Who’s the Best NBA Player of All Time?
We’re taking a look at the top five NBA players of all time according to various criteria.
Michael Jordan
widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time. He was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was considered instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s. Jordan played 15 seasons in the NBA, winning six championships with the Chicago Bulls. His biography on the official NBA website states: “By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time.” Jordan was one of the most efficiently scoring players in NBA history; he holds several league records for regular-season play and All-Star Game play. He is also noted for his product endorsements and for his relationships with other celebrities, as well as his public service announcements regarding biotechnology.
LeBron James
LeBron James is considered one of the best basketball players of all time. He is a versatile player who can play both small forward and power forward positions. He has been in the NBA since 2003, and he has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio. He began playing organized basketball when he was nine years old. LeBron played for the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars, a youth basketball team that won four city championships. He then attended St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, where he was a highly rated player who was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year twice.
LeBron James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft. He quickly became one of the best players in the league, and he helped lead the Cavaliers to their first playoff appearance in 2006. In 2007, James led the Cavaliers to their first NBA Finals appearance, but they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in four games.
In 2010, James opted out of his contract with the Cavaliers and signed with the Miami Heat. He teamed up with All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form a “Big Three” that helped lead Miami to NBA championships in 2012 and 2013. After four seasons with the Heat, James returned to Cleveland in 2014 and led the Cavaliers to an NBA championship in 2016.
LeBron James has been selected to 15 NBA All-Star Teams (2003-2017) and has been named NBA MVP four times (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013). He was named Finals MVP when he led the Miami Heat to their second consecutive championship in 2012. LeBron was also a member of Team USA that won Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012
Kobe Bryant
Kobe 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 won five NBA championships and was 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 and ranks third on both the league’s all-time regular season scoring and all-time postseason scoring lists. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Bryant entered the NBA directly from high school and won a slam dunk contest in 1997. He was named an All-Star by his second season and a starter by his third season. Although he recovered from a serious injury that nearly ended his career, Bryant helped lead the Lakers to five NBA championships between 2000 and 2010. In 2006, he scored a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second most points scored in a single game in NBA history after Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game in 1962.
Magic Johnson
Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. is an American former 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, but he was forced to retire from basketball at age 32 after being diagnosed with HIV.
Johnson is considered one of the greatest players in NBA history. He was a 12-time NBA All-Star, a nine-time All-NBA First Team member, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, a three-time NBA MVP, and a five-time National Basketball Association assists leader. He led the league in regular-season assists four times, and is the NBA’s all-time leader in average assists per game, at 11.2. He also holds the NBA record for shortest average playing time per game (22.9 minutes) for players with at least 10 seasons played since 1947–48
Bill Russell
There’s no question that Bill Russell is one of the greatest players in NBA history. He was a Defensive Player of the Year, a 12-time All-Star, and a five-time NBA MVP. He won 11 championships with the Boston Celtics, which is more than any other player in NBA history. He was also named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history.
