is no way i would ever put him in the top 50 unless he averages 50 points per game for 3 years in a row. and the guy that said best player ever, better then kobe, lebron and jordan, you must be joking or you must have lost your mind!

Tracy WHO?? Seriously. lol

he's not better than jordan...

i see where your coming from.hey tracy mcgrady is a great ball player.but is not the best ever.i think he could beat kobe but not lebron or jordan.i love t-mac but not the best ever.jordan is the best ever.

best player ever, better than kobe, lebron, and jordan, and he can beat them by himself

Highlight of his career was probably a shoot out with Larry Bird in the Eastern Conference Finals where he scored 47 points in a loss. Bird dropped 20 in the 4th Quarter to counter the Human Highlight Film's finest hour... Not a great ball handler, he reportedly had a 47-inch vertical and he was just a phenomenal power dunker who may have surpassed Dr. J in that category has he a better handle and had he been as good a soarer as he was a leaper... Had he played a decade later, he'd have his ring(s).

The 'Ice Man'... great scorer... known for the finger roll---made it famous. The greatest Spur of all time before Duncan came around.

On his great defense alone he is a top 30 player. Add in his great offense and you have a top 15 player!

Jordan needed him more than he needed Jordan... better record as a Pro than MJ... he was the facilitator on those Bulls' offenses that brought the team together... his achilles heel was that he didn't know what he wasn't great at and he let his ego cause him to quit on his team because Kukoc was set up for that fateful last shot---a black mark Scottie will never live down.

MY BABY

He was great and a kind of special player too and etc. like Connie Hawkins, Jackie Johnson, Earl "The Goat" Manigault, E.E. of the Harlem Globetrotters of the 70's and Curly Neal and Rabbit W>(Streetball legend for a pointguard) or George Yardley or Paul Arizin of the first-old timers of some greatness and is he a high fler with some kind of control in air like most of thes players or greatness of a kind of usuall skill of basketball! No no or Yes yes or No!

He was to ball-handling what Dr. J was for dunking and hang time, revolutionary player ahead of his time on the ground.

i am from boston and love the celtics but only a fool would take jones over west

He is the original Mr. Clutch, the Offense to Russell's Defense, 8 consecutive titles with the Celtics, 10 rings total, played for 13 years in Boston and was their leading scorer in 4 straight seasons, during the playoffs he was the main scorer in 7 of the 10 championship runs he participate, more clutch than Jerry could ever be.

Jerry West averaged 6 more fantasy points per game over Kobe. Deserves to be ranked in the 15th area. All this math, wew.

A best cluther or one clutcher to do the job in a game can make him great or greater for the game!

celtic fan dosnt stop me from realizing that magic and west are top ten all day

He is literally the logo for the NBA. If they had a 3-point line in HIS day, HE would be the all-time leading ppg champ. Absolutely. He was shooting from where they give you 3 nowadays. He was also a tough defender. Nicknamed Mr. Clutch, was the Finals MVP----when his team LOST. He is a Top-10 player that kids don't know a darned thing about.

See #10 on this list, Bill Russell...

bill russel is the best all around player that has every lived!!!!

He gets to Boston where they had never won a championship and they immediately win... 11 in 13 years. Greatest sports dynasty ever. 5 league MVPs in a league that had Wilt Chamberlain, the greatest statistical beast in NBA hisory... Russell provided exactly what the team needed to win---things it could not get from anybody else.

2nd greastest 11 championships enough said

All-time Assists Leader, All-time Steals Leader.

Everybody remembers Willis Reed's heroics----but many forget that this guy had one of the great Game 7s in ANY sport, any time. 36 pts and 19 assists, I believe.... without it, nobody talks about Willis limping his way to 4 pts that night against Chamberlain as some transcendent moment in NBA history.

He's good and all for a rookie in the nba but ranked way to high. He's a good shot blocker but not even close to as good as serge ibaka or Dwight Howard so I would have to say he's not even top 100 yet

what a beast!!!

Low post 101 starts here no matter how much he looks like Frankenstiens nephew

My favorite ball player people always argue who's best but I gotta go with Julia Erving a.k.a Dr.J the best ever to play

Dr. J and Julius Erving are the same person. Why is he on here twice

Every kid growing up with ME wanted to be HIM. He gets short changed sometimes because he had some GREAT ABA years that get discounted to a large degree. A power dunker on the break with NO peer. An acrobatic artist who could have beefed up his own stats if he chose not to play a team game.

Awesome pick-and-roll finisher. Good mid-range shooter for such a thick man. He might have a ring if those normally strong hands didn't allow Jordan to steal a ball late in a Game 6.

no way not should be in top 100 especially karl malone and isah tomas wow

My hero

Even though I hate the lakers i was still glad that Nash joined them because this is a guy who's had a great career but doesn't have a single championship but the lakers suck this season so he might not ever get that first championship ring. Still a great player though and will go down as a great in my book even if e doesn't get win championship

Best passing point guard after magic. Also best pure shooting point guard.one of the best at making players around him better.

Hes really under rated

nash is the best pg ever has passes are so crispy and nice

Steve nash is 6'3, he has two MVPs and is definitey not # 15

3 NBA MVP awards. not bad for white, 6'0 Canadian.

chris smoove really? he is on youtube not in the nba, haha

The Rockets and Heat

An entry in that evolutionary line of graceful athletes who floated and soared... those darned Celtics tarnished many a player's legacy from Elgin's era----as multiple championships were denied in all likelihood.

Bob Cousy need more points for the durable and one of kind drbbling abilities the NBA had performed and for those easy passes and those totals of assists and etc. he had done during the playoffs too and championships games! I dont think Kobe Bryant or Bill Russell is a more complete player than Bob Cousy and only for their skills they had succeed as a legend or anyone of a kind of a dribbler who had played in the NBA can play like him or dribble the ball good like him and Micheal Jordan cant dribble the ball good like him and to pass and to move and play like him! Or Kobe Bryant or Lebron James or Michael Ray Richardson or even Earvin Johnson and and and who or Derrick Rose too or Scot Skiles or James Worthy too"He has his own stlye to control or move the ball and dribble it to the basket" or even Isiah Thomas cant or doesnt dribble like him!. He can be rated 1 or2 to 25 number order!

Wrong, Maravich is the only player on this list who was 20 years ahead of his time. Of the 10 greatest passes ever made Maravich made 8 of them.. Ask Magic about how great Maravich was..

I don't get the fascination with this guy. Another shoot-first guy who was good for the highlight reel... but did he WIN? Played for his daddy at LSU and shot everytime he touched the ball. I don't even know if he shot 40% in college, but he's the all-time leading scorer. He should have been a Globetrotter... he wasn't THAT great at playing winning basketball, though.

the best point guard of this generation . but its Derrick not Derek

One of a kind player and what we can do and had done some in the NBA etc. and for today he had already developed to do before today!

The problem with figuring out ppg 'had there been' a 3 pt line is that IF those shots were worth 3s-------defenses would have guarded him more tightly out there!! Teams were more than happy to let a guy who shoots 44-45% launch bombs if they're worth only 2 points. Maravich got his name 'Pistol' because he loaded his shot from his HIP-------which would be BLOCKED by defenders guarding him more closely. There are a lot of 'IFS' to consider. But the reality is that he didn't win a lot at all... he wasn't a great team player and he got numbers on teams he never helped be relevent. You think he gets his numbers so easily if they meant something... if the opponent was afraid they would lose if he 'went off'? Think again. Nobody cared that Pete Maravich got 40 in a 20 point loss----nobody on the winning team did, anyway. Most of his teams stunk. Most didn't make the playoffs. Doesn't an all-time great get a team in the playoffs more times than not? He was flashy... he was a highlight reel guy. That doesn't make him an all-time great.

To be fair to Maravich, he shot closer to 45% in college. Dale Brown figured that from where Pete was shooting, had there been a 19'9" 3-point shot, that he would have average 57 ppg at LSU. I don't know if this is true---it's just what I read somewhere (maybe Wikipedia).

Pistol Pete was a unique TALENT. I don't know how great a PLAYER he was, in terms of 'all-time' greats. He never played in an NCAA Tournament. He won 5 post season GAMES in his entire NBA career until he was picked up off of waivers by Boston for the end of his last season. Magic DID compliment Maravich when speaking to his 2 boys about 'borrowing' (or something to that effect) SHOWTIME from him. Pete was a SHOWMAN, no doubt. He just is often overrated as a great ballplayer. He was virtually irrelevent when it came to WINNING in the NBA.

Wrong, Maravich is the only player on this list who was 20 years ahead of his time. Of the 10 greatest passes ever made Maravich made 8 of them.. Ask Magic about how great Maravich was..

I don't get the fascination with this guy. Another shoot-first guy who was good for the highlight reel... but did he WIN? Played for his daddy at LSU and shot everytime he touched the ball. I don't even know if he shot 40% in college, but he's the all-time leading scorer. He should have been a Globetrotter... he wasn't THAT great at playing winning basketball, though.

He is the best basketball player that never played in the NBA.

LOL - I almost forgot about him, he could shoot.

Bosh won't ever get MVP he's not even in the top 25 players in the nba today

Get Will the ball, Carlton

really

Don't know how you can make a list without Havlicek. He won 9 titles, 1 at OSU and 8 with the Celtics, he was an All-Star 13 years in a row, and consistently made the All-Defensive team. He was 6'5" and could play forward and guard, perhaps better than anyone else on this list. You want to look at how much a team dropped off without someone, look at the '77 - '79 Celtics, when a 37 year old Havlicek was playing out his career and before the Celtics landed Bird, Parish, and McHale.

An often underrated all-time great. Constantly moving, he would tire out defenders. A hustle player who is the all-time leading scorer in Celtics history.

He is a 3-point goddest

love this guy!!!

My favorite basketball player to watch as a kid.

Montague has RAW TALENT. No other player in history played with as much zeal and passion as he did. Although he was plagued with injuries his rookie season, he came back strong and showed what a versatile scorer and defender he truly was. In any other universe Montague would be considered a top 5 player. What a shame he doesn't get the recognition he deserves.

Easily a top 20 player. without a doubt.

are you kidding me?? number 57? he should be way higher.

Got My Vote!

you spelled his name wrong(DUMMY!)!!

What a tough player, fun to watch him play. One of my favories.