The 50 Best NBA Players of the Last 40 Years

In celebration of the NBA’s 40th anniversary, we take a look at the 50 best players over the last 40 years. From Michael Jordan to Lebron James these are the players that have shaped the game.

The 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years: an introduction

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a Professional Basketball league in North America It was founded in 1946 and has become one of the most popular sports leagues in the world. Each year, the NBA crowns a champion by organizing a playoff tournament involving the top teams from each conference.

The 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years refers to those individuals who have been voted as the best by their peers during this time period. This list was created by ESPN in 2016, and it features some of the most iconic and successful players in NBA history

The 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years: #50-41

These are the 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years, as voted on by our panel of experts.

#50-41
50. Reggie Miller
Reggie Miller was one of the best shooters in NBA history He was a five-time All-Star, and he won an Olympic gold medal in 1996.

49. Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is one of the most explosive players in NBA history He’s a nine-time All-Star, and he was the league MVP in 2017.

48. Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen was one of the best all-around players in NBA history He was a six-Ime Nba champion, and he was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history

47. Steve Nash
Steve Nash was one of the best point guards in NBA history He was a two-time league MVP, and he won back-to-back titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010.

46. Tracy McGrady
Tracy McGrady was one of the most gifted scorers in NBA history He was a seven-time All-Star, and he won two scoring titles.

The 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years: #40-31

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional Basketball League in North America The league was founded on June 6, 1946, as the Basketball Association of America (BAA).[1] It changed its name to the National Basketball Association on August 3, 1949, after merging with the rival National Basketball League (NBL).[2][3] The NBA’s regular season runs from October to April, with each team playing 82 games.

The 50 best players in NBA history have been selected by a panel of ESPN experts. The players were chosen based on their overall contribution to the game of basketball

To be eligible for selection, a player must have played in at least 10 NBA seasons and be retired from the league for at least three years. players who are still active are not eligible.
#40 Robert Parish
#39 Spencer Haywood
#38 James Worthy
#37 Kevin McHale
#36 John Havlicek
#35 Jason Kidd
#34 Clyde Drexler
#33 Paul Arizin
#32 David Robinson
#31 stage Baylor

The 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years: #30-21

As the NBA approaches its 50th anniversary, we thought it would be fun to compile a list of the 50 best players in league history. We’re counting down from 50 to 31 today, with five more groups of five players being revealed each day this week.

We’ll start with a look at the players ranked #30 through #21:

30. Alex English: A versatile wing player who could score from anywhere on the court, English was one of the league’s most prolific scorers in the 1980s. He averaged at least 21 points per game for nine straight seasons, and finished his career with over 25,000 points.

29. Reggie Miller One of the best shooters in NBA History Miller was deadly from beyond the arc and also an excellent free throw shooter. He holds the record for most three-pointers made in a season, and his 2,560 career threes are second only to Ray Allen

28. Scottie Pippen One of the league’s most versatile players, Pippen was an excellent defender and rebounder who could also handle the ball and shoot from long range. He was a key member of six Chicago Bulls championship teams in the 1990s.

27. Steve Nash Nash is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history and he also ranks among the all-time leaders in assists per game He won back-to-back MVP Awards in 2005 and 2006, and helped lead the Phoenix Suns to several deep playoff runs during his time there.

26. Jerry West West was one of the fiercest competitors in NBA history and his will to win drove him to become one of the greatest players of all time. He was a 12-time All-Star and an eight-time All-NBA selection, and he helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to nine NBA Finals appearances during his 14 seasons with the team.

The 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years: #20-11

As we inch closer to the top 20 of our countdown of the 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years, we begin to move away from the surefire Hall of Famers and enter territory where some, but not all, will one day take their rightful place in Springfield.

Kobe Bryant is the highest-ranked player on our list who is not yet eligible for the Hall of Fame and it’s entirely possible that he never makes it in. If that’s the case, it will be because voters hold his off-the-court transgressions against him, not because they don’t think he was a great player. The same can be said for Chris Webber whose own legal troubles might keep him out of the Hall.

On the other hand, you have players like Clyde Drexler and Kevin Garnett, who will certainly get in eventually but might not get in on their first try. And then there are players like Scottie Pippen and Karl Malone who were Great players but probably won’t get in until after they’ve been eligible for a while.

In any case, here are the 20th through 11th best NBA players of the last 40 years.

The 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years: #10-1

As the NBA enters its 70th anniversary season, it’s time to look back at the 50 best players of the last 40 years. This list was compiled with input from a panel of current and former NBA Players coaches, executives and media members.

The criteria for selection were: individual achievement (statistical and honors), team success, style of play and personal character.

10. LeBron James
Lebron James is one of the most physically gifted players we’ve ever seen. He can score, rebound and pass with the best of them. He’s also an excellent defender. His teams have reached the NBA Finals in eight straight seasons.

9. Larry Bird
Larry Bird was one of the greatest shooters in NBA history He could also pass and rebound at a high level. He was a key player on three Boston Celtics championship teams.

8. Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade is one of the most explosive scorers in NBA history He’s also an excellent defender and a good passer. He helped lead the Miami Heat to championships in 2006 and 2012.

7. Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history He’s also an excellent ball-handler and a good defender. He helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to championships in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010.

6

The 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years: honorable mentions

With the NBA turns 50 this year, we thought it was the perfect time to take a look back at the last half-century of basketball and identify the 50 best players in league history. This was no easy task. We consulted with a panel of experts, looked back at every season since the NBA’s inception in 1946 and took into account both individual and team success. In the end, we came up with a list of 50 truly great players — and a whole bunch more who just missed the cut.

Here are our honorable mentions, listed in alphabetical order:

The 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years: legacy and impact

The NBA has been home to some of the greatest athletes in history. Over the last 40 years, there have been many players who have made a significant impact on the game of basketball Some of these players have gone on to become legends, while others have simply left their mark on the NBA.

In this article, we take a look at the 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years. We assess their legacy and impact on the game, as well as their individual achievements.

The 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years: where are they now?

The 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years have all left their mark on the game in one way or another. Many of them are still active in the NBA today while others have gone on to successful careers in coaching or broadcasting. But what about the other legends who are no longer with us? Here is a look at where some of the greatest players of the last 40 years are now.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is still involved in basketball, working as an Assistant Coach for the Los Angeles Lakers He is also a best-selling author and co-founder of the Skyhook Foundation, which helps children from low-income families get access to education and sports programs.

Michael Jordan is widely considered to be the greatest basketball player of all time. After winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls he retired from playing in 2003 and became majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets in 2010. He is also a successful businessman, with holdings in restaurants, apparel, and golf course development.

Larry Bird is another legendary player from the 1980s who is now involved in team management. He was Head Coach of the Indiana Pacers from 1997 to 2000, and then served as president of basketball operations from 2003 to 2012. He is currently serving as special assistant to Pacers owner Herb Simon.

Magic Johnson is currently President of Basketball Operations for the Los Angeles Lakers a position he has held since 2017. Prior to that, he was an analyst for Turner Broadcasting System’s NBA TV channel He also has business interests in real estate, fitness clubs, and movie theaters.

Other notable players from the last 40 years include Kobe Bryant (retired), Tim Duncan (retired), Shaquille O’Neal (broadcaster), and Lebron James (currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers).

The 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years: in conclusion

In conclusion, the 50 best NBA players of the last 40 years are:

1. Michael Jordan
2. LeBron James
3. Kobe Bryant
4. Magic Johnson
5. Larry Bird
6. Tim Duncan
7. Shaquille O’Neal
8. Hakeem Olajuwon
9. Bill Russell
10. Wilt Chamberlain