Although there are legendary athletes across all sports, basketball, in particular, is a sport that proves to be a breeding ground of excellence for hundreds of players. If you are a hardcore basketball fan, you will know well that it only takes a single game-changing effort to turn things around in a tense basketball match. Some of these basketball players have won seasons for their teams single-handedly.
Basketball has been present for more than 70 years, and tons of players have made their names in local and international tournaments. Their fans endear them because of the legacies they leave behind forever.
Discussing the best basketball players of all time can be quite controversial. People tend to get up in arms with the list makers if their favorite player is not mentioned in such lists. Therefore, mentioned below is a list of top 5 basketball players of all time based purely on statistics and achievements. Read further to see whether your favorite player is on the list.
1. LeBron James
Could there even be an all-time greats list without the living legend LeBron James? Considered the best ever to play the game, LeBron can do certain things that people think are not even humanly possible. He is among the biggest players currently playing in the NFL, which is quite surprising, seeing how nimble his style of playing his.
Because of his abilities and the number of trophies he has won, fans tend to have a lot of expectations from LeBron James, which is why they sometimes get too disappointed when he underperforms. However, when you compare these basketball players' match-winning performances with bad performances, you will know how consistently good he is.
2. Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan comes in second in this all-time greatest ever basketball players list. During his time with the Chicago Bulls, Michael won six championships along with a plethora of different individual awards. Due to his popularity as a basketball player, he also became a huge celebrity outside the basketball world.
He got to star in a few movies and received chunky endorsements from world-renowned organizations. Despite being retired for several years, Micheal Jordan still remains relevant among basketball fans, as he is the owner of the NBA team the Charlotte Hornets.
3. Magic Johnson
Although Magic Johnson’s larger than life personality was the most endearing trait for NBA fans, he was no slouch on the court, either. He took the basketball world by storm during his time with the L.A. Lakers by winning five championships in his tenure of 13 years.
Magic Johnson was about 7 feet tall and had a great assist per game ratio. His off the court contribution to poverty-stricken countries and health issues like AIDS are also worth remembering.
4. Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlin used to play in an era in which basketball players were not as big and strong as they are these days. However, despite that, he still was one of the most exceptional basketball players of all time.
He had a good rebound record and minutes per game ratio in basketball’s history. The only time Wilt Chamberlain didn’t have a good basketball season was the one in which he was injured.
5. Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson's career dates as far back as the 1960s. His statistics are all you need to look at to know how good of a player he was.
He had an average of 30.8 points in triple-doubles. His assists and rebounds per game ratio were also quite excellent. Besides his on-pitch legacy, Oscar Robertson will also be remembered for initiating free agency in the world of NBA.
These are the players who made our list of best ever basketball players. With the influx of extraordinary talent playing these days, expect to see a few changes to the list in the coming years. For the best players in Ice Hockey, click here.
