Jeremy Rucker, Staff Writer
1. Michael Jordan
5 NBA finals MVP and 10 scoring titles only begin to scratch the surface of Michael Jordan’s greatness. Unanimously considered the very best to ever grace the hardwood, Jordan will forever reside in basketball immorality.
2. Magic Johnson
Nobody revolutionized their respective position like Magic Johnson. A five-time NBA champion, Magic was truly a basketball savant, one of the greatest passers and Playoff performers the game has ever seen. He is the all-time leader in playoff and Finals triple-doubles and boasts the highest career assist average in history.
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s career was an archetype of consistency and dominance. A six-time NBA champion, 19-time All Star, and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, Jabbar’s dominance has rarely been witnessed in professional sports. Alongside Magic Johnson, he helped lead the Lakers to eight NBA finals appearances and five titles in the 1980’s.
4. Kobe Bryant
Despite the accolades of the two aforementioned legends, neither boast the scoring title for the Los Angeles Franchise. That honor belongs to 20-year veteran Kobe Bryant. En route to five NBA championships, Bryant has amassed 17 All-star selections, two scoring titles and an NBA MVP. Bryant also dropped 81 points against the Raptors in 2006, the second-highest scoring game since 1962.
5. LeBron James
LeBron James has been a force since his debut in 2003 and has matured into the most dominant player of the 2010’s. Becoming the first player since Bill Russell to appear in five consecutive NBA Finals. has has the most triple-doubles in Finals history behind Magic Johnson and is the only player to average 25 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists in the Finals, a feat he’s accomplished three times.
6. Larry Bird
Larry Legend will go down as one of the clutches players in league history, winning 3 NBA Championships, earning two Finals MVP alongside three regular season MVPs.
7. Tim Duncan
Few know consistency like Tim Duncan. In his 19-year career, Duncan has never failed to make the playoffs and has never averaged less than 13 points and 9 rebounds per game. A two-time league MVP and five-time NBA champion, Duncan is the cornerstone of a San Antonio Spurs franchise that will rank among the best in history.
8. Shaquille O’Neal
The NBA had no answer for Shaquille O’neal firs the majority of his 20-year career. Over his first 13-years in the league, Shaq averaged a dominating 27 points and 12 rebounds during the regular season and 25 and 12 during the postseason.
9. Hakeem Olajuwon
Given the unfortunate task of facing Michael Jordan during the height of his 1990s dominance, Hakeem Olajuwon was one of the most dominant big man in league history. During his first 12 seasons in the league, The Dream averaged 24 points and 12 rebounds while earning an MVP and guiding the Houston Rockets to two NBA champions.
10. Moses Malone
Lost among the brilliance of the Magic-Bird rivalry was the NBA’s most gifted big man in history. With respect to Charles Barkley and Dennis Rodman, Malone was an unmatched force on the boards, averaging a monstrous 14 rebounds and 23 points during his first 12 seasons. He also holds the NBA records for offensive rebounds in a career, season, and game.
Next: Staff Writer Tony Yassa's Rankings