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NBA: Who are the Top 5 NBA Basketball Players of All-Time?

Who's the top 5 Basketball players of all time?

  • Bill Russell

    Votes: 50 46.7%

  • Larry Bird

    Votes: 41 38.3%

  • Magic Johnson

    Votes: 73 68.2%

  • Kareem Abdul Jabbar

    Votes: 41 38.3%

  • Michael Jordan

    Votes: 106 99.1%

  • Wilt Chamberlain

    Votes: 66 61.7%

  • Oscar Robertson

    Votes: 21 19.6%

  • Shaquille O'Neal

    Votes: 9 8.4%

  • Charles Barkley

    Votes: 2 1.9%

  • Tim Duncan

    Votes: 10 9.3%

  • Lebron James

    Votes: 48 44.9%

  • Hakeem Olajuwon

    Votes: 8 7.5%

  • Patrick Ewing

    Votes: 1 0.9%

  • Kobe Bryant

    Votes: 26 24.3%

  • John Stockton

    Votes: 3 2.8%

  • Karl Malone

    Votes: 3 2.8%

  • Julius Erving

    Votes: 14 13.1%

  • Scottie Pippen

    Votes: 3 2.8%

  • Isiah Thomas

    Votes: 1 0.9%

  • David Robinson

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    107
  • Poll closed .
WalkingCY

WalkingCY

Well-Known Member
Sep 26, 2008
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Legend Bill Russell Goes Coast-to-Coast with Amazing Finish in Classic Highlight | Bleacher Report

Very cool footage of Bill Russell - BOSTON CELTICS

Bill Russell, with his 11 Championships IMO is the best player of all time and deserves to be in discussions of the Best Basketball players ever. He has the MOST titles out of any player ever and one as a player/coach. (Wouldn't that be sweet if someone in present-day sports did that now; as Player/Coach?)

Just to start a "Wednesday random discussion" on the who's who in Basketball lore, who gets in your top 5?

Mine:

PG - Magic Johnson
SG - Michael Jordan
SF - Larry Bird
PF - Bill Russell
C - Kareem Abdul Jabbar
 
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It's tough to compare active players vs non active players when it comes to best all time.

LeBron prolly isn't on the list right now, but he has a chance to be in 7-8 more years or however long he has left.
 
Hard to argue with your list, although if you're talking just top 5 regardless of position, I'd replace Magic with Wilt.
 
Scottie Pippin got a vote. Discard that ballot. I lived in Chicago and was a Bulls fan during that era, but Top 5 all-time for Pippin, no way.
 
Cycsk said:
Scottie Pippin got a vote. Discard that ballot. I lived in Chicago and was a Bulls fan during that era, but Top 5 all-time for Pippin, no way.
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I didn't vote for him, but Pippen in 99 proved he was a top player in the league.
 
WalkingCY said:
Bill Russell has to be in the top 5. 11 Titles. No way is Wilt better than him.

Greatest Basketball Players: Compare Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain - Who's better?

11 titles to Wilt's 2. Throw in another 2 NCAA titles for Bill too.

5 time NBA MVP for Bill, 4 for Wilt.

No way should Russell be behind Wilt in this poll.
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I personally don't see the point in judging all-time greatness by number of rings. That may tell me who the greatest teammate is, or who played on the best teams, but not who was the better individual player.

For his career Wilt averaged 30 ppg, Russell averaged 15.

For the record, Lebron is at #6 on my list and Russell is #7.
 
If I had to put together a team to actually play a game I'd go

PG- Stockton
SG- Jordan
SF- Robertson
PF- Chamberlain
C- Russell
 
bawbie said:
I personally don't see the point in judging all-time greatness by number of rings. That may tell me who the greatest teammate is, or who played on the best teams, but not who was the better individual player.

For his career Wilt averaged 30 ppg, Russell averaged 15.

For the record, Lebron is at #6 on my list and Russell is #7.
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I don't think you should judge on rings either, Robert Horry > MJ

From what I have read Russell was unbelievable on defense and would do what ever his team needed to win. While I have also read Wilt was very selfish and self-serving.
 
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Along with his other accomplishments Russell probably had the greatest clutch game 7 of any athlete. 1962 NBA finals game 7 goes OT and Celtics win with Russell getting 30 points and 40 rebounds. To me the 40 rebounds are probably the most impressive stat from any game 7 in any sport.
 
Mine:

MJ
Russel
Wilt
Duncan
Oscar

If LeBron wins a title this year I'd probably bump Oscar for him. My list for best individual seasons would look drastically different than this, for example I think Hakeem better peak seasons than Duncan.

MJ and Duncan are the only players where I watched their entire careers, but the wins and #s for those other three have me thinking they belong. LeBron and Magic who I have watched would be 6 and 7 for me.
 
HFCS said:
Mine:

MJ
Russel
Wilt
Duncan
Oscar

If LeBron wins a title this year I'd probably bump Oscar for him. My list for best individual seasons would look drastically different than this, for example I think Hakeem better peak seasons than Duncan.

MJ and Duncan are the only players where I watched their entire careers, but the wins and #s for those other three have me thinking they belong. LeBron and Magic who I have watched would be 6 and 7 for me.
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You have a point with Duncan. Severely underrated but I don't know if he's top 5 when you consider other big guys. Also, are we judging off their peak or whole career because Shaq was much better at his peak. Hakeem was probably much better. This is such a tough question that has to have a certain rubric to figure out the answers.
 
ISUME said:
I didn't vote for him, but Pippen in 99 proved he was a top player in the league.
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Serious? How did he finish in the MVP voting for that year alone?
 
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