Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

[ajf14]

My list would go:

Michael Jordan
Bill Russell
Magic Johnson
Larry Bird
Wilt Chamberlain

[Taur3asi3]

Re: Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

1a Michael Jordan
1b Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
2 Wilt Chamberlain
3 Magic Johnson
4 Bill Russell

I know Jordan is considered the universal greatest ever but I really honestly think that Kareem, and Kareem only, has an argument to topple him. The only person who comes close to Kareem interms of overall peak and longevity is Gordie Howe. Kareem won regular season MVPs in 71 and 80 with 4 inbetween, won finals MVPs in 71 and 85, and All-NBA First Team in 70 and 86. Thats insane. I mean Jordan was other worldly in what he could do but what Kareem did will never ever happen again in the NBA.

[Equinox831]

Re: Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

1a Michael Jordan
1b Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
2 Wilt Chamberlain
3 Magic Johnson
4 Bill Russell

I think that's the best top 5 we're going to see..

[Taur3asi3]

Re: Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

The top 5 is easy part IMO it's the bottom 5 of the top 10 where it gets really murky and 50 people will have 50 different combinations. The bottom could have Duncan, Kobe, Baylor, Bird, Moses, Oscar, Olajuwon, Havlicek, Shaq, Julius, or several other guys. Any combination of those guys plus some I forgot to mention could fill those 5 spots depending on your criteria and what you look for in a player.

[WizardJay]

Re: Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

My list would go:

Michael Jordan
Bill Russell
Magic Johnson
Larry Bird
Wilt Chamberlain

This is one nice list.

[Chrisksaint]

Re: Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

The top 5 is easy part IMO it's the bottom 5 of the top 10 where it gets really murky and 50 people will have 50 different combinations. The bottom could have Duncan, Kobe, Baylor, Bird, Moses, Oscar, Olajuwon, Havlicek, Shaq, Julius, or several other guys. Any combination of those guys plus some I forgot to mention could fill those 5 spots depending on your criteria and what you look for in a player.

Pretty much true most top 5's are atleast gonna be pretty similar after that it's a real toss up.

[The15thunter]

Re: Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

michael jordan
bill russell
kareem abdul-jabbar
magic johnson
larry bird

[SaltyBlackWorm]

Re: Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

thank god OS has smart sports fans. i hate people who think Kobe is already top 5 they dont know anything. or they even put him at number 2.

[Speedy]

Re: Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

I don't see Wilt as a top-5 player...he was a revolutionary player for sure, but he was tall when everyone else was no greater than 6-9. Bill Russell shows how "dominant" Wilt is by the championship rings comparison.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

Top 5 I've ever seen:

Michael Jordan
Magic Johnson
Larry Bird
Tim Duncan
Hakeem Olajuwon

[HHHRVD55]

Re: Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

I don't see Wilt as a top-5 player...he was a revolutionary player for sure, but he was tall when everyone else was no greater than 6-9. Bill Russell shows how "dominant" Wilt is by the championship rings comparison.

Actually, there were a number of players taller than 6'9" back in Wilt's day. He was just stronger and faster than them. Russell was a better team player and was on better teams than Wilt. But, Wilt, just for the numbers he put up and the ease of which he put them up, is a top five player.

[IamLEGENDsince87]

Re: Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

Kobe Bryant > Larry Bird...let's be real people

[ajf14]

Re: Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

Actually, there were a number of players taller than 6'9" back in Wilt's day. He was just stronger and faster than them. Russell was a better team player and was on better teams than Wilt. But, Wilt, just for the numbers he put up and the ease of which he put them up, is a top five player.

Wilt is hard because he was so worried about personal stats, that it's hard to tell how good he was. Sure, he put up those huge numbers, but it's hard to tell whether it really reflected him as a player.

[The15thunter]

Re: Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

Kobe Bryant > Larry Bird...let's be real people

in a vacuum, yes, but not necesarily in terms of career and importance.

[Scott812313]

Re: Top 5 NBA Players of All Time

in a vacuum, yes, but not necesarily in terms of career and importance.

In a vacuum, on the moon, in a barn....Kobe is better than Bird anywhere.