The debate on the best NBA players of all time is tough. The NBA has a rich history of the best players. We have Larry Bird, Bill Russell, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin Johnson Jr., Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, the late Kobe Bryant, and who would forget his “Airness” Michael Jordan who holds a record for wins in 1996 when he led the Chicago Bulls to 72 victories and a championship. The records weren’t broken for 20 years. (latestphonezone.com)
Each of them has different career achievements and records and the debate continues for the best NBA players of all time. In addition, there are still a lot of them to be included on the list like the youngster LeBron James, a very promising athlete.
Now let us take a look at the records and achievements of the four of them and let us know your rating of who is the best basketball player ever. Here are our NBA expert picks on some of the best NBA players:
1. Larry Bird
Bird was drafted sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in the 1978 NBA draft and started at small forward and power forward for his entire 13-year career. Bird excelled in shooting and is also strong in defense as well as skilled in passing.
Bird excelled in all aspects of the game. Bird shooting rate reaches 50% on field goals, 40% on three-point shots, and 90% on free throws in a season. He was the first player in NBA history to reach that goal.
2. Bill Russell
Russell holds the record of the most championships in NBA history. He won 11 championships, and he only failed to win a championship twice of all 13 seasons in the NBA.
Russell also won a gold medal for the USA during the Summer Olympics in 1986 Melbourne, Australia. During his career in NCAA, he also won the championship twice in 1955 and 1956, respectively.
Russell is best known as one of the greatest rebounders and defensive players in NBA history. He is also known for the most number of rings.
3. Hakeem Olajuwon
Olajuwon or known as “The Dream” was considered as one of the greatest defensive players in the NBA. He is from Lagos, Nigeria where he began his basketball career and traveled to the United States to play for the University of Houston.
Olajuwon dominated wherever he played due to his defensive skills. He was tough to match when it came to defense. He wasn’t just a tough defensive player, he was also great on the offensive end.
Olajuwon led the Rockets during the 1993–1994 NBA Finals. He faces Patrick Ewing of the New York Knicks, who is considered one of the best centers in the NBA. Olajuwon outscored Ewing by 57 total points and won his first ring.
In the series of six games, Olajuwon averaged 35.3 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 4.2 blocks per game – an incredible feat. He also held Robinson to only 23.8 points per game on 45% shooting. For his dominant play and defensive skills, Olajuwon went on to win the Finals MVP award in the 1993-94 season.
4. Michael Jordan
When we talk about NBA sports, we typically think of Michael Jordan. Jordan led the postseason in scoring 10 times as well as postseason in steals twice. He is synonymous with the sport basketball and even created an empire with it due to his scoring feat.
Jordan dominantly plays on the court and is the greatest scorer in the game. He led the Chicago Bulls into 6 NBA championships and won 6 times as Finals MVP. No wonder Michael Jordan is included in one best NBA players of all time and perhaps is the greatest player in NBA history has ever seen.
