Top 10 NBA Players of All-Time

Written by Jeff Fox on .


nba 50 greatest players

Do you have the NBA Lockout blues?  We feel your pain and have a cure for you.  The Hoops Manifesto has gathered together Bloguin's best basketball writers to rummage through the annals of NBA (and ABA) history (sounds dirty, but it's not - honest) to bring you rankings of the best players to have ever laced them up.  Next up: Top Ten NBA (or ABA) Players of All-Time.

Voting panel:
Jeff Fox from The Hoops Manifesto, College Wolf from the TWolves Blog, Philip from Orlando Magic Daily, and Don & brumbygg from With Malice.
 
Honourable Mention: Jerry West, Hakeem Olajuwon.



10) Oscar Robertson - Cincinnati Royals, Milwaukee Bucks - 1960 - 1974

oscar-robertson-royals


Career accomplishments:

- basketball Hall of Fame
- member of one NBA championship team
- third all-time in free throws made in NBA history
- sixth all-time in free throws attempted in NBA history
- fifth all-time in assists in NBA history
- third all-time in minutes per game in NBA history
- eighth all-time in points per game in NBA history
- fourth all-time in assists per game in NBA history
- 12-time NBA All-Star
- 11-time All-NBA selection
- NBA Rookie of the Year
- one-time NBA MVP

"The original Magic Johnson, back when the only "magic" Earvin was making was in his diaper." - Jeff Fox

"Like Chamberlain, Robertson's numbers precede him. His triple double season is legendary and probably has more myth around it than actual fact at this point. One thing we know is that Oscar was one of the great distributors and passers in league history.  However, he never found success with the Cincinnati Royals and his teams did not start really winning until Kareem Abdul-Jabbar arrived in Milwaukee." - Philip


9) Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs - 1997 - present

Career accomplishments:

- member of four NBA championship teams
- three-time NBA Finals MVP
- two-time NBA MVP
- 13-time All-NBA selection
- 13-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection
- 13-time NBA All-Star
- NBA Rookie of the Year
- NBA All-Rookie Team
- ninth all-time in defensive rebounds in NBA history
- ninth all-time in blocks in NBA history


"In the future, when human basketball players have been replaced by robots, they all will be programmed to play like Tim Duncan.  Same for facial expressions." - Jeff fox

"Few players in NBA history have combined the ability to pass the ball and the brute force to be one of the best post players in the league. Duncan had that deft touch. His game was complete and if he was not 6-foot-10, I am sure he would have found a way to be a great point guard. Duncan had that kind of drive and ability. Not to mention versatility. His quiet leadership is overlooked even in his own time period, but there is no denying his greatness." - Philip

"No one has ever made the game look so easy. Duncan never seems hurried, never seems like he is struggling, always has it in hand. Will probably be even more appreciated once he has retired." - brumbygg



8) Kobe Bryant- Los Angeles Lakers - 1996 - present

kobe vs jordan 

Career accomplishments:

- member of five NBA championship teams
- sixth all-time in free throws made in NBA history
- eight all-time in points in NBA history
- tenth all-time in points per game in NBA history
- 13-time NBA All-Star
- two-time NBA Finals MVP
- one-time NBA MVP
- NBA All-Rookie Team
- 13-time All-NBA selection
- 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection

"How good a career has Kobe Bryant had?  So good he's forced haters (like myself) to recognize his greatness." - Jeff Fox

"Probably the closest we have come to seeing another Jordan. Watching Kobe adapt and change his game as he has aged has been nothing short of miraculous. Has won titles with Shaq, has won titles without Shaq. Basically, a winner." - brumbygg

"It's a pity so many people find him so polarizing, because they are missing out on being able to appreciate a talent the like of which has almost never been seen in the game of basketball.  Forget if you like him or not: just watch, and enjoy." - Don


7) Shaquille O'Neal- Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics - 1992 - 2011

Career accomplishments:

- member of four NBA championship teams
- fifth all-time in field goals made in NBA history
- second all-time in field goal % in NBA history
- third all-time in free throws attempted in NBA history
- sixth all-time in offensive rebounds in NBA history
- seventh all-time in defensive rebounds in NBA history
- seventh all-time in blocks in NBA history
- fifth all-time in points in NBA history
- 15-time NBA All-Star
- three-time NBA Finals MVP
- one-time NBA MVP
- 14-time All-NBA selection
- three-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection
- NBA Rookie of the Year
- NBA All-Rookie Team

"There will always be a special place for him on any list like this." - College Wolf

"When you get the league to change its rules, you know you have made a big impact on the game. The NBA brought back zone defenses because teams simply could not handle O'Neal's massive size and agility. When motivated, Shaq was as good as any center the league has ever seen. He was so big, defenders almost had to gravitate toward him to challenge him. And that likely would not work. O'Neal was one of the big matchup nightmares in league history." - Philip

"The man of steel; an unstoppable force; scared of only one thing – the free throw line. If Shaq had cared enough to work on that part of his game and was able to park his ego at the door he would have been much higher up this list." - brumbygg

"Shaq... I can never think of his place within history without indulging in a bit of "what if...?"  What if he tried harder during the off-seasons?  What if he had the drive of Kobe or MJ?  Well... quite simply he wouldn't be Shaq any more I guess.  The Big Fella, biggest on this list, both literally and figuratively speaking." - Don 


6) Wilt Chamberlain - Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers - 1959 - 1973

Career accomplishments:

- basketball Hall of Fame
- member of two NBA championship teams
- fourth all-time in minutes played in NBA history
- third all-time in field goals made in NBA history
- second all-time in free throws attempted in NBA history
- first all-time in total rebounds in NBA history
- fourth all-time in points in NBA history
- first all-time in minutes per game in NBA history
- second all-time in points per game in NBA history
- first all-time in rebounds per game in NBA history
- 13-time NBA All-Star
- one-time NBA Finals MVP
- four-time NBA MVP
- 10-time All-NBA selection
- two-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection
- NBA Rookie of the Year

"Chamberlain's statistics are simply legendary. He knew how to do one thing -- score. Using his height to his advantage he did that as much as he could. And never really stopped. It held back his teams because he was so consumed with his own line in the box score." - Philip

"The most dominant individual to play the game." - brumbygg

"Statistically, on an individual basis, the number one guy on this list.  On what an individual player can achieve, set the bar so high that it will never be reached.  Never." - Don 


5) Larry Bird - Boston Celtics - 1979 - 1992

Career accomplishments:

- basketball Hall of Fame
- member of three NBA championship teams
- tenth all-time in free throw % in NBA history
- three-time NBA MVP
- NBA Rookie of the Year
- two-time NBA Finals MVP
- 10-time All-NBA selection
- 12-time NBA All-Star
- NBA All-Rookie Team
- three-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection

"Perhaps the most unique package of size, skills and average athletic ability (compared to other NBA players - not compared to mere mortals like ourselves) we will ever see on a NBA court." - Jeff Fox

"The Legend.  Just imagine how much BETTER he could have been if he was athletic." - College Wolf

"You can't talk about Magic Johnson without talking about Larry Bird. Bird was a supreme competitor and master scorer. He seemed able to do just about whatever he wanted on the floor with a basketball and he always had the hunger to do more. Few players in league history had the same passion for the game that Bird had." - Philip

"Blessed with natural ability; fierce determination and the desire to make you earn everything you got on the court. A great three-point shooter, Bird could hit a game winner from the bleachers and possessed an icy calm demeanour. Bird’s Celtics were the antithesis of Showtime." - brumbygg

"People talk of MJ's determination, Kobe's passion... but Bird was on a par with them.  The only difference was that whilst they ran hot, Bird's fury burnt cold.  Guy wouldn't give an inch.  Bird took each game on a personal level, and played every play as if opposition were an affront - he was a ferocious competitor." - Don



4) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers - 1969 - 1989

Career accomplishments:

- basketball Hall of Fame
- member of six NBA championship teams
- second all-time in games played in NBA history
- first all-time in minutes played in NBA history
- first all-time in field goals made in NBA history
- eighth all-time in free throws made in NBA history
- fifth all-time in free throws attempted in the NBA
- sixth all-time in defensive rebounds in NBA history
- third all-time in total rebounds in NBA history
- third all-time in blocks in NBA history
- first all-time in points in NBA history
- eighth all-time in blocks per game in NBA history 
- 19-time NBA All-Star
- six-time NBA MVP
- two-time NBA Finals MVP
- 15-time All-NBA selection
- 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection
- NBA Rookie of the Year
- NBA All-Rookie Team

"His longevity and durability helps his cause here, but he was pretty damn good in his own right." - College Wolf

"Kareem is the league's all-time leading scorer, rewriting the book on post moves in the process. Abdul-Jabbar simply dominated all centers he came across with his long arms and court savvy. There were shortcomings to his game for sure, he was not the most physical player and not an incredible defender, but Kareem was instrumental in several championships throughout the 1970s and 1980s." - Philip
 
"20 years in the NBA - no mean feat for a big guy. But Kareem wasn’t all about longevity. The skyhook was a thing of beauty, Magic’s go-to guy in the Lakers’ glory years and still the all-time highest point scorer in the history of the league." - brumbygg

"His skyhook was the surest shot in NBA history.  And even in his autumnal years as a 40+ year old center, he remained one of the best players in the league.  Sure, everyone remembers Magic's amazing, series-clinching game 6 (45/15/7) playing out of position (at CENTER) of the 80 Finals.  But it was Kareem who won the first three games for the Lakers, and averaged 33/14 with better than four blocks a game for the five games he played... and Magic took home the Finals MVP." - Don 
 


3) Bill Russell - Boston Celtics - 1956-1969


chamberlinrussell

Career accomplishments:

- basketball Hall of Fame
- member of 11 NBA championship teams
- second in rebounds in NBA history
- second in rebounds per game in NBA history 
- second in minutes per game in NBA history
- 12-time NBA All-Star
- five-time NBA MVP
- 11-time All-NBA Team
- one-time All-Defensive Team

"If I'm picking sides in a dream game of pickup hoops, I'm taking Bill Russell with my first pick.  He'll do the dirty work, defend and won't be a ball hog.  Oh, and he'll ensure that we win, too." - Jeff Fox

"I am going to be "that guy" and go against the grain here (editor's note: Philip voted Russell #1 on his list). Michael Jordan is great, but the same things we revere Jordan for, Russell arguably did better. Jordan won six rings... Russell won 11. Jordan had two three-peats. Russell won nine in 10 years including eight in a row. Jordan dominated the game on the offensive end. Russell completely dominated the game defensively. Why don't we give Russell his due? He was not an offensive player, he left that to his teammates like hall of famers Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman. We also don't have the vibrant color videos and marketing packages Jordan had. But when you think of winning and sacrifice for the team, Russell's name should be first in line." - Philip

"The best team player to play the game. Russell made everyone around him a better player." - brumbygg


2) Magic Johnson - Los Angeles Lakers - 1979 - 1991, 1996

Career accomplishments:

- basketball Hall of Fame
- member of five NBA championship teams
- fourth all-time in assists in NBA history
- first all-time in assists per game in NBA history
- 12-time NBA All-Star
- three-time NBA Finals MVP
- three-time NBA MVP
- NBA All-Rookie Team
- 10-time All-NBA selection

"Magic Johnson was supposed to be a trailblazer, pointing the way to the future of the NBA where players his size would run the point.  Until we all realized that there never will be another Magic Johnson - he was a one-off." - Jeff Fox

"There aren't many players that displayed the versatility and skill that Johnson had. And he did it all with a childish enthusiasm and excitement that endeared him to fans everywhere (yes, even Boston... maybe). Johnson had the ability to play every position and had an incredible grasp on how to manage his team and keep his teammates involved. He embodied Showtime and was what made the Lakers truly great in the 1980s." - Philip
 
"The best passer of the ball I have ever seen. A 6-foot 10-inch PG.... almost impossible to guard. Magic even played at center when the Lakers needed him there. No NBA conversation in the 80s was complete without comparing Magic and Larry Bird. Alex Schulz on the Bleacher Report wrote this about Magic in 2010 - “He’s LeBron James plus four inches and a whole bunch of championships, which is why James has lots of work to do if he wants to be included in a top 10 conversation."" - brumbygg

"Amazing, amazing player.  No-one made the game look more effortless than Magic, no-one enjoyed the game more than he did.  And as a Laker fan, it's tough.  I think that Kareem's been grossly underrated as a player, and a large part of that is Magic.  Both should be appreciated - Magic is, Kareem is not (it's kinda weird - being a Laker fan in this position, but I'm not ripping on Magic, just bemoaning the lack of appreciation for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar).  The war he waged with Larry Bird was incredible, and their battles lifted the Laker/Celtics rivalry to new levels.  Do yourself a favour and read When the Game Was Ours."- Don 


1) Michael Jordan - Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards - 1984 - 1993, 1995 - 1998, 2001 - 2003

michael-jordan-magic-game3

Career accomplishments:

- basketball Hall of Fame
- member of six NBA championship teams
- fourth all-time in field goals made in NBA history
- fourth all-time in free throws made in NBA history
- eighth all-time in free throws attempted in NBA history
- second all-time in steals in NBA history
- third all-time in points in NBA history
- first all-time in points per game in NBA history
- third all-time in steals per game in NBA history
- 14-time NBA All-Star
- Rookie of the Year
- Defensive Player of the Year
- five-time NBA MVP
- six-time NBA Finals MVP
- All-Rookie Team
- 11-time All-NBA selection
- nine-time All-Defensive Team selection

"Mentally and physically the greatest player to ever lace them up.  Period." - Jeff Fox

"At this point Jordan really needs no description or introduction. He is the one guy that seems to be ubiquitously known in NBA history. His greatness is almost unquestioned and he is revered unlike any other player." - Philip
 
"Nothing I can write here that comes close to doing MJ justice. No one else comes close." - brumbygg

"If you need it explained, why are you here?" - Don





Previous Top Tens of All-Time: Point Guards, Shooting Guards, Small Forwards, Power Forwards, Centers.

Related: Is LeBron better than Jordan?
 

492 comments
RoscoeJohnson
RoscoeJohnson like.author.displayName 1 Like

My ranking will be the following one:1. Michael Jordan2. Magic Johnson3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar4. Wilt Chamberlain5. Bill Russell6. Larry Bird

7. Kobe Bryant8. Shaquille O'Neal9. Oscar Robertson10. Tim Duncan 

bryman
bryman

1. Jordan 2. Magic 3.  Wilt 4. Kareem 5. Bird 6. Russell 7. Shaq  8. Duncan 9. Kobe 10. Oscar or Hakeem.  Wilt's numbers are too insane to ignore.  Russell was on an amazing team which is why I have him a bit lower than others might.  Shaq dominated and Kobe rode him to an extra 3 rings which is why his 5 are nowhere near Jordan's 6.  Kobe struggled majorly after Shaq left and took years to become a winner.  

Valliere22
Valliere22 like.author.displayName 1 Like

My top ten 10)Kevin Durant(For now) 9)Tim Duncan 8)Larry Bird 7)Hakeem Olajuwon 6)Magic Johnson 5)Kareem 4)Kobe 3)Wilt Chamberlain 2)Michael Jordan 1)LeBron

bbbeee
bbbeee

 @Valliere22 wow, ur ridiculous idk how you can even put kevin durant in this list hes absolutely no where done his career! do u honestly not watch basketball how can u even think of putting lebron james first, k i get ppl are a fan of him ik hes a amazing player but then theres ppl like you that think hes in front of mj. you really need to watch other players instead of lebron james cuz thats just stupid to say hes in front of mj. u need to get ur facts right about each and everyone of these players before you list them in a top ten! u clearly dont know wht michael has done in his career......

ajorton51
ajorton51 like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

@Valliere22 that's a joke. After seeing Kevin Durant at 10 your list is already a joke. I am the biggest KD fan but there is no way a player who's been in the league for 4 years or so is anywhere near the top 10. And Lebron at number one? With his 1-2 record in the finals he's lucky to be in the top 10.

Lily bob
Lily bob like.author.displayName 1 Like

Honest opinion: 10. Kobe bryant 9. Lebron James ( he's physically the best player ever) 8. Tim Duncan 7. Oscar Robertson 6. Shaquille Oneal 5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 4. Larry Bird 3. Magic Johnson -hold on too your chairs- 2. Micheal Jordan 1. Wilt Chamberlain wilt was the strongest player to ever play the game. He was a seven foot, one inch high jumper. He averaged 50 points and 25 rebounds one year. He scored 100 points in a game. They didn't keep blocks back then, but, if they did people believe that he would have over 20 per game. He had two NBA championships. Just because Jordan played more recently doesn't mean he was a better player. Sorry.

JanusLeoAnunciado
JanusLeoAnunciado like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

. if ever Kobe wins his sixth championship . .      the world will respect h im as people respect jordan . ! Kobe is the closest next Michael . . agree? 

bbbeee
bbbeee

ok if you are going to compare anyone with MJ its KOBEE and maybe will say lebron when he at least in his late 30 oh and when he gets AT LEAST 3 OR 4 rings which i think is impossible cuz he wont have no more wade or chris bosh on his team. it will be just him see if he can do it alone......

campbellrossen
campbellrossen like.author.displayName 1 Like

Elgin Baylor is in my top 10. 

Jeff Fox
Jeff Fox moderator

 @campbellrossen As long as we aren't talking top 10 NBA executives of all-time, then you can't argue with Baylor's inclusion on any top 10 list.

bbbeee
bbbeee

"Five beats one every time I look at it. And not that (James) won't get five. He may get more than that, but five is bigger than one." THATS WHAT MJ SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IrakliGoderdzishvili
IrakliGoderdzishvili

i know a lot of people won't agree with me (since i don't have wilt and big o in here) but here is mine:1. jordan

2. magic

3. bird

4. kareem

5. russell

6. shaq

7. hakeem

8. kobe

9. tim duncan

10. lebron (i AM NOT a fanboy)

 

the reason i don't have the big o is because then i would have had to put in two other pg's (zeke and stock) and the reason i don't have wilt is because he wasn't as dominant as shaq, bill, kareem, hakeem and lebron. he only has two rings, even though that's the same as hakeem and all the others have more (lebron WILL have more) 

RustyGraham
RustyGraham like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 4 Like

 @IrakliGoderdzishvili

 Your to young to know what you are talking about. First of all they didn't keep a lot of stats from back in the day like they do today. For example, blocked shots. Other than Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlin is the best defensive center i have ever seen (I have seen them all play that are on these lists). Just on the defensive side he could block shots, and totally intemidate anyone who came into the paint, including Russell. Chamberlin Averaged over 22 rebounds per game for his career. Shaq (who I do like) only averged 10.9 rebounds per game. Wilt could run faster than any center I have seen in my 60+ years. And he did play against 7'0" players and some of the best players to ever lace them up. Chamberlin's career numbers against Russell are better than Russell's except for the 11 NBA title Russell and his great Celtic teams won.

I haven't even goten to offense yet. I will just give you two numbers 30.1 points per game for his career (if you go to NBA.com and look up Jordan's numbers, guess what? Jordan 30.1 per game). Also 50 points per game average for an entire season to go along with great defense, blocked shots, assits, and 24 rebounds per game that season. Jordan's best season doesn't even come close to Chamberlin's best season.  We can disagree on who is the best, I understand that and Jordan and others can make good arguments as well. But anyone who doesn't have Chamberlin in the top 5 when it comes to best NBA player of all time never saw Chamberlin play.

Lily bob
Lily bob

@RustyGraham @IrakliGoderdzishvili - I agree completely to what your saying. My all- time list I maid, Chamberlain is first.

campbellrossen
campbellrossen

 @RustyGraham  @IrakliGoderdzishvili 

 

Story goes (prior to keeping the block shots category), that Gottlieb, may have been the assistance coach  (with the Philly team Wilt was playing on) started to keep a tally of Wilts blocks in a particular game and stopped at 25.

TinsleyP
TinsleyP like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @RustyGraham  @IrakliGoderdzishvili

 I agree with you 100 percent, Rusty.  I saw Wilt and Bill Russell play many times.  Wilt was as dominant as anyone who has ever played the game.  He was so great that people have a tendency to denigrate him for "only" winning two championships.  Karl Malone and a few other great players would have been happy with one.

 

As for the Big "O," who I also saw play in person a few times, he was much more than a point guard.  He was Magic before Magic came along.  He could do it all, and on the old Cincinnati Royals teams he was both point guard and the top scorer (he averaged over 30 points a game six times in his career and came close a couple times more).  He was as complete a basketball player as there ever was.  Averaging a triple double for a whole season is an incredible feat -- in any era.  Not a single one of the other great players on the list has even come close to doing it yet. 

 

 

bbbeee
bbbeee

 @IrakliGoderdzishvili okkkkk shaq in front of kobe i would say their the same and plsssssssss take LEBRON JAMES off of there my ass hes 10th cuz he has a champ u think hes 10th no ur wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

StephenSwarner
StephenSwarner

@bbbeee @IrakliGoderdzishvili Championships are a team based deal... who cares how many rings they have .. all that means is that they had a good team!!! when wil people understand that.. MJ is def #1 but look at his squad.. Pippen.. rodman ...GRANT.. CARTWRIGHT.....then look at KOBE... he had shaq, gasol, many more.. and this year he even had howards... Now look at lebron he finally has a team with the heat....he didnt have shit @ cleveland.. and still took em to the playoffs every year... come on people.. time to get real.. MJ changed the game of BBALL he will forever be #1... but LJ is a growing FEAT.. Quit comparing... sheessh.... and please stfu with the kobe comparison.. he has 8 more years than LJ... plenty of time to catch up!!!

bayz
bayz like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

You really doing kobe injustice by the time his career is over he simply b the best ever if you questioning this why you allowed to rank the players larry bird shaque over kobe come on man joke

bbbeee
bbbeee like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

haha mike brown fired yes, this is the chance of phil jackson coming back!

CollegeWolf
CollegeWolf like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @bbbeee Bwahahahahaha Mike Clown is such a TERRIBLE coach. Anyone with a brain saw this coming a billion miles away!!!

bbbeee
bbbeee

its actually ANNOYING when people compare lebron with kobe.... ppl dont get it that when kobe was lebrons age you could never compare anyone with him hes amazing and lebrons noo where close ppl seriously need to go look at kobes career than you can say something that makes sense next time..... cuzzz kobe bryant is 34 and lebron is 27 idk how you can compare them it makes noo sense to me!! like if kobes was lebron age right now thats different.. kobe has more experience 

RustyGraham
RustyGraham

 @bbbeee

 The only true way to compare when you have different ages is to compare to when Kobe was 27. Compare Kobe's numbers to Lebrons numbers at the same age. I do beleive that Lebron has better stats when you compare each players first 8 years in the league.

Kobe is a stud but like his Airness, father time catches up to all of them. If you only look at titles, Russell is the best ever. If you look at stats, Chamberlin is the best ever. So that is what makes this subjective. I am not a fan of Kobe or Lebron, so my thinking is that Kobe at this point has done more than Lebron. In other words if Lebron didn't play after this season Kobe would have the better career. We will have to wait 6 or 7 more years to see how these two end up stacking up.

I will say this. Kobe never was as big or physical as Lebron and I think Lebron may when his carerr is over be a top three of all time player. Right behind Chamberlin and who ever else you want to throw in the mix.

bbbeee
bbbeee

 @RustyGraham yeah ik kobe was never as big and tough as lebron but its skill that takes you a long way and not power and thats what kobe has. When lebrons  in his 30's he wont have that power for long. and thats where im trying to get at its skill last long it last forever and power doesnt so i dont think lebron will last long..........

JohnJones
JohnJones

Michael has more hardware than Bill Russell or Kobe.

He was better than Russell because Russell couldn't score and wasn't that accurate. He only averaged 15 points a game. His field goal percentage was in the low 40s, abysmal for a center, especially when he was such a good offensive rebounder. His free throw percentage was atrocious, as he couldn't connect on half of his charity shots. Sorry, but if I have to foul him or Jordan late in a close game, I am fouling him every time.

Jordan has more points than Kobe, more points per game, more assists, higher assists to turnover ratio, less turnovers, more blocked shots, more steals, more defensive AND offensive rebounds,  better field goal percentage, more MVPs, more finals MVPs, and more championships, and better shot selection in less years. This is clearly no contest. Michael's trophies and accomplishments would cover two large tables, and the rest of Kobe's table.

TinsleyP
TinsleyP

 @JohnJones

 What hardware are you talking about?  Bill Russell won two NCAA championships at the University of San Francisco (where he averaged over 20 points a game and the team had a 55 game win streak over two seasons), one gold medal in the 1956 Olympic Games, 11 NBA Championships -- the last two as the player/coach of the Celtics (he was the first black coach in the NBA).  He was also the NBA MVP five times in an era when you had Wilt Chamberlin, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor also playing at the top of their games).  So, I ask again what hardware you're talking about?    

bbbeee
bbbeee

 @JohnJones yes but you never know what could happen in 2 or 3 years! kobes still hasnt retired. there not far by alot cuz if they were there would be no compitishent! kobe has 5 rings thats a big deal.....cuz noone right now is as close as kobe is to jordan right now!

JohnJones
JohnJones like.author.displayName 1 Like

It is laughable that some on here think that Kobe Bryant is even close to being as good as Michael Jordan. The game has changed, sure, but that just means that it is easier for Kobe, and was harder for Michael. You can't even hand check in the NBA today. The rules have favored scorers for a decade or so. When Michael played, defenders had more freedom, therefore shooters like Michael had to work a lot harder for their shots. Larry Brown predicted that Michael would score 40 if he were able to take advantage of today's rules. Michael also has better stats in every category except regular season free throws and three point percentage.

bbbeee
bbbeee

 @JohnJones what are you talking about he played in the same days as MJ. kobe is breaking records like every day lol and hes breaking all of Mj records as well. everyone knows hes the best but u cant say kobe is no where near him cuz thats not true he has 5 champs dont forget that he can be as good as Mj. PLEASE stop comparing precent of three throws u make no sense were talking about their game and there career not there percent of three throws!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

bbbeee
bbbeee

 @JohnJones will yea everyone ones he was amazing dont need to point that out no shit! but if you actually listen to the people that talk about basketball there always talking about kobe and his accomplishments and how close he is to jordan thats it he needs 1 champ!! and hes tied with jordan with champs sooo u cant say there not close cuz that makes noo scene cuz its not  only a few ppl that say kobes amazing its everywhere there always and there always talking about him.

bbbeee
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 TOP TEN FOR NOW 2012

1. Kevin durant 

2. kobe bryant

3. lebron james 

4. derrick rose 

5. dwight howard 

6. blake griffin 

7. carmelo anthony 

8. wade

9. chris paul

10. dirk nowitzki

 

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