1.Michael Jordan

2.Kareem Abdul Jabbar

3.Wilt Chamberlain

4.Bill Russell

5.Magic Johnson

6.Larry Bird

7.Kobe Bryant

8.Tim Duncan

9.Shaq

10.Hakeem the dream

Great list.

Anyone that puts Scottie Pippen on their list gets fishslapped.

RodeoSchro said:

Great list.

Anyone that puts Scottie Pippen on their list gets fishslapped.

Asking out of a big playoff game automatically disqualifies you on all time list.

A great 2nd banana behind the greatest.

Just missing the cut(top 10)

Jerry West

Oscar Big O

Elgin Baylor

Barkley

Karl Malone

Moses Malone

iaminparties said:

RodeoSchro said:

Great list.

Anyone that puts Scottie Pippen on their list gets fishslapped.

Asking out of a big playoff game automatically disqualifies you on all time list.

A great 2nd banana behind the greatest.

You are 100% correct!

iaminparties said:

1.Michael Jordan

2.Kareem Abdul Jabbar

3.Wilt Chamberlain

4.Bill Russell

5.Magic Johnson

6.Larry Bird

7.Kobe Bryant

8.Tim Duncan

9.Shaq

10.Hakeem the dream

Defensible list. Other than trading a few spots (Magic belongs in the top 3), and perhaps Shaq at no. 9 (since I think West, Robertson and Baylor (who'd be a lock for top 10 with a ring) likely had better careers from start to finish).

1. Wilt

2. Jordan

3. Russell

4. Oscar

5. Kareem

6. Magic

7. Bird

8. Hakeem

9. West

10. Shaq

Oscar Robertson & Jerry West are Top-10 all-time, not even up for debate.

uPtoWnNY said:

1. Wilt

2. Jordan

3. Russell

4. Oscar

5. Kareem

6. Magic

7. Bird

8. Hakeem

9. West

10. Shaq

Oscar Robertson & Jerry West are Top-10 all-time, not even up for debate.

Tim Duncan is better.Sorry.He's got 4 rings without all time great player along side him.He got David Robinson toward the end of his career.He's won the most with the least.

Duncan is great, but no way in hell am I putting him above The Big O & Mr. Clutch. Those cats were immortal players. Duncan would be in the following 10 along with Kobe.

[Edited 12/28/12 18:59pm]

1.Wilt

2.Jordan

3.Kareem

4.Russell

5.Magic

6.Oscar

7.Bird

8.Hakeem

9.Dr. J

10.West

Any other near misses?

[Edited 3/11/13 23:27pm]

namepeace said:

iaminparties said:

1.Michael Jordan

2.Kareem Abdul Jabbar

3.Wilt Chamberlain

4.Bill Russell

5.Magic Johnson

6.Larry Bird

7.Kobe Bryant

8.Tim Duncan

9.Shaq

10.Hakeem the dream

Defensible list. Other than trading a few spots (Magic belongs in the top 3), and perhaps Shaq at no. 9 (since I think West, Robertson and Baylor (who'd be a lock for top 10 with a ring) likely had better careers from start to finish).

Magic could possibly top the list.

iaminparties said:

Any other near misses?

[Edited 12/30/12 20:11pm]

Earl Manigult

phunkdaddy said:

namepeace said:

Defensible list. Other than trading a few spots (Magic belongs in the top 3), and perhaps Shaq at no. 9 (since I think West, Robertson and Baylor (who'd be a lock for top 10 with a ring) likely had better careers from start to finish).

Magic could possibly top the list.

Almost. My list would look like this:

1. MJ

2. Magic

3. Bird

4. Wilt

5. Olajuwon

6. Kareem

7. West

8. Oscar

9. Lebron

10. Kobe

Duncan, Pippen, Shaq and Bill Russell were all very good players but I wouldn't put them above any of these guys

They have to had won a NBA championship, ABA championship, and/or Olympic Gold Metal to make my list. Being only a game changer will NOT cut it.

My Top 20:

1. Michael Jordan

2. Bill Russell

3. Magic Johnson

4. Larry Bird

5. Wilt Chamberlain

6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

7. Hareem Olajuwon

8. Kobe Bryant

9. Karl Malone

10. Oscar Robertson

11. Shaquille O'Neal

12. John Havlicek

13. Julius Erving

14. Tim Duncan

15. David Robinson

16. Jerry West

17. Rick Berry

18. Bob Cousy

19. Scottie Pippen

20. Kevin McHale

Honorable Mentions:

LeBron James

Moses Malone

Isiah Thomas

Sam Jones

Willis Reed

John Stockton

SIDE NOTE #1: RodeoSchro can kiss my black ass! Scottie Pippen is THE greatest "point forward" of all times. Know your basketball history.

SIDE NOTE #2: Special shout-out to LBC for reminding me to put Tim Duncan back on my list.

[Edited 12/31/12 14:16pm]

[Edited 12/31/12 14:27pm]

[Edited 1/1/13 8:48am]

And if these lists were about championships only instead of talent, than Bill Russell is #1 as THE true king of champions because he won 11 NBA championships.

whodknee said:

phunkdaddy said:

Magic could possibly top the list.

Almost. My list would look like this:

1. MJ

2. Magic

3. Bird

4. Wilt

5. Olajuwon

6. Kareem

7. West

8. Oscar

9. Lebron

10. Kobe

Duncan, Pippen, Shaq and Bill Russell were all very good players but I wouldn't put them above any of these guys

Magic Johnson, my favorite athlete of my lifetime, has been behind Jordan on my list for at least 15 years. For all of the arguments -- GREAT arguments -- for Magic topping the list, Magic wasn't an elite defender, and did not win multiple titles without a dominant pivot, as Jordan did.

I have a hard time with this because of the different eras/style of play issues. I decided to try and do a list anyway, but everybody on my list was already in numerous other people's lists. All the greatest of the greats are in this thread already. I hate John Stockton, but I'm still glad he was mentioned. Reggie Miller would probably be in that category for me, as well. Everybody else I can think of has good reasons to be left off of the list (other than not winning titles, which isn't a good reason).

whodknee said:

phunkdaddy said:

Magic could possibly top the list.

Almost. My list would look like this:

1. MJ

2. Magic

3. Bird

4. Wilt

5. Olajuwon

6. Kareem

7. West

8. Oscar

9. Lebron

10. Kobe

Duncan, Pippen, Shaq and Bill Russell were all very good players but I wouldn't put them above any of these guys

Three of these guys at the bottom are definitely top ten players.

Duncan has 4 titles and 2 MVPs in 8 seasons.

Shaq has 4 titles and an MVP in 8 seasons

Russell has 11 titles and 5 MVPs in 11 seasons.

West, Oscar and LeBron do not belong here. LeBron will be here, but not yet.

TonyVanDam said:

They have to had won a NBA championship, ABA championship, and/or Olympic Gold Metal to make my list. Being only a game changer will NOT cut it.

My Top 20:

1. Michael Jordan

2. Bill Russell

3. Magic Johnson

4. Larry Bird

5. Wilt Chamberlain

6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

7. Hareem Olajuwon

8. Kobe Bryant

9. Karl Malone

10. Oscar Robertson

11. Shaquille O'Neal

12. John Havlicek

13. Julius Erving

14. David Robinson

15. Jerry West

16. Rick Berry

17. Kevin McHale

18. Bob Cousy

19. Scottie Pippen

20. Moses Malone

Honorable Mentions:

LeBron James

Isiah Thomas

Sam Jones

Willis Reed

John Stockton

SIDE NOTE: RodeoSchro can kiss my black ass! Scottie Pippen is THE greatest "point forward" of all times. Know your basketball history.

Tim Dunac, you have to have missed him by mistake. No way you think Kevin McHale or freakin Scottie Pippen is better than him?

No way you think McHale is a top 17 player, ALL-TIME and Pippen top 18, ALL-TIME?

McHale was barley a top ten talent in his prime.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

TonyVanDam said:

They have to had won a NBA championship, ABA championship, and/or Olympic Gold Metal to make my list. Being only a game changer will NOT cut it.

My Top 20:

1. Michael Jordan

2. Bill Russell

3. Magic Johnson

4. Larry Bird

5. Wilt Chamberlain

6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

7. Hareem Olajuwon

8. Kobe Bryant

9. Karl Malone

10. Oscar Robertson

11. Shaquille O'Neal

12. John Havlicek

13. Julius Erving

14. David Robinson

15. Jerry West

16. Rick Berry

17. Kevin McHale

18. Bob Cousy

19. Scottie Pippen

20. Moses Malone

Honorable Mentions:

LeBron James

Isiah Thomas

Sam Jones

Willis Reed

John Stockton

SIDE NOTE: RodeoSchro can kiss my black ass! Scottie Pippen is THE greatest "point forward" of all times. Know your basketball history.

Tim Dunac, you have to have missed him by mistake. No way you think Kevin McHale or freakin Scottie Pippen is better than him?

No way you think McHale is a top 17 player, ALL-TIME and Pippen top 18, ALL-TIME?

McHale was barley a top ten talent in his prime.

1. I had Tim on my list but forgot to put him back on it! I need to fix that!!!

2. I rank Kevin McHale the greatest power forward behind Karl & Tim (IMDHO) because he was known to have too many created moves to score points at the low posts. And he also won 3 NBA championships along with Larry.

TonyVanDam said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Tim Dunac, you have to have missed him by mistake. No way you think Kevin McHale or freakin Scottie Pippen is better than him?

No way you think McHale is a top 17 player, ALL-TIME and Pippen top 18, ALL-TIME?

McHale was barley a top ten talent in his prime.

1. I had Tim on my list but forgot to put him back on it! I need to fix that!!!

2. I rank Kevin McHale the greatest power forward behind Karl & Tim (IMDHO) because he was known to have too many created moves to score points at the low posts. And he also won 3 NBA championships along with Larry.

McHale still shouldn't be anywhere close top a top 20 player all-time. He would make my top 40 list though.

McHale on my PF list is below Duncan, Malone (Malone is not a top ten player either. He should be where you listed McHale), Barkley, Garnett, Pettit and Dirk. McHale battles Elvin Hayes for that 7th spot.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

TonyVanDam said:

1. I had Tim on my list but forgot to put him back on it! I need to fix that!!!

2. I rank Kevin McHale the greatest power forward behind Karl & Tim (IMDHO) because he was known to have too many created moves to score points at the low posts. And he also won 3 NBA championships along with Larry.

McHale still shouldn't be anywhere close top a top 20 player all-time. He would make my top 40 list though.

McHale on my PF list is below Duncan, Malone (Malone is not a top ten player either. He should be where you listed McHale), Barkley, Garnett, Pettit and Dirk. McHale battles Elvin Hayes for that 7th spot.

Karl Malone's only career f*** up is not winning an NBA championship. But he did win 2 gold metals and he is rank #2 in most career points in the NBA behind Kareem.

Within the next 5 years, my top 20 list will change. LeBron James will definitely be ranked somewhere. But will it be disrespectful to rank LeBron higher than Jerry, Rick, OR Julius?

TonyVanDam said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

McHale still shouldn't be anywhere close top a top 20 player all-time. He would make my top 40 list though.

McHale on my PF list is below Duncan, Malone (Malone is not a top ten player either. He should be where you listed McHale), Barkley, Garnett, Pettit and Dirk. McHale battles Elvin Hayes for that 7th spot.

Karl Malone's only career f*** up is not winning an NBA championship. But he did win 2 gold metals and he is rank #2 in most career points in the NBA behind Kareem.

Within the next 5 years, my top 20 list will change. LeBron James will definitely be ranked somewhere. But will it be disrespectful to rank LeBron higher than Jerry, Rick, OR Julius?

Mailman had a lot of career F-ups, not like showing up in huge playoff games, but that's another story. He's still close to a top 20 player All-Time. Malone is not better than Shaq.

My top 25 looks like this.

1. Michael Jordan
2. Bill Russell
3. Wilt Chamberlain

4. Earvin Johnson
5. Larry Bird
6. Lew Alcindor
7. Shaquille O'Neal
8. Tim Duncan
9. Kobe Bryant
10. Akeem Olajuwon
11. Oscar Robertson
12. Jerry West
13. Elgin Baylor
14. Julius Erving
15. Bob Pettit
16. Moses Malone
17. George Mikan
18. John Havlicek

19. Charles Barkley
20. Rick Barry
21. Isiah Thomas
22. Karl Malone
23. Kevin Garnett
24. LeBron James

25. Dirk Nowitzki

LittleBLUECorvette said:

TonyVanDam said:

Karl Malone's only career f*** up is not winning an NBA championship. But he did win 2 gold metals and he is rank #2 in most career points in the NBA behind Kareem.

Within the next 5 years, my top 20 list will change. LeBron James will definitely be ranked somewhere. But will it be disrespectful to rank LeBron higher than Jerry, Rick, OR Julius?

Mailman had a lot of career F-ups, not like showing up in huge playoff games, but that's another story. He's still close to a top 20 player All-Time. Malone is not better than Shaq.

My top 25 looks like this.

1. Michael Jordan
2. Bill Russell
3. Wilt Chamberlain

4. Earvin Johnson
5. Larry Bird
6. Lew Alcindor
7. Shaquille O'Neal
8. Tim Duncan
9. Kobe Bryant
10. Akeem Olajuwon
11. Oscar Robertson
12. Jerry West
13. Elgin Baylor
14. Julius Erving
15. Bob Pettit
16. Moses Malone
17. George Mikan
18. John Havlicek

19. Charles Barkley
20. Rick Barry
21. Isiah Thomas
22. Karl Malone
23. Kevin Garnett
24. LeBron James

25. Dirk Nowitzki

Wait a second! You said I was wrong for ranking Karl ahead of Shaq, but yet you rank Charles Barkley (AKA Mr. I've been on 3 different teams and still 0 rings to show for it) ahead of Karl?!?

Excuse me, but that's bullshit and you know it!

And don't even make this about rebounding, because Dennis Rodman, Bill Russell, AND Wilt Chamberlain are ranked higher than Charles.

TonyVanDam said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Mailman had a lot of career F-ups, not like showing up in huge playoff games, but that's another story. He's still close to a top 20 player All-Time. Malone is not better than Shaq.

My top 25 looks like this.

1. Michael Jordan
2. Bill Russell
3. Wilt Chamberlain

4. Earvin Johnson
5. Larry Bird
6. Lew Alcindor
7. Shaquille O'Neal
8. Tim Duncan
9. Kobe Bryant
10. Akeem Olajuwon
11. Oscar Robertson
12. Jerry West
13. Elgin Baylor
14. Julius Erving
15. Bob Pettit
16. Moses Malone
17. George Mikan
18. John Havlicek

19. Charles Barkley
20. Rick Barry
21. Isiah Thomas
22. Karl Malone
23. Kevin Garnett
24. LeBron James

25. Dirk Nowitzki

Wait a second! You said I was wrong for ranking Karl ahead of Shaq, but yet you rank Charles Barkley (AKA Mr. I've been on 3 different teams and still 0 rings to show for it) ahead of Karl?!?

Excuse me, but that's bullshit and you know it!

And don't even make this about rebounding, because Dennis Rodman, Bill Russell, AND Wilt Chamberlain are ranked higher than Charles.

Barkley was a flat out better player at their peaks. You're telling me you'd rather have a prime Karl Malone than a prime Barkley as your PF?

You could count on Chuck in the playoffs. How many time have the Jazz been upset in the playoffs? when Chuck lost, at least it was to better players like Olajuwon or Jordan.

Jazz were upset by the Run TMC Warriors I belive, Kevin Johnson's Suns, Clyde Drexler's Trailblazers, Shawn Kemps's Sonics, The 95 Rockets when Utah had a better record by 13 games.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

TonyVanDam said:

Wait a second! You said I was wrong for ranking Karl ahead of Shaq, but yet you rank Charles Barkley (AKA Mr. I've been on 3 different teams and still 0 rings to show for it) ahead of Karl?!?

Excuse me, but that's bullshit and you know it!

And don't even make this about rebounding, because Dennis Rodman, Bill Russell, AND Wilt Chamberlain are ranked higher than Charles.

Barkley was a flat out better player at their peaks. You're telling me you'd rather have a prime Karl Malone than a prime Barkley as your PF?

You could count on Chuck in the playoffs. How many time have the Jazz been upset in the playoffs? when Chuck lost, at least it was to better players like Olajuwon or Jordan.

Jazz were upset by the Run TMC Warriors I belive, Kevin Johnson's Suns, Clyde Drexler's Trailblazers, Shawn Kemps's Sonics, The 95 Rockets when Utah had a better record by 13 games.

1. Charles was in the NBA Finals only once. Karl was in the NBA Finals twice.

2. Charles & his Phoneix Sun were the #1 offensive team in the NBA in 1992-93, yet they still lost to Michael & his Chicago Bulls within 6 games of the NBA Finals. 3 out of those 4 losts were AT HOME in Phoneix.

And yet, you wonder why I ranked Karl much higher than Charles in the power forward catagory.

TonyVanDam said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Barkley was a flat out better player at their peaks. You're telling me you'd rather have a prime Karl Malone than a prime Barkley as your PF?

You could count on Chuck in the playoffs. How many time have the Jazz been upset in the playoffs? when Chuck lost, at least it was to better players like Olajuwon or Jordan.

Jazz were upset by the Run TMC Warriors I belive, Kevin Johnson's Suns, Clyde Drexler's Trailblazers, Shawn Kemps's Sonics, The 95 Rockets when Utah had a better record by 13 games.

1. Charles was in the NBA Finals only once. Karl was in the NBA Finals twice.

2. Charles & his Phoneix Sun were the #1 offensive team in the NBA in 1992-93, yet they still lost to Michael & his Chicago Bulls within 6 games of the NBA Finals. 3 out of those 4 losts were AT HOME in Phoneix.

And yet, you wonder why I ranked Karl much higher than Charles in the power forward catagory.

They both lost to MJ so that evens out. And I do recall that famed jumper MJ hit at the Delta center.

Malone got the the Finals twice, sure. His point guard was John Stocton. Hall of Famer and holder of 2 NBA records. Barkley's PG was Kevin Johnson. He was nice, but no Stockton. Also, the west was weaker in the late 90s when the Jazz went. Put the 97 and 98 Jazz team against the 93 Suns, and the Suns win in 6.

Tim Duncan is the best PF to ever play the game and one of the greatest players to play.He's still going strong.

My 2nd 10:

11. Tim Duncan

12. Kobe Bryant

13. Moses Malone

14. Dr. J

15. Bob Petit

16. John Havlicek

17. Elgin Baylor

18. Charles Barkley

19. Rick Barry

20. Isiah Thomas