Who Are the Top 20 Players in NBA History? A Definitive Ranking
As a lifelong NBA analyst and former sports journalist, I've spent countless hours debating the greatest players in basketball history. When news broke about Raymond Almazan extending his tenure with MERALCO, it reminded me how challenging it is to evaluate careers while they're still unfolding. Almazan's solid performance in the PBA demonstrates how players can build meaningful legacies without necessarily cracking the all-time great lists. But when we zoom out to the global stage, compiling the definitive top 20 NBA players requires balancing statistics, impact, and that intangible greatness that separates legends from mere superstars.
Starting at the very top, Michael Jordan's position seems almost untouchable with his six championships, five MVP awards, and perfect 6-0 Finals record. Having studied game footage from different eras, what strikes me about Jordan wasn't just his scoring titles but his defensive prowess - he made the All-Defensive First Team nine times, which modern fans sometimes overlook. Right beside him, LeBron James' longevity absolutely staggers me - reaching ten NBA Finals across three different franchises demonstrates a consistency we may never see again. His career totals of approximately 38,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists represent a statistical mountain that could stand for generations.
The middle portion of this list gets particularly contentious among basketball purists. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook remains the most unstoppable shot I've ever witnessed, contributing to his record 38,387 points. Magic Johnson's revolutionary playmaking at 6'9" transformed how we view positional basketball, while Larry Bird's shooting and basketball IQ would translate perfectly to today's game. When I analyze Bill Russell's eleven championships with the Celtics, the context matters tremendously - that level of team success in any era deserves recognition, even if the competition was less globalized then.
What fascinates me about these rankings is how they evolve with each generation. Kobe Bryant's footwork and competitive fire influenced today's players more than almost anyone except Jordan, while Tim Duncan's fundamental excellence often gets overlooked in highlight-driven discussions. Shaquille O'Neal at his peak with the Lakers was perhaps the most physically dominant force I've studied, averaging 38 points and 16 rebounds during the 2000 Finals. Meanwhile, modern giants like Stephen Curry literally changed how basketball is played at every level through his three-point revolution - that kind of paradigm-shifting impact deserves special consideration.
Wilt Chamberlain's statistical anomalies still boggle the mind - scoring 100 points in a single game or averaging 50 points for an entire season are records that feel almost mythological today. Hakeem Olajuwon's 1994 season, where he won MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP, represents one of the most complete individual campaigns in basketball history. As we fill out the remaining spots, players like Kevin Durant, Oscar Robertson, Moses Malone, and Dirk Nowitzki each bring unique cases that reflect different basketball virtues.
Returning to that Almazan contract extension, it underscores how basketball greatness exists on multiple tiers. While he may not challenge for an all-time NBA list, his consistent contributions remind us that value comes in many forms. My personal ranking would probably favor two-way players who impacted both ends of the court, which might explain why I'd slot players like Kevin Garnett and Julius Erving slightly higher than some conventional lists. The beautiful complexity of basketball is that no single metric can capture greatness - it requires watching the games, understanding context, and appreciating how each generation builds upon the last. These twenty players represent not just individual excellence but the evolving story of basketball itself.