Best NBA Players of All Time - Top 40 Basketball Stars Ever

Building this list of the best NBA players of all time was definitely agonizing. Unlike best movies or songs lists comparing entries from different eras is a far greater challenge. Athletes have gotten bigger, stronger faster, and well, more athletic over the decades, and today's players are far more talented than their forefathers. However, in order to be fair I have tried to analyze players based on their dominance, their accomplishments and their talent versus their peers in their own eras. Obviously this is easier said than done, but I've given it the old college try. Without further introduction, here are my picks for the 40 greatest basketball players ever.

40 - Vince Carter - Though accomplishments like MVP awards and NBA championships will be strong ranking factors on this list, obviously pure talent will be a major factor as well, and this guy is one of the purest talents to ever pick up a basketball. Incredibly explosive, Vince Carter thrilled crowds across the NBA during his early career with his incredible dunking ability, and his shooting skills are nothing to sneeze at either. Yes, there are those that question his heart, and his lack of hardware is glaring, but when he was in his prime this guy was as unstoppable as any player on this list.

39 - Artis Gilmore - I go old school for the #39 selection. Though this is a list of the best NBA players, Gilmore started his playing career in the ABA where he tore up that league for 5 seasons before making the jump to the NBA. He played an additional 14 seasons. He averaged a double-double in 8 of those seasons, had a career shooting percentage just shy of 60% (one of the best in NBA history), and appeared in 6 All-Star games. Despite these accomplishments Artis Gilmore is amazingly not in the Hall of Fame - one of the true oversights in the game.

38 - Patrick Ewing - Another great player that never won an NBA championship, Ewing had the bad timing to spend the prime of his career at the same time as Michael Jordan was enjoying his best playing days. One of the best centers in the game for a time, Ewing never won an MVP award either, but did manage to score almost 25,000 points, pulled down over 11,000 rebounds and played in 11 All-Star games during his great career.

37 - Walt Frazier - Few players in the history of basketball played better on both sides of the ball than Walt Frazier. While not as flashy as many others on the list, Frazier was as reliable as a rock, and must have been a dream to coach. He helped the Knicks win 2 NBA championships, and his 15,581 points and 5,040 assists are impressive for a player predominantly known for his defense.

36 - Dirk Nowitski - Lots of people are probably questioning this big German's inclusion in the list of the best NBA players ever, but when you watch him play, and appreciate his incredible versatility it is hard to deny him his due. He is a big man that has the athleticism of a much smaller player. Sure, he gets out-muscled under the rim, but he can hit range shots that most NBA big men wouldn't even try. He was the 2007 NBA MVP, and has finished in the top 3 in voting on two other occasions, and he helped establish the Mavs as one of the most dominant teams of the 2000s, leading them to an incredible 3 straight 60+ win seasons during that span.

35 - Gary Payton - If you only got to see the twilight of his career then you will probably have a hard time with this choice, however, if you got to see him play in his prime then you may be of the opinion that I've ranked him too low. Like Walt Frazier, Payton could dominate at both ends of the court. However, Payton had more offensive flash, and finished his career with almost 22,000 points and nearly 9,000 assists.

34 - Allen Iverson - Much like Vince Carter, Iverson earns his place on the list mainly due to his phenomenal talent. One of the most offensively gifted players to ever play the game, Iverson's career scoring average to date is one of the highest in history, and he also has an MVP award under his belt. However, Iverson has never been known as a team player, and hasn't been able to take a team to an NBA title. He was a human highlight reel during the prime of his career, and many Philadelphia fans who saw his work firsthand on a nightly basis would probably rank him higher. However, basketball is a team sport, and AI never seemed to be able to make his teammates better, so thus he only gets a #34 from this guy.

33 - Bob McAdoo - If you don't have this guy on your list of best NBA players then he at least belongs on a list of greatest basketball player names. McAdoo was one of the best players in the game in the 70s, scoring more than 17,000 points during that stretch, and earning an MVP award as the best player in the game in 1975. He was the rookie of the year in 1972-73, and played in 5 consecutive All-Star games to boot.

32 - Steve Nash - Expect this guy to rise higher on the list of the greatest basketball players ever before the sun sets on his amazing career. No, he hasn't been able to lead his team to an NBA championship, but he has done everything humanly possible in an attempt to do so. Diminutive in stature Nash plays with grit and determination belying his relatively small size. He is one of the best passers the game has ever seen, and his endless creativity is very reminiscent of the way Magic Johnson played the game. With 2 MVP awards under his belt, Nash is in the conversation with guys like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett as the best active player in the game today.

31 - Scottie Pippen - Perhaps the truest tribute to Pippen's greatness is that despite the fact that he played in the enormous shadow of the legendary Michael Jordan basketball pundits everywhere don't overlook Pippen's contribution to the Bulls' 6 NBA championship teams, and widely consider him one of the best players of all time. He was an incredible defensive player, making 8 All-Defense first teams, and his awesome jump-shooting ability gave opposing teams - already with their hands full trying to defend Jordan - nightmares. The one-two punch of Jordan and Pippen ranks up there with Magic and Kareem, Shaq and Kobe as one of the deadliest duos in NBA history.

30 - George Gervin - Another old school player that started his career in the ABA, George Gervin made a huge impact during his 10 seasons in the NBA. In only 791 career games, Gervin amassed 20,708 points, good for a career average of more than 26 PPG. He played in the NBA All-Star game 9 out of his 10 seasons, earning MVP honors in the 1979-80 All-Star game.

29 - Willis Reed - Not only is he one of the greatest NBA players of all time but he also enjoyed one of the greatest single seasons in the history of the sport. In the 1969-70 season Reed was the NBA MVP, the NBA Finals MVP and the NBA All-Star Game MVP. He played in 7 consecutive All-Star games between 1965 and 1971, and averaged just under 19 points and 13 rebounds per game over his 10 year career.

28 - Isiah Thomas - Though this guy won't find himself on a list of the most well-liked basketball players of all time, few can dispute his accomplishments on the court as a member of the powerhouse Detroit Pistons team of the late 80s and early 90s. Despite Isiah's small stature he played a punishing physical style and his toughness allowed him to gut out almost 19,000 points and over 9,000 assists over his career. He appeared in the All-Star game, 12 consecutive times, only missing it in the final year of his 13 year career, twice led the league in assists, and was the 1990 NBA Finals MVP as his Detroit Pistons defeated the Portland Trailer Blazers in 5 games to capture the championship that spring.

27 - Elvin Hayes - This guy averaged a double-double in the first 12 seasons of his great career. He led the league in points in his very season, averaging 28.4 per game, he played in 12 consecutive All-Star games, won an NBA championship, and made it to the finals on two other occasions. With his resume it is easy to see why he takes the #27 spot on the list of the best NBA basketball players of all time.

26 - Kevin Garnett - Don't be surprised to see "The Big Ticket" move up this list in years to come as he continues to add to his already impressive resume. Though he has spent much of his career overshadowed by Tim Duncan, he has been one of the most dominant all-around players in the league since he was draft fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves prior to the start of the 1995-96 season. Over the years KG was widely recognized for his stellar ability, earning All-Star invitations year after year, and nabbing MVP honors in 2003-04. However, he didn't have the luxury of playing with great teammates until he joined the Boston Celtics, teaming up with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to form arguably the league's deadliest trio. With the Celtics Garnett finally achieved the dream long denied him in Minnesota as the Celts captured the 2007-08 NBA championship.

25 - Charles Barkley - If this was a list of the biggest characters in NBA history Sir Charles would certainly be competing for top spot. He was one of the most colorful characters when he played and continues to amuse and cause controversy as a TV analyst a decade after his retirement. However, love him or hate him it is impossible to deny his abilities as a basketball player. Barkley was one of the most powerful, physically dominant forwards the game has ever seen. He never managed to take his team to championship glory (another great player who had the misfortune of playing in Jordan's prime), but he did reach the finals once, appeared in 11 All-Star games and was the NBA's 1992-93 regular season MVP.

24 - George Mikan - Before Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaq came along George Mikan was starring as the game's first dominant big man. At 6' 10" and 245 pounds he would be an average sized center by today's standards, but back then he was a monster, and he used that size to good advantage. In his short 7 year career he amassed more than 10,000 points and over 4,000 rebounds, and was the league's leading scorer on three separate occasions.

23 - John Stockton - The NBA's all time assist leader, John Stockton teamed up with Karl Malone to form another of the league's greatest duos as members of the Utah Jazz. Regarded as perhaps the greatest passer in the history of the sport, Stockton could also shoot the ball as well, and was lights out from 3 point land. With almost 16,000 career assists it is amazing that this guy never won an MVP award, or an NBA championship, but despite that gaping hole on his resume few will dispute his place among the game's all-time greats.

22 - Elgin Baylor - Much like John Stockton and Charles Barkley played in the shadow of Michael Jordan, Elgin Baylor played in the shadows of Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. His bad timing meant that he finished his NBA career without an MVP award. He was a first team All-Star a whopping 10 times in his career, and reached the NBA Finals 8 times. He scored over 23,000 points and pulled down more than 11,000 rebounds, averaging a double-double in 11 of his 14 seasons.

21 - John Havlicek - This guy is at the opposite end of the spectrum from Stockton as far as hardware goes. A member of the powerhouse Boston Celtics that dominated the 60s, Havlicek won 8 NBA championships over his incredible career, earning playoff MVP honors in 1973-74. He scored over 26,000 points in his career, and chipped in over 6,000 assists for good measure. Though not the household name like Bill Russell or Bob Cousy he was a key cog in that legendary team.

20 - David Robinson - One half of San Antonio's vaunted "Twin Towers", the man known as "The Admiral" helped his Spurs to two NBA championships before calling it a career following the 2002-03 season. He won the 1995 MVP award, and was runner-up in voting in both 1994 and 1996. He also earned a Defensive Player of the Year award and helped mold the career of Tim Duncan, who has been one of the biggest forces in the game over the past dozen years.

19 - Bob Cousy - Long before Jordan and Pippen or even Kareem and Magic the dynamic duo of Bill Russell and Bob Cousy dominated the league. Russell took care of the defense while Cousy ran the offense. He led the league in assists for 8 straight seasons, averaging close to 20 points per game during that span. He won an NBA MVP title, and was selected to the first All-Star team 10 times. Truly one of the games all time greats, Cousy was a no-brainer to crack the top 20 best NBA players of all time.

18 - Dolph Schayes - One of the NBA's first true superstars Schayes played the bulk of his career with the Syracuse Nationals. He was a 12 time All-Star, and was nominated to the first team on six separate occasions. He led the NBA in rebounding in 1950-51, averaging over 16 rebounds a game that season. He gave one of the gutsiest performances of all time early in his career, playing almost a full season in a cast, and learning to shoot with his off-hand after breaking his arm. At the time of his retirement Schayes was the all time leading scorer in NBA history with almost 20,000 points.

17 - Bob Petitt - I'm going way, way back for my #25 pick. Though this is a name not as familiar to fans as others on this list, his accomplishments make him an easy choice. He twice captured regular season MVP honors. He was the first player to score more than 20,000 in a career. He averaged an incredible 16.2 rebounds over his career - the third highest average in NBA history, was the first player to score 50 points in a playoff game, and appeared in the NBA Finals 4 times, capturing championship glory in the 1958 season.

16 - Jerry West - Though Kareem, Magic, Kobe and Shaq get most of the attention when the subject of the greatest Los Angeles Lakers of all time comes up, this guy certainly deserves to have his name tossed in that particular conversation. He was the first ever draft pick by the Lakers back in 1960, and he spent his career proving their choice was a wise one. He never won an MVP award, thanks to playing in an era when Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell were so dominant, but his 27.0 points-per-game career average is the fourth highest in NBA history, and he was even better in the post-season, averaging 29.1 in playoff games.

15 - Moses Malone - Few players had a longer, more consistently prolific career than Moses Malone. Over the years he poured in almost 30,000 points, pulled down almost 18,000 rebounds, was a 3 time regular season MVP, and also was the NBA Finals MVP in 1982-83. sits third all-time in rebounds and sixth in scoring, and his 15 straight seasons averaging a double-double in an NBA record.

14 - LeBron James - Yes, I've really got him that high on the list. Argue all you want, but this is the best pure athlete I've ever seen step on an NBA court. He scored 10,000 points faster than any other player in history (beating Kobe Bryant's record), and has single-handedly turned around a Cleveland Cavaliers franchise that was mired in mediocrity before his arrival. I firmly believe The only thing that can derail him from one day challenging Michael Jordan as the best NBA player of all time would be if he suffers a devastating injury. Barring that, look for King James to mount a major assault on "His Airness" over the decade or so to come.

13 - Karl Malone - Of all the players on this list the one I feel for most is Karl "The Mailman" Malone. When he finally hung up the shoes in 2004 he was the second leading scorer in NBA history. He appeared in 14 NBA All-Star games, finished in the top five in scoring 13 times, and had won 2 MVP awards. However, despite all his personal success over his 19 year career he never got what he coveted most - an NBA championship.

12 - Hakeem Olajuwon - It is amazing that the year that Michael Jordan was drafted that two other players were selected ahead of him. One was Sam Bowie, and in hindsight that was arguably the worst draft-day decision in NBA history. The other was Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon, and as great as Jordan turned out to be, the Rockets still have to be pretty happy with their first overall pick that year. Maybe the most talented center to ever play the game Hakeem led the Rockets to back to back championships in the 90s, earning Finals MVP in both years. He also captured a regular season MVP nod in 1993-94 and twice was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year.

11 - Tim Duncan - This was a tough decision, and I'm sure there will be plenty of people crying foul, but Tim Duncan just misses out on a top 10 spot on the list of the greatest basketball players ever. Though he lacks the flash of a Kobe, LeBron, or Dr. J., Tim Duncan gets the job done night in and night out. He has been the key reason the Spurs have been one of the most dominant teams of the past decade, winning 4 championship during that time. He is a 3 time Finals MVP and a 2 time regular season MVP and has been a model of consistency, averaging a double-double in all of his 13 seasons to date.

10 - Shaquille O'Neal - When it comes to pure physical dominance few athletes in any sport have been as overpowering as Shaq. At 7' 1" tall and weighing over 300 pounds "Diesel" is an absolute nightmare for any defender unfortunate enough to be assigned to him. In his prime he was virtually unstoppable under the basket. If he had any free-throw shooting, or outside shooting ability whatsoever he would have put up astronomical points during his peak years. He has won 4 NBA championships, has 3 NBA MVPs, a regular season MVP and 3 All-Star game MVPs to his name, and with more than 27,000 career points counts himself among the all time leaders in that category.

9 - Kobe Bryant - Yes, both Shaq and Tim Duncan have more individual hardware (so far), but Kobe now has 4 NBA Champsionships to equal the two big men. Kobe is one of the hardest working, most determined players in the sport, and only LeBron catch outstrip Kobe when it comes to pure athleticism. Kobe reached 20,000 points faster than any player in the sport, and a few seasons ago put up the second highest single game total in NBA history when he poured in 81 against the Raptors.

8 - Julius Erving - Dr. J. is an easy pick for a top 10 spot on this. He was arguably the most exciting player of his time, thrilling crowds with his amazing dunking ability. However, unlike Vince Carter he also had plenty of individual and team success to go along with his showmanship. Erving currently sits fifth in career scoring, having poured in more than 30,000 points in his career. He has 4 MVP awards and 3 NBA Championship titles to his credit, and his legendary name is one of the most widely known and respected in all of sport.

7 - Oscar Robertson - This legend is the only player in NBA history to average a triple double over the course of an entire season. Yes, you read that right - he averaged a triple double, and in only his second season! That feat alone lands him a deserving spot high on this list. He won an NBA Championship, was the rookie of the year in 1961 and captured MVP honors in 1964. His career was relatively short compared to some on the list, but in the 1,040 games he played he racked up over 26,000 points and added almost 10,000 assists for good measure.

6 - Larry Bird - Larry Legend was one of the most clutch shooters to ever throw up a prayer. He played his entire career with the Boston Celtics and routinely faced off against arch-rival Magic Johnson and the L.A. Lakers in one of the greatest rivalries in professional sports. He led his Celtics to 3 NBA titles during his time there, twice earning NBA Finals MVP honors.

5 - Magic Johnson - It is only fitting that these two great rivals wind up back to back on the list. However, as much as it might burn Bird, Magic has to get the nod in the rivalry. His 5 NBA Championships trump Bird's three, and Magic also captured one more NBA Finals MVP nod with 3. He also captured three regular season MVP honors just to further cement his legend. A big man at 6' 8" tall with the explosiveness and speed of a six footer, and an uncanny passing ability that seemed like he had eyes in the back of his Magic was almost impossible to defend and had the rare ability to make every one of his teammates better.

4 - Bill Russell - Bill Russell was a winner, pure and simple. He played only 13 seasons in the NBA and won a staggering 11 championships. He scored over 14,000 points during his Hall of Fame career, but it was his incredible defensive abilities that made him such a legend. Russell pulled down over 21,000 rebounds over his career, and is the only player besides Wilt Chamberlain to grab more than 50 rebounds in a single game.

3 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - It feels almost criminal to put the highest scoring player in NBA history, with more than 38,000 points at third place on this list. Add the 6 NBA Championships and the 6 MVP awards and the notion becomes even harder to believe. This is more a tribute to the incredible careers of the two men ahead of him than a snub of Kareem though. The 7' 2" center was nearly indefensible, using his signature skyhook to score with relative ease over even the tallest defenders. Together, he and Magic absolutely tore up the league, and if not for Larry Bird and the Celtics there is no doubt this legendary athlete would have even more hardware in his trophy case.

2 - Wilt Chamberlain - With only 2 NBA Championships on his resume, "Wilt the Stilt" didn't enjoy the team success that Kareem, Magic, Duncan, Shaq and Kobe have. However, he did win 4 regular season MVP titles, as well as an NBA Finals MVP award. All that being said it is his incredible dominance that lands him the #2 spot on this list. He once scored 100 points in a single game! He once grabbed 55 rebounds in a game. In his rookie season he averaged 27.0 rebounds per game. In 1961-62 he averaged more than 50 points a game. Most players go their whole career without scoring 50 in a game once! Yes, it was a different era, but I can only measure players by their dominance in the era in which they played, and nobody before or since was able to dominate like Chamberlain could.

1 - Michael Jordan - Though I fully expect to face some heavy criticism for some of my choices on this list of the top 40 best NBA players of all time this is one pick that should be met with almost universal agreement. Jordan won 6 NBA Championships and was the NBA Finals MVP for all 6 victories! He was voted regular season MVP on 5 occasions, and led the league in points 11 times. He wasn't all offense either - his defensive game was almost as good, earning him 9 First Team All-Defensive Team nods as well as a Defensive Player of the Year award. Had he not retired for two seasons the Bulls would almost certainly have won 8 NBA titles in a row in the 90s which would put them in the conversation with Bill Russell's Celtics as the greatest NBA team ever. There is so much more that can be said about this amazing athlete, but I'll leave it at that. Good luck catching this guy, LeBron, you're going to need it.