Top 10 Greatest Basketball Players of all Time - Top 10 Best Basketball Players in 2023

Top 10 Greatest Basketball Players of all Time - Top 10 Best Basketball Players in 2023

1 . Michael Jordan

For daring to imply that His Airness isn't the greatest player ever, I realize I run the risk of being dragged off the streets of my beloved Chicago on a rail, but, well, I just don't think he is. most renowned athlete ever? Absolutely. the greatest player ever? Yes, most likely. Who is the most ruthlessly competitive to the exclusion of all other normal human interactions? Yes, oh my. His legendary drive to excel led to six titles, five MVP trophies, All-Star berths in each of his complete playing seasons, and the title as arguably the best defender in history. Additionally, he has the highest career scoring average in the NBA (30.1 points per game). He did, however, play with Scottie Pippen, a player ranked in the top 25 in the world, and he was guided by the

2. LeBron James

Yes, the person many fans mistakenly regard as the league's top choke artist is actually the greatest player to ever step foot on a court. Simply said, LeBron James does things that are inhumanely impossible. He moves as fluidly as the most agile guards in basketball despite being larger than a sizable part of NFL players. In addition, he not only dealt with the immense pressure that came with being named "The Chosen One" by Sports Illustrated as a teenager, but he has also surpassed the high standards that were set for him. Even while prior players were outstanding, they were never had to handle the constant pressures of 21st century media, which James does with ease. James has gained exposure by making this list public.

3. Magic Johnson

Johnson, one of the NBA's most vivacious characters, contributed significantly to the league's enormous rise in popularity in the 1980s. He was much more than just a brilliant smile, though. The "Showtime" L.A. Lakers teams, which won five championships during Johnson's 13 years with the team, were launched by Johnson's otherworldly death. Johnson, who stands 6'9" and is the NBA's tallest point guard, not only recorded the best assists-per-game average (11.2) in league history but also played outstandingly all-around. As a 20-year-old rookie, he famously filled in for an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at center in the title-clinching game six of the 1980 NBA finals. Oh, and while this is unrelated to his

4. Wilt Chamberlain

Despite the fact that Chamberlain played in an era when post players were much smaller and basketball didn't attract the same caliber of athletic wonders as it does today, the player is deserving of a slot in the top five regardless of the circumstances. In his first four professional seasons, Chamberlain set the top four scoring averages in NBA history. The most remarkable of his scoring accomplishments was on March 2, 1962, when he scored an NBA record-setting 100 points in a single game. In addition to his unrivaled scoring ability, Chamberlain was the only player to consistently collect more rebounds than Bill Russell (22.9), all while playing an average of more minutes per game.

5. Oscar Robertson

Wow, what a dude. I'm too young to remember him playing, but his numbers are so incredible that I wish I had a time machine just so I could go back and watch him play. "The Big O" averaged a triple-double in 1961–1962, with 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists a game. Oh, and in addition to his jaw-dropping on-court prowess, the 12-time All-Star also contributed to the NBA's introduction of true free agency through a historic antitrust lawsuit.

6. Bill Russell

The NBA's greatest winner in history was Russell. In 12 of his 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, he captured a league championship with the exception of two. Even though there were only 8 to 14 teams in the NBA at the time, Russell's historic achievements are not diminished by the fact that winning championships was statistically simpler for a single organization. Before Russell joined the team, the Celtics had played for ten seasons without ever making it to the championship series. Russell, though, drastically altered the franchise's direction in his first season and made the Celtics the NBA's most successful club. However, he didn't obtain his position on this list by virtue of some nebulous, ethereal "winningness." Russell

7. Larry Bird

Don't be misled by Larry Bird's modest small-college background and his moniker as a "Hick from French Lick"; he was one of the NBA's best smack-talkers and hardest rivals. The extremely self-assured Bird had possibly the quickest release of any basketball player in history, and he frequently informed his opponent that the shot was going in as soon as it left his hands. In his 13-year career, which was cut short by injuries, he amassed three championship rings and 12 All-Star appearances. Furthermore, his rivalry with Magic Johnson throughout the 1980s helped basketball reach an unheard-of level of national popularity that the sport has never recovered from (spoiler alert: you'll see him a little later on this list).