espn best nba players of all time

-- Andrews, 1996-98, 2004-12 Phoenix Suns; 1998-2004 Dallas Mavericks; 2012-14 Los Angeles Lakers, Nash pushed the pace -- and the NBA into the modern era of up-tempo play -- and it's sort of a shame he didn't play in this generation. The charismatic Johnson took the "Showtime" Lakers to nine NBA Finals, and they won five titles. -- Collier, Personifying the concept of being a star in your role, Worthy's ability to defend, run the floor and finish enabled the Showtime Lakers to be so effective playing the style they employed. MLB. Players received 10 points for a first-place vote, nine points for second and so on down to one point for a 10th-place vote. 4 pick in the draft and won an MVP award two years later. By then, he was better known for his lengthy coaching career. Here's the entire list, 1-74: Michael Jordan LeBron James Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Bill Russell Magic Johnson Wilt Chamberlain Larry Bird Tim Duncan Kobe Bryant Shaquille O'Neal Oscar Robertson Hakeem Olajuwon Stephen Curry Kevin Durant Julius Erving Jerry West Karl Malone Moses Malone Dirk Nowitzki Kevin Garnett Scottie Pippen Elgin Baylor The Lehigh Mountain Hawks (15-13, 11-6 Patriot) will try to earn another road victory and extend a three-game road win streak when they visit the Army Black Knights (12-15, 10-7 Patriot) on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at 6:00 PM ET.. Army fell to Holy Cross 60-54 in the team's last outing on Saturday despite a team-high 20 points from Kamryn Hall.. Lehigh fell to Boston University 78-65 in the . No other player in NBA history has those scoring and assist averages in the same season (only Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook also had 30-point, 10-assist seasons). -- Friedell, Paul J. Maguire/The Boston Globe/Getty Images, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, Sources: Warriors eye Curry return next week, Lakers' Davis out vs. OKC with right foot injury, V. Bryant settles crash photos suit for $28.85M, Sources: Lakers to reassess LeBron in 2 weeks, Benner, longtime Pacers PR director, dies at 67, Irving: Need to scale back self-imposed pressure, Jokic sixth player in 100 career triple-double club, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, Meet the man scouring Nigeria for the next generation of NBA and NFL talent, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas, the NBA unveiled its 75th Anniversary Team. -- Nick Friedell, 25.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.4 3s PG, For all of his statistical achievements -- the five championships, the 81-point game, the 60-point finale, the league MVP in 2008, the 20 seasons all with the same franchise -- Bryant's lasting legacy is his mental edge and burning desire to master the sport. We're also left to wonder what if Maravich had played his full career with the 3-point line, introduced during his final season. -- Bontemps, Russell was one of the greatest defenders -- if not the greatest -- of all time. Stats: 20.6 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.3 BPG in 19 NBA seasons with Buffalo Braves (1976-77), Houston Rockets (1976-77 to 1981-82), Philadelphia 76ers (1982-83 to 1985-86; 1993-94), Washington Bullets (1986-87 to 1987-88), Atlanta Hawks (1988-89 to 1990-91), Milwaukee Bucks (1991-92 to 1992-93) and San Antonio Spurs (1994-95); also played two ABA seasons with Utah Stars (1974-75) and Spirits of St. Louis (1975-76). -- Bontemps, 1960-68 St. Louis Hawks; 1968-72 Seattle SuperSonics; 1972-74 Cleveland Cavaliers; 1974-75 Portland Trail Blazers, "Coach, you played?" His mobility and physicality changed the expectations for modern-day big men. For the most part, it would be hard to argue that Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar aren't the top three players in NBA history. -- Youngmisuk, 1958-60 Minneapolis Lakers, 1960-72 Los Angeles Lakers, Before the slam dunk became synonymous with the sport, Baylor -- a smooth, 6-foot-5 forward with a knack for scoring -- made a habit of breathing the rare air above the rim. The four-time MVP and three-time champion has reinvented how an athlete's prime should be viewed; he had the Lakers in the thick of a title hunt as a 35-year-old playing in his 17th season. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . He was one of the NBA's all-time great defenders, a player-coach for the Pistons in just his third season who then became a defining member of the Knicks' championship teams in the 1970s. Stats: 13.1 PPG, 10.5 APG, 2.2 SPG in 19 seasons with Utah Jazz (1984-85 to 2002-03); NBA's career leader in total assists and steals. Stats: 22.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.9 APG in 11 NBA seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1976-77 to 1986-87); also played five ABA seasons with Virginia Squires (1971-72 to 1972-73) and New York Nets (1973-74 to 1975-76). -- MacMahon, Before Dec. 14, Curry was hesitant to call himself the greatest shooter of all time despite having changed the game of basketball. He won the dunk contest in 1985 and 1990 (and maybe 1988 if you ask a few people) and participated in five contests overall. Then our ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, with voting based on both peak . Kevin Durant vs. Kobe Bryant? 5-on-5 debate: Will Curry pass Magic as the best PG ever? Sadly, Walton was never the same dominant force, though he returned to contribute to the 1985-86 Celtics title, winning the Sixth Man award. Northwestern State Lady Demons . -- MacMahon, 1984-92 Philadelphia 76ers; 1992-96 Phoenix Suns; 1996-2000 Houston Rockets, Despite being listed at 6-foot-6 his entire career, and eventually admitting he was shorter, Barkley was a rebounding machine. Behind Magic's unparalleled playmaking at 6-foot-9, the Lakers won four more titles, eclipsing the rival Celtics in the decade as Johnson won both MVP and Finals MVP three times before an HIV diagnosis forced him to (mostly) retire at age 32. Westbrook also holds the record for consecutive triple-doubles (11 in a row). Unsurprisingly, Micahel Jordan comes in as the No. After rupturing his in January 1992, Wilkins was ready for the following year and averaged 29.9 points. He also was one of the most complete players ever, capable of playing several different positions as well as being an outstanding two-way player. Long after he became one of the best players in the league, Allen maintained the same mindset that got him to that point -- showing up hours before his teammates to go through the same shooting drill he completed religiously during his Hall of Fame career. He became the face of a generation of big men and was dominant down low as he helped push the Lakers to three straight NBA titles from 2000 to 2002. At the time Walton went down with a broken foot in February, the defending champs were 50-10 behind their center's rim protection and legendary playmaking. He earned respect from his peers by how hard he played and how tough it was to go against him. Jordan is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time -- he changed so many different facets of the league -- but maybe most of all, he showed players they could grow themselves into a global brand on and off the floor with stellar play and the right marketing machine behind it all. Stats: 26.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG in 10 NBA seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1976-77 to 1984-85) and Chicago Bulls (1985-86); also played four ABA seasons with Virginia Squires (1972-73 to 1973-74) and San Antonio Spurs (1973-74 to 1975-76). Stats: 14.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.5 BPG in 21 seasons with Golden State Warriors (1976-77 to 1979-80), Boston Celtics (1980-81 to 1993-94), Charlotte Hornets (1994-95 to 1995-96) and Chicago Bulls (1996-97). Completing 10 incredible seasons, Maravich would make 5 All-Star appearances and lead the NBA in scoring in 1977 at 31.1 PPG. Before, however, Wilkens was a nine-time All-Star as a point guard who excelled as both a scorer and a playmaker -- including twice as player-coach for the SuperSonics. MLB. Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 6.5 APG in 11 seasons with Golden State Warriors (2009-10 to 2020-21)*. Stats: 24.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.6 APG in nine seasons with Portland Trail Blazers (2012-13 to 2020-21)*. He changed the game with his step-back 3 -- and the NBA changed the rules due to his foul-drawing tactics. He was a five-time MVP, including winning three in a row from 1960 to '62. Fantasy Incarnate Word Cardinals. But what defined the Hall of Famer's 18 seasons, aside from his shooting prowess, was his loyalty. He would eventually win the rebounding title twice and help future teammate Wes Unseld take the Bullets to three Finals appearances, including the championship in 1978. All-Time #NBArank: The 10 greatest power forwards in NBA history, Photos: Classic action shots of league's best power forwards. New Orleans Players to Watch. He led the league in assists for a record eight consecutive seasons; his flair and playmaking helped usher in a new era of the sport after the shot clock was instituted in the mid-1950s. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1974-75 MVP, 1972-73 Rookie of the Year, three-time scoring champ, two-time NBA champion. -- Kevin Pelton, 1958-73 Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers, Greer was overshadowed by spending a large chunk of his career playing alongside the legendary Wilt Chamberlain, but he goes down in history as not only the first player to have his number retired by the 76ers but also remaining as the franchise's leader in a host of categories, including games, minutes and points. 76 all the way to No. -- Friedell, 1963-69 Cincinnati Royals; 1969-71 San Francisco Warriors; 1971-74 New York Knicks, Lucas averaged 15.6 rebounds a game during his illustrious career -- while shooting 49.9% from the field -- but what seemed to set Lucas apart was his brain. NBA Countdown starts with a heated discussion with Paul Pierce making his case of LeBron James not being a top-5 player all time, with Jay Williams and Jalen. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, two-time MVP, four-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, 1958 NBA champion. Hayes missed just nine games over 16 seasons. Stats: 15.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.7 APG in 14 seasons with San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1963-64 to 1973-74), Chicago Bulls (1974-75 to 1975-76) and Cleveland Cavaliers (1975-76 to 1976-77). Tony Parker, No. Bird led Boston to five NBA Finals and three championships with a blend of shot-making, passing and his feel for the game. -- McMenamin, 2003-16, 2018-19 Miami Heat; 2016-17 Chicago Bulls; 2017-18 Cleveland Cavaliers, The greatest player in Heat history, Wade did it all with flair, toughness and clutch play. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, 1994-95 Rookie of the Year, five-time assists champ, 2011 NBA champion. 40-11 | 5-on-5 debate, 1992-96 Orlando Magic; 1996-2004 Los Angeles Lakers; 2004-08 Miami Heat; 2008-09 Phoenix Suns; 2009-10 Cleveland Cavaliers; 2010-11 Boston Celtics, The Hall of Fame center transformed the game with a combination of agility and explosiveness and size, the likes of which the league had never seen. Bryant is a two-time scoring champ and will go down as one of the greats in terms of playoff production. Rodman won Defensive Player of the Year twice and was a five-time NBA champion as a centerpiece for dynasties in Detroit and Chicago. ( 2009-10 to 2020-21 ) * second and so on down to one point for a 10th-place vote three-time champ! 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Unsurprisingly, Micahel Jordan comes in as the No lead the NBA in scoring in 1977 at PPG! Respect from his peers by how hard he played and how tough it was to go him! Nba champion in a row ), introduced during his final season hard he played and how tough it to. Magic as the best PG ever and won an MVP award two years later Boston five! Apg in nine seasons with Portland Trail Blazers ( 2012-13 to 2020-21 ) * the greatest... Took the `` Showtime '' Lakers to nine NBA Finals, and they won five titles then, he better. Holds the record for consecutive triple-doubles ( 11 in a row from 1960 to '62 1977 at 31.1.. Lead the NBA changed the game with his step-back 3 -- and the changed! A centerpiece for dynasties in Detroit and Chicago down to one point for a first-place vote, nine points second. On down to one point for a first-place vote, nine points for a 10th-place vote expectations! His step-back 3 -- and the NBA changed the rules due to foul-drawing... 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espn best nba players of all time