Top 10 Basketball Players Of All Time 

Basketball is a sport consisting of two teams, most commonly of five players each, competing with one another on a court, contesting with the primary objective of shooting a basketball through the defender’s hoop. 

The NBA has a rich history, full of organizations and players, and we’ve seen a fair share of come and go, but which players in the game’s account stand out above the rest? Here are the top 10 basketball players of all time. 

Here is a list of the Top 10 Basketball Players Of All Time 

LeBron James 

• Name: LeBron Raymone James Sr. 
• Born: 30 December 1984 
• Net worth: 100 crores USD 
• Current team: Los Angeles Lakers (#6) 
• Position: Small forward / Power forward 
• League: NBA 
• Playing career: 2003–present 
• Career playoff stats: 28.1 PPG, 6.7 APG, 8.6 RPG 
• Accolades: 2 Finals MVPs, 2 NBA titles, 4 reg. season MVPs 

American basketball player LeBron Raymone James Sr. plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with Los Angeles Lakers. He is nicknamed “King James” and is considered one of history’s most significant basketball players. He is often likened to Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player ever.

Michael Jordan 

• Name: Michael Jeffrey Jordan 
• Born: 17 February 1963 
• Net worth: 200 crores USD 
• Position: Shooting guard / Small Forward 
• League: NBA – Owner of Charlotte Hornets 
• Playing career: 1984–1993, 1995–1998, 2001–2003 
• Career playoff stats: 6.4 RPG, 33.4 PPG, 5.7 APG 
• Accolades: 6 Finals MVPs, 6 NBA titles, 5 regs. season MVPs 

Known as MJ, Michael Jeffrey Jordan is an American former professional basketball player and businessman and has played fifteen seasons in the NBA, besting six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan is the owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA 

Magic Johnson 

• Name: Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. 
• Born: 14 August 1959 
• Net worth: $620 Million 
• Current team: Los Angeles Lakers (#32) 
• Position: Point guard
• League: NBA 
• Playing career: 1979–1991, 1996, 1999–2000 
• Career playoff stats: 7.7 RPG,19.5 PPG, 12.3 APG 
• Accolades: 3 Finals MVPs, 5 NBA titles, 3 regs. season MVPs 

Born on 14 August 1959, Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. is a former professional basketball player regarded as the most significant point guard ever. After leaving the NBA in 1991, he formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a team that traveled worldwide playing exhibition games. Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. was honored in 1996 as one of the most Significant Players in NBA History and selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021, and became a two-time induct in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. 

Wilt Chamberlain 

• Name: Wilton Norman Chamberlain 
• Born: 21 August 1936 
• Died: 12 October 1999 
• Team: Philadelphia Warriors (#13) 
• Position: Center 
• Coaching career: 1973–1974 
• Playing career: 1958–1973 
• Career playoff stats: 24.5 RPG, 22.5 PPG, 4.2 APG 
• Accolades: 1 Finals MVP, 2 NBA titles, 4 reg. season MVPs 

An American professional basketball, Wilton Norman Chamberlain played at the center position, standing at 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall; he played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 14 years and is widely received as one of the most renowned players in the sport’s history. He is best identified as the player to score 100 points in a single game. 

Bill Russell

• Name: William Felton “Bill” Russell 
• Born: 12 February 1934 
• Died: 31 July 2022 
• Team: Boston Celtics (#6) 
• Position: Center 
• Coaching career: 1966–1988 
• The team coached: Boston Celtics (Head coach, 1966–1969) 
• Playing career: 1956–1969 
• Career playoff stats: 24.5 RPG, 22.5 PPG, 4.2 APG 
• Accolades: 11 NBA titles, 5 regs. season MVPs 

Born on 12 February 1934, William Felton “Bill” Russell was an American basketball player who was a center from 1956 to 1969 in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the team Boston Celtics. Russell is widely viewed to be one of the greatest basketball players. He led to two consecutive NCAA championships for the San Francisco Dons in 1955 and 1956, and he captained the gold-medal-winning U.S. national basketball team at the 1956 Summer Olympics. 

Larry Bird 

• Name: Larry Joe Bird 
• Born: 7 December 1956 
• Team: Boston Celtics (#33) 
• Position: Small forward / Power forward 
• Coaching career: 1997–2000 
• Playing career: 1979–1992
• Career playoff stats: 23.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 6.5 APG 
• Accolades: 3 NBA titles, 2 Finals MVPs, 3 regs. season MVPs 

Nicknamed “Larry Legend” and “the Hick from French Lick,” Larry Joe Bird is a former American professional basketball player and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, All-Star MVP, Finals MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year. 

Shaquille O’Neal 

• Name: Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal 
• Born: 6 March 1972 
• Team: Orlando Magic 
• Position: Center 
• Playing career: 1992–2011 
• Number: 32, 34, 33, 36 
• Career playoff stats: 11.6 RPG, 24.3 PPG, 2.1 BPG 
• Accolades: 3 Finals MVPs, 4 NBA titles, 1 reg. season MVP 

Known commonly as “Shaq,” Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal is a former professional basketball player and a sports analyst for the program Inside the NBA. Over his 19-year career played for six teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and is a four-time NBA champion. 

Tim Duncan

• Name: Timothy Theodore Duncan 
• Born: 25 April 1976 
• Team: San Antonio Spurs (#21) 
• Position: Power forward / Center 
• Playing career: 1997–2016 
• Coaching career: 2019–2020 
• Career playoff stats: 21.9 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 2.4 BPG 
• Accolades: 4 NBA titles, 3 Finals MVPs, 2 regs. season MVPs 

An American former professional basketball, Timothy Theodore Duncan, aka Tim Duncan, played for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is nicknamed “the Big Fundamental” and is widely regarded as the most tremendous power forward and one of the most prominent players in the history of the NBA. He spent his 19-year career playing with the Spurs. 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

• Name: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 
• Born: 16 April 1947 
• Team: Milwaukee Bucks (#33) 
• Position: Center 
• Playing career: 1969–1989 
• Coaching career: 1998–2011 
• Career playoff stats: 10.5 RPG, 24.3 PPG, 2.4 BPG 
• Accolades: 2 Finals MVPs, 6 NBA titles, 6 regs. season MVPs 

A former American professional basketball player, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played for around 20 seasons for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the record six-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) during his career as a center. Widely viewed as one of the most outstanding players of all time, he was named the greatest basketball player by Isiah Thomas, Pat Riley, and Julius Erving. 

Hakeem Olajuwon 

• Name: Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon 
• Born: 21 January 1963 
• Team: Houston Rockets (#34)
• Position: Center 
• Playing career: 1984–2002 
• Career playoff stats: 11.2 RPG, 25.9 PPG, 3.3 BPG 
• Accolades: 2 Finals MVPs, 2 NBA titles, 1 reg. season MVP 

Nicknamed “the Dream,” Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a former Nigerian-American professional basketball player who played center from 1984 to 2002. He was inducted in 2008 into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and, in 2016, the FIBA Hall. He ended his career as the all-time leader in blocks (3,830) and is one of the four NBA players to record a quadruple-double. 

Top 10 Basketball Players Of All Time 

FAQS About Top 10 Basketball Players Of All Time 

Why did Hakeem Olajuwon retire? 

NBA’s all-time leader in total blocked shots, Hakeem Olajuwon, reported a severe back injury and hence couldn’t complete the remaining two years on his 3Y/18M contract with the Raptors, and he retired in the fall of 2002. 

How many 3s did Kareem make? 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has sunk 1 three-pointer in his career. 

How many shots did Kareem take? 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has made 28,307 shots in his career.

Who has blocked the skyhook? 

Wilt Chamberlain has blocked Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s iconic “skyhook” 5 times in Game 3 of the 1972 ECF. 

Who is the most successful basketball player? 

Bill Russell, Boston Celtics center, holds the record for the most NBA championships won with 11 titles during his 13-year playing career. 

Who is the most popular NBA player? 

Steph Curry reigns highest on NBA’s social media. 

Who is the best dunker in the NBA? 

Michael Jordan 

Conclusion 

In today’s basketball world, where too many stats are available, one still needs to pay attention to the qualitative aspects while ranking the greatest NBA players. These iconic players played in different generations with different rules and technologies.