Over the years, the professional game of basketball has changed a lot. From the addition of the three-point line to the shot clock, the game has been pushed to new heights in an effort to keep fans on the edge of their seats and coming back for more. Though it might not be entirely fair to pull players across NBA eras for an all-time greatest list, here is a sequential list of top players to ever step onto the court since the first NBA season in 1949.
Bill Russell: 1956-1969
In a 13-year career, Bill Russell earned 11 championships as a player for the Boston Celtics. Even more impressive, was that he worked as a player-coach for part of his career, pushing the Celtics to greater heights and frequently winning when most thought there was no hope. Along with many other impressive statistics, Russell snatched 21,620 rebounds during his career.
Wilt Chamberlain: 1959-1973
A beast of a man, Chamberlain towered over most players in the early NBA league at a shocking 7’1″ and weighing 275 to over 300 pounds throughout his career. The giant player was the only player to score 4,000 points in a season, most points in a game (100), most rebounds (55), and more. His dominance forced the league to change many rules, including widening the lane, introducing offensive goaltending, and rules restricting free throws (Chamberlain could leap from behind the foul line to deposit the ball in the basket easily).
Jerry West: 1960-1974
Drafted to the Lakers as the second overall pick in the 1960 NBA draft, Jerry West was an intense force of drive and talent to be reckoned with. He enjoyed a 14-year career as a player for the Los Angeles Lakers and was the third player in league history to score over 25,000 points (after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson). At age 31, his 31.2 PPG (points per game) is the highest average ever for a player over 30. During his time, he had such an impact on the game that the current NBA logo is a silhouette of West dribbling the basketball. When he retired from playing in the NBA, Jerry West went on to work with the Lakers for the next 40 years.
Julius Erving: 1971-87
Changing the way the game was played, Julius “Dr. J” Erving was known as a wizard with the ball, performing amazing feats no one had ever before seen. His powerful slam dunks and show of great class created a style of individualized play that had never been part of the NBA in years prior. He retired at the age of 37 with more than 30,000 career points.
Julius Erving may be the most famous NBA player of all time, possibly moreso than Michael Jordan. However, this doesn’t mean there are no great players left. Sites like Docsports can help you keep up with daily NBA stats for every upcoming game and player.
Magic Johnson: 1979-1991, 1995-1996
As a rookie, Magic Johnson won the 1980 Finals MVP when he started over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in game 6. The powerful 6’9″ guard went on to earn 10 All-NBA selections during his 14-year career and a shocking 127 All-Star Game assists. His full name is Earvin Johnson Jr., but the nickname “Magic” was given when he showed the fans amazing agility and ball control as such a huge player.
Michael Jordan: 1984–1993, 1995–1998, 2001–2003
Michael Jordan has had an impact on the game like no other and is often considered the single best basketball player of all time. Even Magic Johnson was quoted as saying, “There’s Michael Jordan, and then there is the rest of us.” Larry Bird called him “God disguised as Michael Jordan.” In a game against the Denver Nuggets, he told Mutombo in quasi-trash talk, “This one’s for you, baby” and closed his eyes, effortlessly sinking the free throw blind. While stats don’t do his career justice, he had an impressive six championships and averaged a record 30.12 career PPG scoring average.
There are other greats, like Kobe Bryant, upcoming Lebron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Larry Bird, who narrowly missed being placed on this list. The NBA has seen some amazing talent that has shaped our current view of the game and what makes a talented player truly great.