The NBA’s Greatest Hoopers of All Time

Celebrate the greatest players in NBA history with this definitive list of the best hoopers to ever play the game

Michael Jordan

There’s no question that Michael Jordan is the best basketball player of all time. He was a five-time NBA MVP six-Ime Nba champion, ten-time NBA All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist. Not to mention, he was also named Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Whenever anyone talks about the greatest players in NBA history Jordan’s name is always at the top of the list.

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bean Bryant was an American professional basketball player He played his entire 20-year career in the National Basketball Association with the Los Angeles Lakers. He is widely considered one of the greatest players of all time and regarded as one of the game’s best shooters. A five-time NBA Champion Bryant is an 18-time All-Star, 15-time member of the All-NBA team and 12-time member of the All-Defensive team He led the NBA in scoring during two seasons, ranks fourth on the league’s all-time regular season scoring and ranks fourth on the all-time postseason scoring list. He is the son of former NBA player Joe Bryant and he has two older sisters, Sharia and Shaya.

LeBron James

Lebron James is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He is a four-time NBA MVP and has led his team to the NBA Finals nine times. LeBron has won three NBA championships and is widely considered to be the best player in the world.

Magic Johnson

Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. is an American retired Professional Basketball player and current president of basketball operations of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played point guard for the Lakers for 13 seasons. After winning championships in High School and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Lakers. He won a championship and an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his rookie season, and won four more championships with the Lakers during the 1980s. Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had contracted HIV, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star game winning the All-Star MVP Award After protests from his fellow players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996 to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring for good.

Larry Bird

Larry Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He was a 12-time NBA All-Star and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player three times. He played his entire professional career for the Boston Celtics winning three NBA Championships and two Finals MVP Awards

Bird was born in West Baden Springs, Indiana, and raised in nearby French Lick. He began his career at Indiana State University where he was named NCAA College Player of the Year in 1979. He was drafted into the NBA by the Celtics in 1979, and he quickly established himself as one of the league’s most dominant players. Throughout his career, Bird displayed unparalleled skills as a shooter, rebounder, and passer. He retire din 1992 after 13 seasons in the NBA.

Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain is one of the greatest hoopers of all time. He was a dominant force in the NBA, winning two championships and four MVP Awards Chamberlain is also one of the most decorated players in NBA history as he was a 10-time All-Star and a two-time scoring champion.

Bill Russell

Bill Russell is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a 12-time All-Star, Russell was the cornerstone of the Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career. He was an incredibly efficient player who knew how to make the most of his 6-foot-10 frame, using it to his advantage on both ends of the court. A superb defender, rebounder, and shot-blocker, Russell was also a gifted passer and an excellent finisher around the basket. In addition to his many individual accomplishments, he was a key member of a Celtics team that is widely regarded as one of the greatest in NBA history

Oscar Robertson

Oscar Robertson nicknamed “The Big O”, is widely considered one of the greatest players in NBA history He played for the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks and was a 12-time All-Star and a one-time NBA champion He is the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season, and his career averages of 25.7 points, 9.5 assists, and 7.5 rebounds per game are still among the highest in NBA history

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He was a dominant force in the league for over two decades, winning six NBA championships and earning three MVP Awards Abdul-Jabbar’s impact on the game was profound, as he changed the way big men played and inspired generations of players.

Born in New York City in 1947, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor) was a Standout Player from an early age. He dominated high school competition, leading his team to an undefeated season and a National Championship in his senior year. He then went on to play for legendary coach John Wooden at UCLA, where he helped the Bruins win three consecutive NCAA titles

Abdul-Jabbar entered the NBA in 1969 as the first overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks He quickly established himself as one of the best players in the league, winning Rookie of the Year honors and leading the Bucks to the playoffs in his first season. Over the next decade, Abdul-Jabbar would become one of the most dominant players in NBA history averaging over 24 points and 14 rebounds per game while winning six championships with the Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers He was also named MVP a record six times (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980), and was selected to 19 All-Star teams.

After retiring from basketball in 1989, Abdul-Jabbar became an active philanthropist and advocate for social justice. In 2012, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time.

Jerry West

Jerry West is widely considered one of the NBA’s greatest players of all time. A member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame he played his entire NBA Career with the Los Angeles Lakers winning one NBA Championship and making 14 All-Star Appearances Nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his propensity to make Big Shots in pressure situations, West was also an exceptionally well-rounded player, averaging 27 points, 5.8 assists, and 6.7 rebounds per game for his career. In addition to his on-court accomplishments, West has also enjoyed a successful post-playing career as a coach and executive, most notably serving as the General Manager of the Lakers during their dynasty in the 1980s and ’90s.