Ranking the 50 best NBA players of all time is basically a recipe for an argument. You’ve got the old-school purists who swear by Bill Russell's rings, the 90s kids who think Michael Jordan is a literal deity, and the modern era fans who point at LeBron James' box scores and say, "Look at the numbers, man."
Honestly, it’s a headache. But it's a fun one.
The game has changed so much—from the days of George Mikan shooting set shots in black-and-white to Steph Curry pulling up from the logo—that comparing eras feels like comparing apples to spaceships. Yet, when we look at the 50 best NBA players of all time, certain names just demand to be at the top. We aren't just talking about who scored the most; we’re talking about who broke the game.
The Mount Rushmore and the Modern Kings
Let's just get the "Big Two" out of the way. Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Jordan went 6-0 in the Finals. That’s the trump card. He never even let a series go to seven games once he reached the summit. On the other side, you’ve got LeBron, who as of early 2026, has pushed the all-time scoring record to over 42,000 points. He’s been an elite player for over two decades. That kind of longevity is actually terrifying.
Then there's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. People sort of forget how untouchable his skyhook was. Six MVPs. Six rings. For a long time, he was the undisputed statistical king.
If we’re talking about winning, you can’t leave out Bill Russell. Eleven rings in thirteen years. Think about that. He didn't care about scoring; he just decided the other team wasn't allowed to.
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The Top 10 Tier (The Untouchables)
- Michael Jordan: The ultimate competitor. 10 scoring titles and 6 Finals MVPs.
- LeBron James: The greatest combination of size, speed, and IQ the league has ever seen.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: The master of the most unblockable shot in history.
- Bill Russell: The greatest winner. Period.
- Magic Johnson: He made the fast break an art form. 5 rings and the best vision ever.
- Wilt Chamberlain: The man who averaged 50 points a game for an entire season. 100 points in one game. Stats that look like glitches.
- Larry Bird: The "hick from French Lick" who could beat you without jumping an inch off the ground.
- Tim Duncan: "The Big Fundamental." Five rings and zero drama.
- Kobe Bryant: The "Mamba Mentality." Five rings and a scoring prowess that mirrored MJ.
- Shaquille O'Neal: The most physically dominant force to ever play. In the early 2000s, there was no answer for him.
The Sharp Shooters and the Dream
Ranking the next group of the 50 best NBA players of all time gets even more subjective. You’ve got Hakeem Olajuwon at 11, who basically invented the "Dream Shake" and remains the all-time leader in blocks. He was a ballerina in a 7-foot body.
Then there’s Stephen Curry. He’s probably the most influential player of the last twenty years. Before Steph, shooting from 30 feet was a "bad shot." Now? It’s a standard offensive set. He changed the geometry of the court.
You also have to account for guys like Oscar Robertson, the original triple-double king, and Jerry West—the man literally on the NBA logo. West was a monster who actually won a Finals MVP while being on the losing team. That hasn't happened since.
Mid-Range Legends and Modern Stars
- Kevin Durant: A 7-footer with the handle of a guard and a jumper that is pure silk.
- Nikola Jokic: The Joker has climbed these lists fast. By 2026, his three MVPs and his surgical passing have him knocking on the door of the top 15.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo: "The Greek Freak." Two MVPs and a dominant Finals performance in 2021 where he dropped 50 in the clincher.
- Moses Malone: The chairman of the boards. Three MVPs that people often overlook.
- Julius Erving: Dr. J brought the game above the rim. Without him, there is no Jordan or Vince Carter.
Why 50 is Such a Hard Number
When you get into the 30s and 40s of the 50 best NBA players of all time, you start running into guys who were the absolute "man" for their decade but maybe lacked the rings.
Charles Barkley and Karl Malone. Two of the greatest power forwards ever, but they had the misfortune of playing during the Jordan era. Malone is 3rd all-time in scoring, and Barkley was an undersized rebounding machine with a personality that filled up the room.
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Then there are the defensive stalwarts and floor generals. John Stockton, the all-time leader in assists and steals. Isiah Thomas, who led the "Bad Boys" Pistons to back-to-back titles and was the only guy to really give MJ fits in his prime.
The Rest of the Greats (Rank 25-50)
This list includes legends like Dwyane Wade, who had one of the greatest individual Finals performances in 2006. We’ve got David Robinson (The Admiral), Kevin Garnett (The Big Ticket), and Dirk Nowitzki, who paved the way for every European big man who wants to shoot threes.
Don't forget the older icons like Elgin Baylor, who was scoring 61 points in a Finals game way back in 1962, or Bob Pettit, the first-ever MVP.
Others who round out the elite 50 include:
- Kawhi Leonard: Two-time Finals MVP with two different teams.
- Jason Kidd: A walking triple-double and one of the smartest to ever do it.
- Allen Iverson: The "Answer." He was barely six feet tall but played with the heart of a giant.
- James Harden: A scoring machine whose step-back became the most debated move in basketball.
- Chris Paul: "Point God." He makes every team he joins significantly better immediately.
- Scottie Pippen: The ultimate wing defender and the perfect partner for Jordan.
- John Havlicek: Eight rings with the Celtics. Eight!
- Elvin Hayes, Rick Barry, Walt Frazier, Bob Cousy, and George Mikan.
The Evolution of the List
The list of the 50 best NBA players of all time is constantly shifting. Twenty years ago, nobody had Steph Curry or Kevin Durant on here. Ten years ago, Nikola Jokic was a second-round pick that nobody knew.
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Today, we’re seeing the rise of players like Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum. Will they be on this list by 2030? Probably. But to get on, someone has to move off. That’s the brutal part. Does George Gervin or Wes Unseld get bumped for a modern superstar? It depends on what you value: the dominance of the past or the skill of the present.
How to Value These Rankings
If you're trying to settle a bet or build your own list, keep these three things in mind:
- Peak vs. Longevity: Some guys burned bright for 5 years (like Bill Walton), while others were great for 20 (like LeBron). Who do you value more?
- Era Context: Don't penalize 60s players for not having a three-point line. They played with the rules they had.
- Two-Way Impact: Scoring is flashy, but guys like Kawhi, Hakeem, and Giannis dominate both ends of the floor.
To really dive into the history, you should check out the official NBA 75th Anniversary Team list for a deep dive into the names that the league itself considers the gold standard.
Actionable Insight for NBA Fans
If you want to truly understand why these players are the best, stop looking at just the spreadsheets. Go to YouTube and watch "Hakeem Olajuwon defensive highlights" or "Larry Bird passing clinic." Seeing the way they moved explains more than a PPG stat ever could.
The best way to engage with the 50 best NBA players of all time is to pick a player you don't know much about—maybe Elvin Hayes or Rick Barry—and watch a full quarter of their play. You'll realize the "old guys" were way more skilled than the internet memes let on.