NBA has seen some astounding athletes throughout the decades, however it’s hard to say who the greatest of all time is. This post aims to help solve the discussion – read on if you dare – you may end up agreeing or then again you may end up more infuriated than when you started.
Perhaps one of the best players of all-time is Hakeem Olajuwon, who was dominant throughout his career. His “dream shake” move was legendary and broke many defenders’ barriers. Under his tutelage, many greats have improved their game and these greats include LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard.
Not only was his offense impressive, but so was his defensive skills. On average, he did 3.3 blocks per game. This is why it’s not surprising that he led the Houston Rockets to winning two NBA championships in a row. He is also the only NBA player to won MVP for the regular season, as well as finals MVP and defensive player of the year, all in the same season, which was back in 1994.
Bill Russell is arguably the greatest winner that has ever played and nobody else has ever won as much as he has. Between 1959 and 1966, he helped the Celtics win many championships. In fact, he helped them win eight in a row.
Russell career spanned for 13 years and he ended up in the finals more than 10 times. He accumulated a record of one loss and 11 wins, which is impressive. Not only that, but won two championships as a coach/player.
You might be wondering why he doesn’t have an NBA finals. The reason is because the finals were named after him. This was to honor Russell.
Recently, an assessment of Larry Bird was provided by Derrick Rose, who described Bird as being very dominant throughout his career, although he wasn’t necessarily the most athletic player in the game. He made up for this with his extraordinary skills, as well as his basketball IQ. Not only that, but Bird was known for being extremely competitive.
The Celtics won three NBA championships when Bird was playing with them. In his career, Bird was selected to 10 All NBA teams and three All Defense teams. This was throughout a 13 year career span.
He scored over 38,000 points during his career, which means he is on the top of points scored in the NBA. He also won two finals MVP. One was back in 1971 and the other was back in 1985. He landed in the NBA finals a total of 10 times, which is beyond impressive.
No other player has managed to achieve the success Abdul-Jabbar has achieved. He was also very consistent. This has helped cement his place as being one of the all-time greats in the NBA.
Magic Johnson entered the NBA with energy and greatness and it has always been that way throughout his career. It’s safe to say that the finals were more like a second home to the player and the team he played for, which was the Lakers. In fact, the Lakers entered the finals nine times when Magic was playing for them.
Magic Johnson used his large frame to destroy defenses, with relative ease. Not only that, but he has performed well in the playoffs. Everyone should check out previous games he has played in because he is a treat to watch.
No list would be completed without mentioning Michael Jordan, the best player of all-time. He has done it all, from improving his stats to winning awards to becoming one of the biggest names that have ever graced an NBA court. He has also swept the finals in his appearances and in any fantasy NBA is a must have..
The Chicago Bulls dominated the court, thanks to Jordan. IN fact, both sides of the ball were dominated by the Bulls. This is largely in part to Jordan.
Jordan’s GOAT status does not need to be validated because there is more than enough evidence to suggest his status. Look back at any of his seasons. You will quickly realize just how good of a player he was and why he is considered to be the best NBA player that has ever walked the earth. Of course, there can always be someone else, but for now Jordan ranks as the number one greatest of all time.
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