• Light/Dark

ESPN Ranking of the Top 74 NBA players of all time

  • Thread starter Deleted member 23850
  • Start date

Deleted member 23850

Oct 28, 2017
8,689
www.espn.com

Ranking the top 74 NBA players of all time: Nos. 74-41

With the NBA's 74th season on hold, we ranked the top 74 players of all time, with one "Last Dance" Bull making an appearance in today's selections.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
www.espn.com

Ranking the top 74 NBA players of all time: Nos. 40-11

Scottie Pippen played a key role in "The Last Dance," but how high did he land on our ranking of the greatest players in NBA history?
www.espn.com www.espn.com
www.espn.com

Ranking the top 74 players of all time: 10-1

Who lands in the top spot as the greatest NBA player of all time?
www.espn.com www.espn.com

The Top Twenty:

20. Kevin Garnett
19. Dirk Nowitzki
18. Moses Malone
17. Karl Malone
16. Jerry West
15. Julius Irving
14. Kevin Durant
13. Steph Curry
12. Hakeen Olajuwon
11. Oscar Roberston
10. Shaq
9. Kobe Bryant
8. Tim Duncan
7. Larry Bird
6. Wilt Chamberlain
5. Magic Johnson
4. Bill Russell
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabar
2. LeBron James
1. Michael Jordan
 
Last edited:

Mr.Awesome

Banned
Nov 4, 2017
3,077
I guessed the top 10 off the top of my head. The order may be disputed but dont think you can argue against those ten as the ten.
 
MrHedin

MrHedin

Member
Dec 7, 2018
6,896
I think its mostly right, although I would switch the order a decent amount. I don't think I would have Shaq in the Top 10, Top 20 yes but I don't think he's Top 10 though. That said I am having difficulty thinking of someone off the top of my head that would clearly go in that spot above him.
 

fr0st

Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,542
MrHedin said:
I think its mostly right, although I would switch the order a decent amount. I don't think I would have Shaq in the Top 10, Top 20 yes but I don't think he's Top 10 though. That said I am having difficulty thinking of someone off the top of my head that would clearly go in that spot above him.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I was thinking Dirk?
 
TheBaldEmperor

TheBaldEmperor

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,882
Can't really argue with the list aside from LeBron being too high. Not sure where I would place him though.
 
Diarrhea Day-Lewis

Diarrhea Day-Lewis

Member
Oct 27, 2017
20,867
Stoked to see Parker, Manu and Duncan on there. I know people will lose their minds over Duncan being ahead of Kobe and Shaq, but imo #8 is a really good spot for me. Hard to see the spurs like this now, but we had legendary greatness for 20 years , and have been a playoff team for virtually 30 years. I don't think there is a comparable level of success, even with only 5 titles, over such a long time in any sport.

damn you Ray Allen Duncan should've had 6 rings lol

imo I think you could argue to Put Wilt at 8, Duncan 7 and Bird 6 just coz of championships
 
Brinbe

Brinbe

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
60,114
Terana
No arguments with any of that. Glad Moses got some respect despite not being as high-profile as other names.

And while LeBron may not overtake Jordan, getting to number 2 is still pretty fucking good looking at the rest of that list. Especially once you get to Isiah at 31. Everyone below that is pretty much an MVP caliber HOF player

David Robinson was 24th and he only did this

 
Last edited:
The Albatross

The Albatross

Member
Oct 25, 2017
39,536
I think I'd move Isiah Thomas ahead of Nash, Iverson, Stockton. I think he's probably the best true point guard in NBA history. I agree with him being just out of the top 20, but being behind those three, and with 5 point guards in a row, seems intentional and seems intentionally weird. I'm sure that if Isiah read this list, he'd think someone did it on purpose to him, too.

Historically people dock Thomas because he wasn't a huge scorer, he scored just under 20ppg over his career, but I think that was because of Detroit's championship-winning formula with him dishing the ball... where he'd have over 15 and 20 assists regularly during their championship run.

I like the top 10. I might put Kobe ahead of Duncan, but only by one spot so I can't disagree with it. Those three, Duncan, Kobe, Shaq, can be interchanged depending on my mood. I like Bird where he is, I like Russell where he is ahead of WIlt and behind Abdul-Jabar. I like Jordan and James.
 
Last edited:
RuffMadman

RuffMadman

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
2,279
USA
I would put Shaq at #5 and move everyone up personally. For 11-20, I would move Oscar behind Curry and KD as well but I could understand why they aren't ahead of him just yet
 
NinjaScooter

NinjaScooter

Member
Oct 25, 2017
55,068
thewienke said:
Yeah I'd move Shaq to 7th and then everyone back one but I'm a huge Shaq fan.

Pretty non-controversial Top 10 list otherwise.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I love Shaq and I think people tend to underrate just how dominant he was from Day 1 but I think the thing that knocks him for me is there is nobody else in that top 10-12 (outside of maybe, maybe Wilt, but even that would probably be a stretch) where you can make a credible argument that as great as they were, they left a lot on the table. With Shaq I think this is a legitimate case to be made and that hurts him in comparison to some of the other greats. His inability to keep himself in shape, his refusal to work on FTs out of what seemed like pure insecurity, his failed relationship with Kobe (which is also a mark on Kobe's legacy).

Even though talent for talent, in a vacuum he belongs up there with Kareem and Duncan as one of the best bigs of all time, I could see that stuff knocking him back to the back half of the top 10.
 
caffe misto

caffe misto

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,123
the electric city
bonesawisready5 said:
Stoked to see Parker, Manu and Duncan on there. I know people will lose their minds over Duncan being ahead of Kobe and Shaq, but imo #8 is a really good spot for me. Hard to see the spurs like this now, but we had legendary greatness for 20 years , and have been a playoff team for virtually 30 years. I don't think there is a comparable level of success, even with only 5 titles, over such a long time in any sport.

damn you Ray Allen Duncan should've had 6 rings lol

imo I think you could argue to Put Wilt at 8, Duncan 7 and Bird 6 just coz of championships
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Yeah, I like where Duncan is at. I'd sooner argue that he's too low than I would that he's too high.
 
Geist 6one7

Geist 6one7

Member
Oct 29, 2017
4,420
B
fr0st said:
I agree but I'm struggling to think who else can make top 10. Maybe Karl Malone?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
You can't think of anyone because no one else deserves to be in over Shaq. And certainly not Karl fucking Malone, come on. Imo he the least deserving on that Top 20, should be Isiah.
 
Last edited:
Big-E

Big-E

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,169
I don't like Wilt in the top 10. I shit on Wilt a lot because of his era but I think Robertson, West, Irving, and Wilt need to be bunched together out of the top 10. I would keep Bill Russell in the top 10 as the only pre 80s player.
 
Dhx

Dhx

Member
Sep 27, 2019
1,773
Barkley and Pippen should be in the top 20. Taking both over a few players 11-20. Top 10 is fine.
 
NinjaScooter

NinjaScooter

Member
Oct 25, 2017
55,068
bonesawisready5 said:
Stoked to see Parker, Manu and Duncan on there. I know people will lose their minds over Duncan being ahead of Kobe and Shaq, but imo #8 is a really good spot for me. Hard to see the spurs like this now, but we had legendary greatness for 20 years , and have been a playoff team for virtually 30 years. I don't think there is a comparable level of success, even with only 5 titles, over such a long time in any sport.

damn you Ray Allen Duncan should've had 6 rings lol

imo I think you could argue to Put Wilt at 8, Duncan 7 and Bird 6 just coz of championships
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

As a Laker fan and I would put Duncan over Shaq and Kobe pretty easily. Duncan is easily top 5 for me, maybe only behind MJ, Bron, Kareem and Magic.
 
DinoBlaster

DinoBlaster

Member
Feb 18, 2020
2,800
Pretty good list, there will always be some snubs (Elgin and Barkley have an argument for top 20). One thing I don't understand: what is the reasoning for Oscar being five spots higher than West? West has the most ridiculous Finals stats I've ever seen.
 
Vanillalite

Vanillalite

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,709
Pooh said:
Stockton should be Top 20 at least, nobody is touching those assist or steal records
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Rating Stockton is really hard. One could argue he's the best point guard in the history of the NBA. At the same point in time he wasn't an elite scorer and never won a championship. You could put him at 15 or 50 depending upon how you want to argue and what value you place on assists and steals.
 
Jag

Jag

Member
Oct 26, 2017
11,725
Too many Lakers on that list. Not that it isn't right. It's just too many.
 
captmcblack

captmcblack

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,143
Artis Gilmore, Alex English, Vince Carter and T-Mac make this list, Carmelo Anthony doesn't...I know what the critiques of Melo are, it just seems wild that there are so many players with identical faults considered "better" than him, lol
 
thewienke

thewienke

Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,299
NinjaScooter said:
I love Shaq and I think people tend to underrate just how dominant he was from Day 1 but I think the thing that knocks him for me is there is nobody else in that top 10-12 (outside of maybe, maybe Wilt, but even that would probably be a stretch) where you can make a credible argument that as great as they were, they left a lot on the table. With Shaq I think this is a legitimate case to be made and that hurts him in comparison to some of the other greats. His inability to keep himself in shape, his refusal to work on FTs out of what seemed like pure insecurity, his failed relationship with Kobe (which is also a mark on Kobe's legacy).

Even though talent for talent, in a vacuum he belongs up there with Kareem and Duncan as one of the best bigs of all time, I could see that stuff knocking him back to the back half of the top 10.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

His biggest knock to me was getting absolutely ran over by the Houston Rockets in the 1995 Finals

That should have been a great series but it was just hilariously lopsided.

I'm less critical of getting trounced by that 72-10 Bulls team. Disappointing but understandable.
 
Snake Eater

Snake Eater

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
11,385
Tim Duncan should be top 5, GOAT PF, 5 rings, 2x MVP, all time great defender, what more can you ask?
 
jfkgoblue

jfkgoblue

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
5,650
bonesawisready5 said:
Stoked to see Parker, Manu and Duncan on there. I know people will lose their minds over Duncan being ahead of Kobe and Shaq, but imo #8 is a really good spot for me. Hard to see the spurs like this now, but we had legendary greatness for 20 years , and have been a playoff team for virtually 30 years. I don't think there is a comparable level of success, even with only 5 titles, over such a long time in any sport.

damn you Ray Allen Duncan should've had 6 rings lol

imo I think you could argue to Put Wilt at 8, Duncan 7 and Bird 6 just coz of championships
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
The Detroit Red Wings made 27 straight playoffs and had 4 titles in that run
 
Pooh

Pooh

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,849
The Hundred Acre Wood
Vanillalite said:
Rating Stockton is really hard. One could argue he's the best point guard in the history of the NBA. At the same point in time he wasn't an elite scorer and never won a championship. You could put him at 15 or 50 depending upon how you want to argue and what value you place on assists and steals.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I hear you, but mainly he never won a championship because he kept running into literally the best player of all time on one of the most dominant teams of all time in the Finals, in some of the tightest, closest games played. And they got there after steamrolling a team that had, by this list, two of the top 10 players ever in Kobe and Shaq -- they swept them in '98 and it wasn't even really close.

To me, if I'm putting together a team from anybody, Stockton is going to be the Point Guard, no question.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.