In this article titled ”The Greatest Basketball Players Of All Time”, we are looking at the details of very exceptional basketball players. So, to enable us understand the topic well, we shall also discuss these subtopics: Overview Of The Greatest Basketball Players Of All Time, Road To Success For Young Basketball Players, Best NBA Player ESPY Award and The Best Point Guard In NBA.
Now, let’s proceed with the analysis of the topic “The Greatest Basketball Players Of All Time”.
Overview Of The Greatest Basketball Players Of All Time
The debate over who is the greatest basketball player of all time is a constant source of discussion among NBA fans. Opinions on this subject vary widely.
However, we shall discuss the top five greatest NBA players of all time in this article.
Meanwhile, judging by the ESPN stats, Michael Jordan outranks every other basketball player ever.
In addition, there are a plethora of other excellent basketball players to consider.
Here are the top five greatest basketball players of all time:
1. MICHAEL JORDAN
You cannot talk about the greatest basketball players of all time, without mentioning Michael Jordan first. He stands head and shoulders above other.
He played these Basketball clubs: Chicago Bulls (1984–1993, 1995–1998) and Washington Wizards (2001-2003).
One of the remarkable things Michael Jordan did was to help the Chicago Bulls to win six consecutive NBA Finals. He also won six NBA titles during his basketball career.
In addition, he won the NBA MVP trophy, six times. Then, in 1988, they named Michael Jordan as the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
He also boasts of five regular season MVP honors, proving his worth as a basketball star both on and off the court.
More Information
For two seasons with Washington, Jordan scored a mean 20 points per game.
When anyone wants to do an analysis for the greatest NBA player of all time, look beyond the numerous awards. Also consider their inspiration and competitive nature.
In his active basketball years, he was a formidable attacker and a fierce defender.
Michael Jordan always gives his all in practice and games to better himself and his team.
All these successes has helped Michael Jordan become a benchmark in NBA annals.
All NBA players aspire to Michael Jordan’s level of greatness. Yet nobody has reached MJ status as of yet.
2. LEBRON JAMES
It is quite difficult to see players that are better than LeBron James in NBA annals.
LeBron James is a two-time NBA Finals MVP and the owner of two championship rings.
However, in 2012 and 2013, he played for the Miami Heat. He performed exceptionally well in the club. Currently, he plays for the Los Angeles Lakers.
In terms of goal-scoring prowess, LeBron is unquestionably among the NBA’s all-time greats.
LeBron James has always impressed his audience and inspired his followers to go for their goals.
In addition, LeBron James was an integral part of the championship teams for both the Heat and the Cavaliers. The biggest controversy with Basketball fans is the constant comparison of LeBron James to Michael Jordan, the all-time great.
On the other hand, Lebron James is involved in many charitable works and he uses his considerable riches to help others. He is also good in football.
In the basketball world, Lebron James is one of the most celebrated NBA players of all time.
3. KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR
In the history of the NBA, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar stands out as one of the best players of all time.
If you are looking for one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, it is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He consistently finished among the NBA Playoffs‘ top scorers.
Meanwhile, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar spent 20 years in the NBA, playing 17 games total (with Milwaukee and Los Angeles).
In his 13 years in the league, he was a champion six times and the Most Valuable Player in the NBA Finals twice. On top of that, they selected him for the All-NBA First Team ten times throughout his career.
Jabbar set a record with 5,762 points scored.
His finest hour came in 1974, still against the Bucks. However, his total point after 16 games amounted to 515.
When it came to defensive statistics, Abdul-Jabbar dominated the playoffs.
4. KOBE BRYANT (Late)
Kobe was such an exceptional player, such that many basketball players look up to him. His outstanding influence and record in basketball earned him the status as one of the greatest in basketball.
Kobe Bryant simply stands out as one of the best. Indeed, he is deserving of a spot among the top five NBA greats.
For 17 of his 19 seasons in the NBA, Kobe Bryant featured for the Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs.
Then, he went to play in 220 postseason games, scoring 5,640 points. At the time Kobe was playing for the Lakers, he earned five scoring titles and two Most Valuable Player trophies at the NBA Finals. This happened in 2009 and 2010 respectively.
Bryant scored 695 points during the 2009 playoffs, the most of any player. He finished his career with a career scoring average of 25.6 ppg.
For Bryant, his finest postseason performance came on May 4, 2006. In Game 6, he had already amassed 50 points after 52 minutes of play.
5. MAGIC JOHNSON
The performance of Magic Johnson is topnotch, such that he is highly rated. Merely saying he is a good point guard for the NBA would be an understatement.
As a point guard, he was an integral part of the “Showtime” era that propelled the Los Angeles Lakers to NBA supremacy in the 1980s.
When you want to give a better example of the adage that “talent does not wait for age”, Magic Johnson should come to your mind. During his rookie year in the NBA, he shot to superstar status.
In terms of his achievements in the NBA, he won five championships. Also, he won the Most Valuable Player three times in the regular season and three times in the playoffs.
Magic Johnson is set to get inducted into the Hall of Fame. In his record, he played in 906 games over 13 seasons and averaged 19.5 points, 11.2 assists, and 7.2 rebounds per game.
Road To Success For Young Basketball Players
The aforementioned are the top 5 greatest basketball players of all time.
Meanwhile, the beauty of the game is that, the current generation strives to set new benchmarks of excellence with game they play.
They want to get to the status of that greatest of all time in basketball.
However, we shall continue to give accolade to those basketball icons in the history of basketball.
Best NBA Player ESPY Award
Each year since 1993, the NBA awards the NBA Player ESPY Awards to the NBA’s best player.
There is guideline to follow in awarding a player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) this trophy. If the player is deemed the league’s best that season, then they will award the person with the trophy.
It is presented after the NBA season that ended during or just before the ESPY Awards show.
A lot of people play a role in deciding who wins this award. It includes: basketball fans, sports journalists, sports executives, and retired athletes. They practiced this between 1993 and 2004.
As at 2001 and counting, they held the ESPY Awards annually in February to recognize outstanding sports achievements from the previous year.
Thereafter, bonuses are handed out every June based on the previous June’s performance.
Michael Jordan is one of seven athletes to win the award more than once; he was the first and has won four times overall.
As of right now, LeBron James holds the record for most MVP awards with seven. In addition, Curry has three MVP awards. Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Hakeem Olajuwon each have two.
The 2020 ceremony didn’t hold due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus. However, in 2022, Steph Curry won the award.
The Best Point Guard In NBA
In 2020-21, Stephen Curry improved upon his status as one of the top three point guards in the NBA.
Curry came through in a huge manner after being forced to shoulder the offensive load virtually alone.
He averaged 32 points per game to lead the league, shot 42% from deep (337 attempts), and came in third in MVP voting behind Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid.
With Klay Thompson back in the lineup, the Warriors have a chance to return to the playoffs if Curry continues his impressive play.
Conclusion
Carefully go through this article titled ”The Greatest Basketball Players Of All Time”. You will find all the details of very exceptional basketball players. You can research more on these subtopics: Overview Of The Greatest Basketball Players Of All Time, Road To Success For Young Basketball Players, Best NBA Player ESPY Award and The Best Point Guard In NBA.
See also: https://www.scottfujita.com/best-nba-players-of-all-time/