My top 25 NBA players of all-time. What say you?

While watching the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team in Paris, and with the recent death of Jerry West, my mind drifted to the great players I have seen in my lifetime.

Who are the greatest? And how would I rate them?

During my newspaper career, I posted “top 25s” a couple of times, to a good amount of interest, debate and at times some good-natured ridicule (“C’mon Eggers!”) from readers.

So let us have at it in the dead of summer, when the sports world has slowed down a little, and pick a top 25 players from what I would consider the “modern era” — the past 60 years. So no George Mikan, Bob Pettit or Bob Cousy.

That means we are starting in 1964, though we will go back to consider a few players who began their careers in the late ‘50s.

The criteria:

• Statistics. I considered scoring, rebounds, assists, blocked shots and steals. Keep in mind, blocks and steals didn’t become an official stat in the NBA until the 1973-74 season. If they had been 15 years earlier, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell might be No. 1 and 2 in the “blocks” category. Also, the 3-point shot was instituted in the 1979-80 campaign, a change that would have helped West and a couple of others in particular.

• Honors. I tallied Most Valuable Player awards and selections for first-team NBA, All-Star Games and All-Defensive teams.

• Championships. Team success counts, though not overly so. Bill Russell (11) and John Havlicek, Sam Jones, Satch Sanders, KC Jones and Tom Heinsohn (eight apiece) have won the most, but all were beneficiaries of the Boston Celtics’ dominance in the late 1950s and ‘60s. Some greats never had the cast around them to win a championship, including Elgin Baylor, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Patrick Ewing and Charles Barkley. Baylor had the misfortune of the prime of his career coming during the Celtics’ incredible reign. Malone, Stockton, Ewing and Barkley were unlucky enough to have Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls claim six titles in their heyday. (Robert Horry won seven crowns, but c’mon.)

• Longevity. It matters, though not a tremendous amount. Vince Carter was a great player who played longer than anyone — 22 seasons — but didn’t make my top 25. The sustained excellence of such as LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Dirk Nowitzki (who all played 21 seasons) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Karl Malone, John Stockton and Shaquille O’Neal (who all played 20) deserves merit, but two of my top three players played 14 and 15 seasons, respectively.

• Feel. I saw each of the candidates play, though with those in the ‘60s it was limited to television when I was a youngster. The players I choose here passed the eye test. They were the greats of their era. I believe they would have been among the greatest of any era.

I left off my list the likes of names such as Carter, Havlicek, Rick Barry, Allen Iverson, Dominique Wilkins, Steve Nash, Isiah Thomas, James Harden, Gary Payton, Clyde Drexler, Elvin Hayes, Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony. Interestingly enough, I notice a dearth of NBA championships among that group, other than Havlicek — a combined six among those 12 players.

The two players I find most difficult to eliminate from the top 25 are Russell and Giannis Antetekounmpo.

Russell, the greatest winner and team leader in history, also ranks second behind Chamberlain in career rebounds and has five MVPs (though only three first-team All-NBA selections). But he scored only 14,522 regular-season points in his 13 seasons, for a 12.5-point-per-game average. He could rebound, block shots, run the court and dunk off the fast break, but he had no offensive game to speak of. I know there will be pushback here, but I am using the eye test. I can’t bring myself to rank him among my top 25.

Antetekounmpo is much different. He ranks among the career top 50 in none of the five statistical categories, but he has two MVPs, six first-team All-NBAs and an NBA title. He has already scored 18,502 points and, barring injury, will join the 20,000-point club next season. At 29, he is in the middle of his career. 

Five years from now, his status on this list will surely improve.

One more thing: This is subjective, not an objective look. I will defend my picks but won’t quarrel with yours. I welcome your input and would love to have you include your top five, 10 or 25 in the comments section below.

 1. Wilt Chamberlain (1959-73). Chamberlain’s stats are by far the most incredible ever. He averaged 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds through 1,045 games and 14 seasons. In his third season, “Wilt the Stilt” (he hated that nickname, preferring “the Big Dipper”) averaged 50.4 points and 25.7 boards. He averaged 45.8 minutes a game, including an almost impossible 48.5 in 1961-62, the season in which he had his 100-point game. The 7-1, 275-pound center led the NBA in scoring seven times, in rebounds 11 times and, in 1967-68, in assists. Wilt ranks first on the career rebounds list and seventh in scoring, though first in scoring average. This was accomplished despite playing in a golden era of big men in the NBA, going against the likes of Bill Russell, Nate Thurmond, Walt Bellamy, Zelmo Beaty and Willis Reed and, in Wilt’s later years, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Amazingly, Wilt never fouled out of a game. He won four MVPs but was among the top five in voting 10 times. He was first-team All-NBA seven times but won only two titles, having played during the era of Celtics dominance.

LeBron James ranks No. 2 on Eggers’ list of the greatest NBA players (courtesy NBA Photos)

2. LeBron James (2003-present). LeBron has moved steadily up the list in recent years, finally surpassing Michael Jordan a year or two ago. The simple answer why is that, while Jordan was the better shooter and scorer and one of the greatest winners ever, James is the better all-around player. Nobody has ever gone to the basket with more force and ability to convert and/or draw a foul for 3-point opportunities. He ranks first on the career scoring list, fourth in assists, eighth in steals and 30th in rebounds. James has won four NBA titles and four MVPs and has been first-team All-NBA a record 13 times. He is by far the career postseason scoring leader with 8,162 points. Also, he was the best player on the U.S. Olympic team that won gold at Paris this summer — at age 39.

3. Michael Jordan (1984-2003). Maybe the greatest gamer ever, Jordan played all 82 games in nine of his 15 seasons — including his final one at age 40 with the Washington Wizards. He ranks fifth on the career scoring list and fourth in steals; just think what his numbers would look like had he not taken three seasons off to play minor-league baseball. MJ won six championships and five MVPs (he was top three in voting five more times), was first-team All-Defense nine times and was first-team All-NBA 10 times. He averaged 33.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 179 playoff games and led his Bulls teams to a 30-7 record in postseason series.

4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1969-89). The 7-2 center was a force of nature beginning with his days at Power Memorial High in New York City, when he was known as Lew Alcindor. His trademark “skyhook” was an unstoppable weapon, and he was a winner, too. His Bucks and Lakers teams won six NBA titles, reached the NBA Finals 10 times and made the playoffs in 18 of his 20 seasons. Jabbar ranks second on the career scoring list, third in rebounds and blocks and surprisingly, 49th in assists. He won six MVPs, was first-team All-NBA 10 times, made the All-Defensive teams 11 times and played effectively until his retirement at age 42.

5. Karl Malone (1985-2004). The greatest power forward of them all, “The Mailman” was a bruising, durable model of consistency in his 18 seasons with Utah. Over that span, the 6-9, 260-pound Malone played in all but 10 of a potential 1,442 games and averaged 37.3 minutes per contest. He ranks third on the career scoring list, seventh in rebounds and 12th in steals. Malone won two MVPs, was first-team All-NBA 11 times, played in 14 All-Star games and averaged 24.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in 193 playoff games. His teams reached the NBA Finals three times, but he never won a title.

Shaquille O’Neal’s raw power and athleticism carried him to a No. 6 ranking (courtesy NBA Photos)

6. Shaquille O’Neal (1992-2011). Early in his career, Shaq had an incredible combination of athleticism and power. Injuries and carrying more weight turned him more into mostly a post-up nightmare in his later years. The 7-1 O’Neal ranks ninth in career scoring, 15th in rebounds and eighth in blocks. He was MVP only once but top 10 in voting in each of his first 13 seasons. Shaq’s teams made the playoffs in 19 of his 20 seasons, went 32-13 in playoff series, reached the NBA Finals six times and won four championships. He was first-team All-NBA eight times and was named an All-Star 15 times.

7. Kobe Bryant (1996-2016). The greatest player ever to play his entire career with one team — the Los Angeles Lakers — Kobe was Michael Jordan reincarnate, with similar size and game, and he even talked like him. Kobe was a ruthless competitor who averaged 24.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 220 playoff games. Bryant ranks fourth in career scoring, 33rd in assists and 16th in steals. He played in 15 All-Star games, was first-team All-NBA 11 times, on the All-Defense teams 12 times and won five championships.

8. Oscar Robertson (1960-74). “The Big O” was a triple-double machine before the term was even invented, averaging 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists during his second season. Over his 14 seasons he averaged 25.7 points, 9.5 assists and 7.4 rebounds and finished among the top five in MVP voting in each of his first eight seasons though he won only once. Robertson ranks 14th in career scoring — despite not playing in the 3-point era — and eighth in assists and was an All-Star in each of his first 12 seasons. He was first-team All-NBA nine times but won only one championship.

9. Larry Bird (1980-92). A bad back curtailed Bird’s career after 13 seasons, but what a career it was. One of the greatest scorers and clutch shooters ever, he won three straight MVPs and was in the top four in voting in each of his first nine seasons. Bird ranks 39th in career scoring, 48th in assists and 40th in steals. The playoffs are where he did the most damage, averaging 23.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and 6.5 assists in 164 games. His Boston teams reached the NBA Finals five times, winning three titles. He was first-team All-NBA nine times.

Magic Johnson (left) and Larry Bird are forever intertwined in NBA lore, and they both merit top-10 rankings (courtesy NBA Photos)

10. Magic Johnson (1979-96). The NBA hasn’t seen a player like Earvin Johnson before or since — a freewheeling 6-9 point guard with incredible overall skills. Like Bird, Magic’s career was cut short — in his case by an HIV diagnosis at age 32. Prior to that, he was a three-time MVP, a top-three vote-getter for nine straight seasons, a nine-time first-team All-NBA selection and an 11-time All-Star. Johnson’s career scoring average was 19.5, but his strength came in setting up others. He ranks seventh on the career assists list, averaging 11.2 per game. Magic won five championships in his 13 seasons with the Lakers.

11. Tim Duncan (1997-2016). Somebody called him “The Big Fundamental,” and if it wasn’t a compliment, it should have been. The 6-11 Duncan played the game smartly and effectively for 20 seasons with the Spurs. He ranks 16th on the career scoring list and sixth in rebounds, but it was at the defensive end where he did his best work. Duncan ranks fifth in career blocks and was on the All-Defense teams a record 15 times. He won a pair of MVPs, was top five among vote-getters nine times, was first-team All-NBA nine times and helped lead San Antonio to five titles.

12. Hakeem Olajuwon (1984-2002). Playing during Michael Jordan’s heyday, Olajuwon won only one MVP, but he was always a tremendous force through that era. Olajuwon averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds through each of his first 12 seasons. He is the NBA’s career leader in blocked shots and was nine times named to All-NBA Defense teams. “The Dream” ranks 13th on the career scoring list, 14th in rebounds and, surprisingly, 10th in steals. He was first-team All-NBA six times and led the Rockets to two NBA crowns.

13. David Robinson (1989-2003). Robinson’s career mirrored that of Olajuwon, and they along with O’Neal were the dominant centers of the ‘90s. “The Admiral” won only one MVP but was top six in voting in each of his first seven seasons. He ranks sixth in career blocked shots and was eight times named to All-NBA Defense teams. Robinson ranks 45th in career scoring and 35th in rebounds, was first-team All-NBA four times and helped lead the Spurs to a pair of NBA championships.

14. Jerry West (1960-74). West’s career mirrored that of Robertson, and they were the premier guards of their era. West never won an MVP — Chamberlain and Russell had a corner on that market — but he was top-six in voting nine times, first-team All-NBA 10 times and an All-Star selection in each of his 14 seasons. “Mr. Clutch” ranks 25th on the career scoring list and 35th in assists.

15. Moses Malone (1976-95). The greatest offensive rebounder of all-time — he averaged 5.1 per contest — played forever and still averaged 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game. Malone ranks 11th in career scoring, fifth in rebounds and 28th in blocked shots. He did not play on many great teams, however, going 51-49 in career playoff games and winning only one title. Malone was a three-time MVP, a three-time first-team All-NBA selection and an 11-time All-Star.

16. Kevin Garnett (1995-2016). Garnett’s career is similar to that of Malone; both played several years beyond their prime but maintained great career numbers. The 6-11 Garnett ranks 19th in career scoring, ninth in rebounds, 18th in blocks and 18th in steals. His teams went 70-73 in the postseason and he won only one title. Garnett was named first-team All-NBA four times, to 12 NBA All-Defense teams and to 15 All-Star games.

17. Dirk Nowitzki (1998-2019). The greatest perimeter-shooting big man ever, the 7-foot Nowitzki averaged 20 points or more for 12 straight seasons.

Dirk ranks sixth in career scoring, was the 2007 MVP, first-team All-NBA four times and a 14-time All-Star, leading Dallas to the 2011 NBA championship.

18. Charles Barkley (1984-2000). There has never been a better 6-5 inside player than Barkley, whose apex came in 1993 when he was MVP and led the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals. Barkley ranks 29th in career scoring, 19th in rebound and a surprising 27th in steals. He was first-team All-NBA five times and an 11-time All-Star.

19. John Stockton (1984-2003). Maybe the most unlikely top-25 player ever, the Gonzaga grad and mid-first-round draft pick paired with Malone for the greatest extended 1-2 combination the NBA has seen. Stockton scored 19,711 career points but made his mark elsewhere, ranking first on the NBA lists in assists and steals. Twice a first-team All-NBA pick but never a champion, Stockton played in 10 All-Star games.

20. Elgin Baylor (1958-72). The premier small forward of his era, Baylor was a terror from 1959-63, averaging 35 points and 17 rebounds over four seasons. He ranks 35th on the career scoring list, was first-team All-NBA 10 times and played in 11 All-Star games — but won no NBA titles, going 0-7 in the Finals, primarily against the dynastic Celtics.

21. Patrick Ewing (1985-2002). Ewing’s career coincided with those of O’Neal, Olajuwon and Robinson, so at times he got lost in the shuffle. But he was a terrific shooting 7-footer who averaged more than 20 points in each of his first 13 seasons. Ewing ranks 26th in career scoring, 25th in rebounds and seventh in blocks. He was first-team All-NBA once and was an 11-time All-Star but never won a title.

22. Nikola Jokic (2015-present). It shouldn’t take “the Joker” long to move up on this list. At 29, the nine-year veteran is already a three-time MVP, a six-time All-Star and a four-time first-team All-NBA selection, with an NBA title under his belt. We’ve never seen a player like the 6-11, 285-pound Serb, who can score, pass, rebound and play outside and inside.

23. Stephen Curry (2009-present). At 36, Curry may still have a couple of good seasons ahead of him, and he has already more than made his mark. He ranks 30th on the career scoring list and is by far the NBA’s career 3-point leader. Curry has two MVPs, four first-team All-NBA selections, 10 All-Star games and four titles under his belt.

24. Kevin Durant (2007-current). Durant simply can’t be left off this list. At 35, he ranks eighth on the NBA’s career scoring list, is a 14-time All-Star, a six-time first-team All-NBA selection and a two-time champion. Durant was MVP in 2013-14 and has been among the top five vote-getters six times. This summer, he also became the first basketball player ever to win four Olympic gold medals.

25. Julius Erving (1971-87). The first five years of his career were in the ABA, so he is not on any NBA career lists, but his imprint on the game is still sizable. “Dr. J” won four MVPs and three titles in the ABA before moving over to the NBA in 1977. Erving won an MVP with the 76ers in 1980 and six times was among the top six in vote-getters while in the NBA. He was an All-Star in each of his 10 NBA seasons and is the prototype for the over-the-rim players who followed him to the league.

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