Who is the greatest player in the NBA?
95208
MICHAEL JORDAN hands down
450515
As much as I'd like to see Steve Nash take it--I think it will be Kobe Bryant. He's had an unprecedented year in scoring, and having that 80+ game this year certainly didn't hurt! At least for now--Kobe is probably the top man on the ballots!
467409
Truth is, there are about 8 players in NBA history who have a legitimate argument to be called the best (or most dominant) player of all time...\n\nThey are:\n\n1) Wilt Chamberlain\n2) Bill Russell\n3) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar\n4) Larry Bird\n5) Magic Johnson\n6) Oscar Robertson\n7) Michael Jordan\n8) Shaquille O'Neal\n\nTim Duncan probably comes the closest to matching the skill level of these guys, in terms of fundamentals...but Duncan does not have a claim to be called the best ever...\n\nWilt was really the most dominant player ever (on BOTH ends of the court), and his basketball skills far exceeded those of Shaquille O'Neal. Although Jordan's strong suit is his scoring, his scoring feats really pale in comparison with Wilt.\n\nRussell led his team to 11 NBA titles in his 13 year career. Were Jordan around back then, he'd be just another guy who lost to the Celtic machine.\n\nJordan and Shaq are the only players on the above list who had the luxury of playing against what amounts to 'high school' players. The level of competition and overall skill levels of todays players is not as good as during, for example, the 1980s. But players today are adjusting to the way the NBA wants the game played. Traveling is never called, nor is 'palming' the ball (probably no one under 25 today even knows what 'palming the ball' even means...)\n\nThe All Defensive teams were not selected until after the 1969 season, so Wilt only made that team 3 or 4 times, but would have made it more often had there been such a thing in the '60s. So the idea that Jordan is the greatest defender ever because of his All Defensive number of selections is not well-founded.\n\nIf anyone thinks that todays players are more highly skilled than players of the 60s 70s and 80s, we need only look as far as the U.S. recent international performances, or lack thereof. Teams from Europe are beating our NBA "All Star" teams on a regular basis the last few years, because they (the Europeans) are still playing the game the way the U.S. played it in the 60s and 70s, when the U.S. truly dominated the world in basketball. They have taken the way we taught them the game and are now using that style against us. The U.S. international teams have been pathetic during the 21st century.\n\nMcGrady is not even close to being the best player of all time... there's no argument that one can make to place him anywhere near the company of the guys on this list. Being able to dunk doesn't make you the greatest player of all time.  If you think T-Mac is one of the two greatest players ever, you obviously haven't watched very much basketball.
394551
It has to be Tim Duncan. He is a two time MVP, three time NBA Champion and NBA Finals MVP, and has been elected to the All NBA First team every season he has been in the league. Yet he is a very quiet and humble person who is just an all round fantastic person. He never complains, never takes his team mates for granted, and is a fantastic guy.
73708
my own opinion I would have to say (based on the win loss %) u would have to go with Lebron right now , but my best player hands down is Mac- T-Mac
593139
LeBron is the best. he is the future for the NBA. unlike all the other players that have been player for a long time. he is young and new to the NBA. he will get better and better as the years go by. He will always be #1 for the rest of his career!
187292
Dwayne Wade; he has not yet even entered his prime, and already he is putting up All-Star numbers. Of course having someone like Shaq helps; but nevertheless, he is still in my mind the best clutch player.
83059
Michael Jordan\n\nWilt Chamberlain\n\nOscar Robertson
1091946
Wow, that's tough. Personally, I feel that Kareem Abdul Jabbar is the greatest center NBA ever, but I'm sure many will argue the point. So, I'll typically try to rate the players by decade instead:\n\n'46 - '49 - George Mikan Mikan scored 11,764 points (22.6 ppg) in nine pro seasons, which was the best in league history when he retired. He led the league in scoring six times including a career-high 28.4 ppg in 1951. Mikan and the Lakers won 6 league championships (one NBL, one BAA and four NBA) during his playing d\n\n'50 - '59 - Mikan & Bill Russell\n\n'60 - '69 - Bill Russell & Wilt Chamberlain. Russell played for the Celtics from 1956 to 1969, winning the NBA championship every year except 1958 and 1967. In his first full season (1957-58), Russell became the first player in NBA history to average more than 20 rebounds per game for an entire season — a feat he accomplished 10 times in his 13 seasons. Russell earned five MVP awards.  \n\nChamberlain was magnificent, but won only one title inspite of his records and only one title in this time. But Chamberlain is the only player in NBA history to record a double-triple-double (meaning 20 points, 20 rebounds, 20 assists in one game). In 1968 against the Detroit Pistons, he logged 22 points, 25 rebounds and 21 assists. For basketball devotees, this may be his most jaw-dropping stat line, as it is the ultimate testimony of Wilt's versatility.  Chamberlain is also the only player in NBA history to record a quadruple double-double (meaning 40 points, and 40 rebounds or 40 assists in a single game). On December 8, 1961, when he scored a then-record 78 points against the Los Angeles Lakers, he also collected 43 rebounds. \n\n'70 - 79' - Kareem Abdul Jabbar. An NBA title in 71, Most Valuable Player (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977)\n\n'80 - '89 - Kareem Abdul Jabbar . FIVE NBA titles (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988) \n\n'90 - '99 - Hakeem Olajuwon 2 NBA titles(1994, '95) \n2 NBA Finals MVP (1994, '95) \n1 NBA MVP (1994) \n2 Defensive Player of Year (1993, '94) \n3x All-NBA First Team ('93, '94, '97) \n2x All-NBA Second Team ('90, '96) \n3x All-Defensive First Team ('90, '93, '94) \n\n'00 ~ today -  Shaquille O'Neal. Only player in NBA history to:\n\n- Average at least 20 points per game and 10 rebounds per game in a season for 13 consecutive seasons, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and Hakeem Olajuwon, all with 12 consecutive seasons. \n\n- Reach 4,700 points, 2,200 rebounds, 500 assists, 400 blocks, and 100 steals in his playoff career while shooting at least 55% from the field.\n\n3-time NBA Champion: 2000, 2001, 2002 \n\nBut for my money, none of these guys could shut down Jabbar....owner of the most unstoppable shot in the NBA history, the sky-hook.
422181
I say Jermaine O'Neal. Everybody overlooks him. He is a great shooter, even if he fouls a little to much. And Shawn Marion ROCKS. Thank you for not being a hater.
1173852
Kobe...but none is of greater skill than the great Michael Jordan.
220511
Michael Jordan is without a doubt the greatest athlete ever to play the game of basketball 32,292 points.\nI was blessed and had season tickets to the Bulls during everyone of the play offs, what a MAN!\nI have met him as well he is a very nice celebrity.
487058
Micheal jackson.lol!\n\nThe best white player of all time would have to be Mr. Larry Bird. The best player EVER would have to be Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan was the most dominant player the NBA had ever seen. Jordan has set the bar so high for players like, LeBron, Anthony, and Kobe that they might never be able to reach it.\n\nMichael Jordan was SO good that the whole NBA could be considered overrated talent compared to him. Jordan is what hype is compared to. IF you don't reach up to Jordan's level you could be percived as failure. I believe that if Lebron, KG or Wade never a championship during their career, they will be called "overrated."\n\nJordan is the greatest basketball talent to ever play the game.
172446
Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson all come to mind.  However, I think you can argue that the best player is one that not only scores points, but also does other things that make his team and teammates better.  Therefore, I think Oscar the big "O" Robertson deserves this honor.  He is the only player to average a triple-double in a single year.  He is one of the top scoring guards of all time, having put up 26,710 points in his career.  Oh, and he was a 12-time All Star.
1144429
obviously it's the shaq man. shaq should be in the top 5. kobe, arguably the most talented player on the planet.
550363
I can't believe nobody has mentioned Wilt Chamberlain or Kareem Abdul Jabbar.  Those guys could play . . but i'm going to have to go with Michael Jordan.  He dominated the sport, tried his hand at baseball THEN came back and dominated again!  Just think of the career stats he would've had if he played straight through . . wow.\n\nHonourable mention to Robertson, Chamberlain, Kareem, Magic, Russell . . .\n\n*ALSO - according to espn.com (they have a Top 10 Point Guards in History of NBA list) Robertson averaged a triple double during his first 5 seasons*
501529
There are a few players (not many) who were better than Jordan... Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and probably Oscar Robertson.\n\nAn earlier post pointed out that Jordan won six championships... big deal... Russell won 11 (in only a 13 year career, lost in the finals one year and the Eastern Finals another year).  Russell also won 5 MVP awards (while competing directly with Wilt, who won four), so Jordan's got nothing on him there...\n\nJordan's big strength was his ability to score...but he's way behind Jabbar's scoring totals, Jabbar also won six championships, and Jabbar also won SIX MVP awards, more than any player in history.\n\nChamberlain, of course, still holds a ton of records that MJ never even got to look at...100 pts in a game, a 50.4 ppg scoring average in a season (Wilt holds, I believe, the top 4 single season scoring averages in history, and is the only player to ever average 40 PPG, which he did twice, including his 50 ppg season, having averaged 44.8 ppg a season later.\n\nJordan's scoring average is 5/100ths of a point higher than Chamberlain's (Jordan is 30.11, Wilt is 30.06)... \n\n\n\nPeople talk about what a great team player Jordan was, but he took 1,040 more shots in his career than Chamberlain did, despite the fact that Jordan played 6,846 FEWER MINUTES (the equivalent of 142 FEWER 48 minute games)!!!\n\nYeah, KOBE'S a ball hog...\n\n(Jordan was not nearly as durable an athlete as Wilt, who averaged 45.8  minutes/game over his career, and is the only player to average MORE than 48 min/game during a season - because he sat out only 6 minutes the entire season, but played many more minutes of overtime. Gee, I wonder if Zydrunas Ilgauskas will ever match THAT...\n\nWilt was also the greatest rebounder of all time, with Russell right behind him.  There have been twenty four 40 rebound games in NBA history, Wilt had 14 such games, Russell 8... Jerry Lucas and Nate Thurmond had the other two. Wilt holds the record with 55 reboounds in a game (against Russell)...Russell himself grabbed 51 rebounds in one game...\n\nWilt was the only player who was able to completely dominate a game with his scoring, rebounding and defense, all at the same time...Jordan could only dominate offensively (which is certainly not a bad thing).\n\nJordan was a very good defender as well, but a guard really can't 'dominate' a game defensively the way a center can (not M.J.'s fault, just the nature of the game). When I say "dominate a game defensively", I'm talking about shutting down the middle and not letting anyone NEAR the hoop... that was Wilt...and Russell...and for a while, Kareem...\n\nUnless you want to have a three point contest, Wilt would dominate Jordan in every category, even passing, as Jordan never led the league in assists (Chamberlain is the only non-guard ever to lead the NBA in assists during a season).\n\nScoring is supposed to be Jordan's specialty... Chamberlain has been retired for 33 years, and STILL has more 60 point games than everyone else in the history of the NBA COMBINED.. Wilt had 32 sixty point games, compared to a whopping 4 for M.J. There have been ABOUT 57 60 pt games in history, not sure of the exact count...\n\nJordan's career scoring average is marginally higher than Wilt's because (1) Jordan shot a hell of a lot more and (2) Jordan made sure he "retired" (for good this time) just before his scoring average fell below Wilt's. Plus, M.J. could hit his free throws on those "rare" occasions that they put him at the line...  hee hee\n\nSo, the answer to "who is the best nba player of all time" is Wilt Chamberlain.