To be the greatest of all time in the NBA, there are some criteria that a player has to meet. Not only do you have to be an elite player on the court, but also have a career and accolades to back up that talent. The majority of players won’t make the cut for the greatest player of all time debate.
These players listed have had phenomenal careers and were leaders on their teams. Another factor that can play into this debate is the impact that the player had on the league; changing the game of basketball is a tough task, but players in the past and even current have shown it’s very possible.
Micheal Jordan
This wouldn’t be the greatest of all time debate without including the option that most people choose as the best. Micheal Jordan’s dominance in the league over the 90s is quite unmatched. Jordan had a grip over the league for an entire decade and made his presence felt in that time.
Two three-peats and a total of six championships and six finals MVPs over the course of a decade. Jordan also racked up five regular season MVPs over the course of his career. These facts are commonly known between fans. While Jordans accolades show for themselves, his impact on the league was huge.
After the 80s, where the NBA was put on the map and started getting more viewership, in the 90s, when Jordan started his reign, the popularity of the NBA blew up, and it became a worldwide phenomenon. This was because of Jordans fantastic and flashy way of scoring that put fans in the stands.
Kareem Abdul- Jabbar
Kareem may be the true dark horse of this list as he played in the oldest era out of most in the debate. Starting his career off with the Milwaukee Bucks, Kareem would soon become known for his skyhook, which defenders could not stop. He quickly became an all-star and dominated the league for the coming years.
Eventually, Kareem would be traded to the Lakers and soon enough be paired with Magic Johnson, where they would go on to win multiple championships. Kareem still holds the most points scored in the NBA today, which is considered an unbeatable record.
Lebron James
Lebron James has one of the most all-around solid careers you could ever ask for in a player. After being drafted to the Cavs in 2003, James quickly made his mark being the best player on that team and being able to go toe to toe with some of the best players in the league at the time.
Soon enough, James would leave the Cavs for the Miami Heat and win two championships with the team. James would return to the Cavs later in his career, where he would pull off a feat never done. In the 2016 finals, Lebron James would lead the Cavs to a 3-1 comeback against the Golden State Warriors.
This cemented Lebron James as a legend in the league, and as his career continues to unfold, we will see how his career ends and if he is the greatest of all time.
