Who are your top 12 NBA players ever?

[Say Hey Kid]

Michael Jordan
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 6 Rings, 2 Finals MVPs, 6 MVPs
Magic Johnson
Wilt Chamberlain - averaged 50 PPG one year and lead the league in assists another
Larry Bird
Bill Russell - 11 rings in a 13 season career
Shaquille O'Neal
Hakeem Olajuwon
Oscar Robertson - Most triple doubles: 181
Kobe Bryant
Tim Duncan
LeBron James

Click to read more...

 

[kihei]

Michael Jordan
Bill Russell
Wilt Chamberlain
Kereem Abdul-Jabbar
Oscar Robertson
Magic Johnson
Larry Bird
Jerry West
Tim Duncan
Shaquille O'Neal
Elgin Baylor
Kobe Bryant

 

[Say Hey Kid]

I like that you have Baylor and West and I have Hakeem and LeBron, because I used to discriminate against the younger players, but I don't think I do anymore. Hakeem has an argument for being the second best player in the 90s and ESPN ranked him tenth and LeBron third as the best ever.

 

[kihei]

I like that you have Baylor and West and I have Hakeem and LeBron, because I used to discriminate against the younger players, but I don't think I do anymore. Hakeem has an argument for being the second best player in the 90s and ESPN ranked him tenth and LeBron third as the best ever.

I don't see it as discriminating against younger players. Among the active players, if they continue to go in the same direction they are heading right now, I'm sure Lebron and Curry will make my top ten or twelve someday. Right now, it's like they have incomplete report cards. Easier to grasp their place in the grand scheme once their career is over or almost over, ala Duncan.

 

[MVP of West Hollywd]

Jordan
Russell
Kareem
Magic
Bird
Lebron
Duncan
Hakeem
Shaq
Wilt
Garnett
West

 

[Voight]

Michael Jordan
Bill Russell
Wilt Chamberlain
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Oscar Robertson
Magic Johnson
Larry Bird
LBJ
Tim Duncan
Shaquille O'Neal
Hakeem Olajuwon
Kobe Bryant

I would honestly have no issue swapping Russell out for Jerry West or someone else. A.I is someone who I think should get more consideration too.

 

[darko]

Jerry West should be a lock for top-10.

 

[Halladay]

These lists are so hard to do, because the game is so difficult to compare eras. The center today are so much inferior to previous decades but I believe the guards(especially point guards) today are so much better in their entirety. But my list:

Magic
Michael
Wilt
Shaq
LeBron
Bill Russell
Tim Duncan
Oscar Robertson
Hakeem
Kareem
Larry Bird
KG

 

[crobro]

Lebron James
Michael Jordan
Wilt Chanberlain
Bill Russell
Magic Johnson/larry Bird Tied
Oscar Robertson
Kobe Bryant
George Mikan
Bob Cousy
Julius Erving

Ok 11

 

[Neutrinos]

Define "top"

There's no way George Mikan at his best was better than Olajuwon, Duncan, David Robinson, Garnett, Shaq, etc.

 

[Albatros]

Michael Jordan
LeBron James
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Wilt Chamberlain
Bill Russell
Magic Johnson
Larry Bird
Hakeem Olajuwon
Kobe Bryant
Shaquille O'Neal

 

[Terry Yake]

MJ
Magic
Kareem
Lebron
Russell
Kobe
Shaq
Bird
Duncan
Robertson

 

[Aladyyn]

LeBron
Jordan
Kareem
Bird
Magic
Shaq
Duncan
Russell
Kobe
Hakeem

no particular order

 

[tony d]

1-10:

1) Jordan
2) Wilt
3) Kareem
4) Magic
5) Bird
6) Shaq
7) Russell
8) Lebron
9) Kobe
10) Duncan

 

[dahrougem2]

1) Michael Jordan
2) LeBron James
3) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
4) Magic Johnson
5) Larry Bird
6) Wilt Chamberlain
7) Kobe Bryant
8) Shaquille O'Neal
9) Tim Duncan
10) Bill Russell

 

[Voight]

MJ
Magic
Kareem
Lebron
Wilt
Kobe
Shaq
Bird
Duncan
Olajuwon

Not in any particular order, but MJ is GOAT.

 

[La Masse]

Jordan


Kareem
Wilt
LBJ
Magic
Kobe
Russell
Bird
Duncan
Olajuwon

 

[Neutrinos]

Bill Russell is the most overrated player in NBA history

He averaged 15 points per game on 44% shooting

Career PER of just 18.9

If you could build around Olajuwon or Bill Russell, why on earth would you choose Russell?

 

[darko]

Bill Russell is the most overrated player in NBA history

He averaged 15 points per game on 44% shooting

If you could build around Olajuwon or Bill Russell, why on earth would you choose Russell?

10 seasons where he averaged 20+ rebounds per game. Somewhat overrated yes but still top-10.

 

[darko]

1. Jordan
2. LeBron
3. Kareem
4. Wilt
5. Magic
6. Bird
7. Shaq
8. Oscar
9. Russell
10.West

 

[Addison Rae]

1-10:

1) Jordan
2) Wilt
3) Kareem
4) Magic
5) Bird
6) Shaq
7) Russell
8) Lebron
9) Kobe
10) Duncan

yikes

 

[Aladyyn]

Bill Russell is the most overrated player in NBA history

He averaged 15 points per game on 44% shooting

If you could build around Olajuwon or Bill Russell, why on earth would you choose Russell?

Best defender in NBA history.

 

[Voight]

Bill Russell is the most overrated player in NBA history

He averaged 15 points per game on 44% shooting

If you could build around Olajuwon or Bill Russell, why on earth would you choose Russell?

Agreed. Especially considering he played during a time where a lot of players basically played in the NBA as a part time job. Also played with an average of 6 or 7 HOFer's a year.

 

[Neutrinos]

Best defender in NBA history.

Even if you want to give Russell a score of 10/10 for defense, his offense is a 6 or 7

Someone like Olajuwon gets 9/10 for defense and 9/10 for offense

Olajuwon is clearly the better all-around player

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Best defender in NBA history.

Lol. In Russell's career the league was full of white stiffs who weren't even that tall.