Top 25 All Time (Fox Sports)

[JohnMax]

25 Charles Barkley
Chuck was a logical paradox -- a "6-foot-6" power forward with a taste for McDonald's who actually stood just 6-foot-4 yet somehow gobbled up boards to the point that he earned the nickname "The Round Mound of Rebound."

24 Elgin Baylor
This list will tend to skew toward the modern era, because the level of competition you played against matters as well. But Baylor was so outstanding with the Lakers that it's impossible to hold his era against him.

23 Reggie Miller
One of the greatest shooters and scorers ever -- and a guy who's overrated thanks to a couple of high-profile playoff moments against the Knicks.

22 Kevin Durant
If Durant wins a ring (or, more likely, multiple rings), will people forgive him for helping to form one of the NBA's most egregious superteam? Yeah, probably. People love championships.

21 Dirk Nowitzki
If for no other reason than leading the Mavs to their title over LeBron's Heat, Dirk has to be in the top 25. His reign as the best-shooting big man of all-time solidifies his standing.

20 John Stockton
"Longevity without dominance or rings": the John Stockton story.

19 Karl Malone
The John Stockton story is also the Karl Malone story, conveniently enough. Bonus points to the Mailman for being one of the few NBA players to fix his free-throw shooting over his career.

18 Kevin Garnett
Perhaps the first surprising name on this list, KG checks off dominance (particularly on defense, where he might somehow be underrated these days) and championships.

17 Dwyane Wade
Old Wade is a player trying to f!ght against age and the rising tide of 3-point shooting in the league. Young Wade was one of the greatest scorers ever.

16 Scottie Pippen
A man who sacrificed glory for the sake of the team. No one outside of LeBron James can touch Pippen's versatility, and his defense was second-to-none.

15 Julius Erving
Dr. J made his reputation as a scorer and high-flyer, which is kind of a shame. He was a fantastic playmaker and all-around player as well. When you're that good around the rim, though, that's what people remember.

14 Jerry West
He's the Logo, after all.

13 David Robinson
Maybe the most underrated player in NBA history.

12 Kobe Bryant
Nothing I can say here will change your mind about where Kobe stands as an all-timer. Let's just move on.

11 Oscar Robertson
If Robinson is the most underrated player in basketball, Robertson is the most overlooked. You can point to the different pace of the game and all the context you want; the fact of the matter is the man averaged a triple-double in a season, which is absolutely ridiculous.

10 Hakeem Olajuwon
Olajuwon had kind of an odd career, peaking as an all-around player in his 30s. Prime Olajuwon was a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the floor. If he played today, he'd give LeBron a run for his money as the best player in the game.

9 Larry Bird
Inside the top 10, we're really splitting hairs. Bird is a bit lower in my book than he might be in others because of the injuries -- and because he didn't revolutionize the game the way Steph Curry is these days. Yes, I penalize Bird for not taking more 3s. Deal with it.

8 Wilt Chamberlain
As I briefly mentioned in ranking Elgin Baylor, your competition matters when we're talking about dominance. Wilt was undoubtedly one of the three most dominant players ever, but he played in a weaker era -- and he couldn't overcome his nemesis.

7 Bill Russell
I used to have Russell in my top three. I've recently had a bit of a "Come to Jesus" moment about the game in its early days, however, and I can no longer in good conscience have Russell ahead of the modern stars in the top six here. If you want to claim he's a top-three player, though, I'm down with that.

6 Magic Johnson
Had Magic not retired early, he'd be the second-best player ever.

5 Tim Duncan
Duncan defined one of basketball's most successful franchises for almost 20 years. From the moment he stepped into the NBA, he was one of its best players. And while most people won't a.ssociate Timmy with dominance, that's only because we're looking at the wrong end of the floor. He was the driving force behind some of the greatest defenses in history. In a game that's often decided by the sum of your errors, Duncan rarely made mistakes.

4 Shaquille O'Neal
I understand the arguments against Shaq being even a top-10 player. He took entire seasons off. He was rarely in shape after he won his first championships. And he poisoned locker rooms.

With the caveat that I never watched Wilt Chamberlain, however, Shaq was the single most dominant player I've seen. His ability to pulverize the opposition makes him one of the very, very best in my book.

3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The all-time leading scorer is famous for his longevity and all the records that came with a storied career. I'm just afraid we ignore Cap's dominance because of his 20 seasons in the league. He was the definition of unstoppable.

2 LeBron James
Leading the Cavs back from a 3-1 deficit cemented LeBron's status as the second-best player in NBA history. No one has ever come close to combining his dominance, versatility, and intelligence into one package. It seems absurd to say right now, but LeBron might end up making 10 straight Finals appearances. Hate on him if you want, but only one player can claim to be greater.

1 Michael Jordan
The GOAT.

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/gallery/ranking-the-25-greatest-players-in-nba-history-100716

[SouBeachTalents]

Reggie Miller :biggums:

And no Moses :biggums:

[Lebron23]

Kobe is being the consensus no.12th player of all time. Damn.

[JebronLames]

:roll: :roll: 12be

[Lebron23]

:roll: :roll: 12be

I thought Fox Sports would rank Kobe higher.

[JebronLames]

I thought Fox Sports would rank Kobe higher.
Looks like you were right about LeBron > KAJ

[Lebron23]

Looks like you were right about LeBron > KAJ

:cheers: :applause: :cheers:

[Smoke117]

Reggie Miller at 23...holy ****ing shit...I don't even need to read anything else...this list pretty much ended at that ****ing absurd notion...

https://usatthebiglead.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/brendan_fraser_laugh.gif

If this was a top 100 list and I saw Reggie anywhere above 80 (going down) I'd laugh my ass off...that some stupid **** thinks he's the 23rd greatest basketball player ever basically? Jesus ****ing christ...wow.

[Bankaii]

I don't put too much stock into these lists but Kobe's 12th for the 3rd time:oldlol:
Aside from saying Lebron>Kareem and using longevity that harshly against Magic, the top 10 isn't that bad looking.
It seems their ranking them as players, not necessarily by accolades, in which Lebron does have a strong argument for 2nd.

[LongLiveTheKing]

12be lives on :lol

[houston]

No Isiah Thomas??? Chris Paul??? Frazier??? Hondo??? Moses ?? lol


:roll: @ Miller and Pippen on this list. Kidd have a better case than Pippen and Miller IMO.

[zeerghit]

No Isiah Thomas??? Chris Paul??? Frazier??? Hondo??? Moses ?? lol


:roll: @ Miller and Pippen on this list. Kidd have a better case than Pippen and Miller IMO.

really? how??

[FreezingTsmoove]

Lebron against the Spurs in the playoffs 5 wins in 16 tries

Kobe against the Spurs in the playoffs 17 wins in 30 tries

:sleeping

Lets face it they are both the only elite competition in this weak era aside from the Big 3 Celtics and the Warriors

Lebron against the Warriors 6 wins in 13 tries

Kobe against the Celtics 6 wins in 13 tries

Lebron also stole 2 of Kobes MVPS (09 and 10)

Derrick Rose and Steph Curry stole 3 of Lebrons MVPS

Lebron should have right now 3 Rings 3 FMVP and 5 MVPs

Kobe should have had 5 Rings 2 FMVP and 3 MVPs



That is why I have Kobe in my top 5

Actually everyone in my top 5 has 5 rings. If Lebron Really is top 5 all time he should have 5 rings like Jordan Kareem Magic and Bill Russell who MANY people have in their top 5

If Lebron wants to sit at the big boy table he should get to 5 rings like everyone else

Shit even Shaq has 4. Whats the damn argument over Shaq? Does Lebron even have an argument against Shaq for being higher in the all time lists?

I mean he doesnt even have a winning record against Tim Duncan who you have as a top 5 GOAT.

[SpaceJam]

Like others, stopped reading at Reggie #23 All Time

[Bankaii]

Lebron against the Spurs in the playoffs 5 wins in 16 tries

Kobe against the Spurs in the playoffs 17 wins in 30 tries

:sleeping

Lets face it they are both the only elite competition in this weak era aside from the Big 3 Celtics and the Warriors

Lebron against the Warriors 6 wins in 13 tries

Kobe against the Celtics 6 wins in 13 tries

Lebron also stole 2 of Kobes MVPS (09 and 10)

Derrick Rose and Steph Curry stole 3 of Lebrons MVPS

Lebron should have right now 3 Rings 3 FMVP and 5 MVPs

Kobe should have had 5 Rings 2 FMVP and 3 MVPs



That is why I have Kobe in my top 5

Actually everyone in my top 5 has 5 rings. If Lebron Really is top 5 all time he should have 5 rings like Jordan Kareem Magic and Bill Russell who MANY people have in their top 5

If Lebron wants to sit at the big boy table he should get to 5 rings like everyone else

Shit even Shaq has 4. Whats the damn argument over Shaq? Does Lebron even have an argument against Shaq for being higher in the all time lists?

I mean he doesnt even have a winning record against Tim Duncan who you have as a top 5 GOAT.

really shit post.

[AintNoSunshine]

I laugh my azz off every time when I imagine how mad Kobetards are when YET another ranking has Kobe 10 fking spots lower than the King. :oldlol: :oldlol:

[GrapeApe]

He ranks Reggie Miller 23rd and then proceeds to call him overrated? The guy has to be trolling. There's no way to be unintentionally that ironic.

[FreezingTsmoove]

I laugh my azz off every time when I imagine how mad Kobetards are when YET another ranking has Kobe 10 fking spots lower than the King. :oldlol: :oldlol:

Plus a lot of all time NBA greats have Kobe higher than Lebron right now.

But I should put more stock into ISH posts than NBA Hall of Famers :sleeping

[AintNoSunshine]

Plus a lot of all time NBA greats have Kobe higher than Lebron right now.

But I should put more stock into ISH posts than NBA Hall of Famers :sleeping

Stop making sht up and come out of denial.

[FKAri]

I would take Reggie over Moses too if I was a fkcing idiot

[HenryGarfunkle]

They even addressed the reactions of delusional Kobe stans in their reasoning for his ranking.

:oldlol:

Subtle but effective kill-shot.

https://media.giphy.com/media/DYP4xxxeytFBK/giphy.gif

[rmt]

I spat out my tea when I saw Lebron at #2 :roll:

[Hoopz2332]

12be lives on :lol


http://i.imgur.com/zd2wZjt.gif

[Overdrive]

It seems their ranking them as players, not necessarily by accolades, in which Lebron does have a strong argument for 2nd.

What does this even mean? Ranked by skillset? Stats? I don't think has a case over Jabbar, when it comes to skills. Look how he struggled agains the Warriors in the first few games, traveling offensive fouling etc. What he's lacking is to create a surefire shot, when defensive tightens in the lane and plays off of him on the perimeter. This also kills his best trait. His passing out of the drive.

I've never seen a player that good - don't get me wrong, I think he's (accolades aside) easily one of the 10 best players ever - struggle that had to create looks he's comfortable with.

And before you throw in Kobe: I think he just struggled as much troughout his career with tight defense on him. He just made it look fancier, when he did.

btw the comment about Kobe is a giveaway about some personal bias.
Kobe's cockiness, unwillingness to let go and greedyness made him even more unlikeable for quite a bunch of people the last few years.

If Lebron wants to cement his status he should stop before it gets ugly.

Shaq is too high, David Robinson and Reggie Miller, too. The Admiral is in the low top 20 high top 30 imo.

[JT123]

Looks like Kobe being 12th is no longer consensus, but absolute FACT. :(

The 3 most respected media outlets ALL have him at number 12, so we Kobe fans can't blame any personal bias anymore. Such a waste of a career. All those skills and couldn't do shit with them.

[JT123]

I don't think has a case over Jabbar, when it comes to skills.
:biggums: :facepalm

[LAZERUSS]

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/gallery/ranking-the-25-greatest-players-in-nba-history-100716


If everything else is equal, dominance matters to me above everything else. It's not enough to have reached your peak for just a season or two, but a decent stretch of destroying the competition means more to me than maintaining an elite level of play that never quite reached that next stratosphere. In that same vein, versatility is the second-most important quality for an all-timer. If you were able to do it all, you'll rank higher on this list.

Then comes longevity, which is absolutely important. In fact, being able to put together an extended run of dominance trumps everything else. Next comes defense, because it wins championships. Coincidentally enough, rings fall in line behind defense. Titles matter, of course, but I won't hold it against a player if he came up short of a championship -- not too much, anyway. Winning a ring is difficult and takes a team effort.


With the caveat that I never watched Wilt Chamberlain, however, Shaq was the single most dominant player I've seen. His ability to pulverize the opposition makes him one of the very, very best in my book


This list will tend to skew toward the modern era, because the level of competition you played against matters as well. But Baylor was so outstanding with the Lakers that it's impossible to hold his era against him.

Then...


As I briefly mentioned in ranking Elgin Baylor, your competition matters when we're talking about dominance. Wilt was undoubtedly one of the three most dominant players ever, but he played in a weaker era -- and he couldn't overcome his nemesis.


Interesting...

So, Wilt was "undoubtedly one of the three most dominant players, but he played in a weaker era."

And yet, this clown has Kareem at #3. The same Kareem that played four years IN the Wilt era, and never approached Wilt's dominance. Hell, he was outplayed by an old Chamberlain in both their '71 and '72 WCF's. Kareem also faced several of the same centers that a prime Wilt had faced, and was nowhere near as dominant against them that a prime Chamberlain was.

And "competition matters?"

So, battling HOFers Clyde Lovellette, Wes Unseld, Dave Cowens, Elvin Hates, Bob McAdoo, Bob Lanier, Willis Reed, Walt Bellamy, Nate Thurmond, #7 Bill Russell, Artis Gilmore, and #3 Kareem ...and most often outplaying them all...wasn't "competition?"

As for "he couldn't overcome his nemesis"... averaging 29 ppg and 29 rpg EVERY time he stepped on the floor against his "nemesis" in the 143 career matchups...and massively outscoring him, massively outrebounding him, and massively outshooting him in the process....that's not "overcoming his nemesis?"

Versatility?

How about leading the league in scoring seven times; leading the league in rebounding eleven times; leading the league in FG% nine times; even leading the league in assists once; being voted first team all-defense in two of the four seasons in which that category was awarded; as well as undoubtedly being the greatest shot-blocker in NBA history...is not "versatile?"

And one more time..."Dominance." I guess holding HUNDREDS (actually, THOUSANDS) of NBA RECORDS,...including MANY in the POST-SEASON...all while destroying his peers in EVERY one of his 14 career seasons...is not considered "dominance."

Yep... it all makes sense now.

BTW, this moron is now considered the voice of the entire Fox organization now?

Truly laughable.

[Mr Feeny]

Kobe at 12th yet AGAIN :roll: :roll:

Glad mainstream media have come around to the realisation that Lebron is better than kareem. The gap is only going to get wider from here-on out.

[Mr Feeny]

So to sum up:

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, ESPN, and Fox have lebron as 5th, 3rd, and 2nd best on the goat lost ALREADY at the age of 31 and he's only going to move up.

Remarkable:wtf:

[Harison]

WTF list :lol

Lebron 2nd, while Wilt, Russell and Bird are way too low. What is Wade/Pippen doing at 16/17, and Miller at 23? Even Baylor and Barkley are lower :lol

[Psileas]

So, a guy put 25 all-time greats at a practically random order and he's gonna get paid for this? :facepalm

[swagga]

damn, kobe a full 10 places behind lebron, niggga retired too .. brutal year for the kobe fam tbh :lol

[Hoopz2332]

damn, kobe a full 10 places behind lebron, niggga retired too .. brutal year for the kobe fam tbh :lol


:oldlol:

[Kenomax]

Mr Overrated 12be! Time to face the facts
:hammertime: :hammertime: :hammertime:

Rank is pretty well, instead of Reggie and few guys being a little too low (Dirk,Barkley) or too high (Pippen,Wade).

[Kblaze8855]

Reggie Miller wasnt even getting votes to be over Chris Webber when he was in the room on NBA open court. And he later said himself that he doesnt belong in this company when someone gave him a sympathy mention. But hes better than Moses Malone now....

I suspect this guy just forgot a lot of people existed.

[ArbitraryWater]

One of the worst Network lists Ive ever seen, but its still funny to see 12Be live on :lol

[ArbitraryWater]

What does this even mean? Ranked by skillset? Stats? I don't think has a case over Jabbar, when it comes to skills. Look how he struggled agains the Warriors in the first few games, traveling offensive fouling etc. What he's lacking is to create a surefire shot, when defensive tightens in the lane and plays off of him on the perimeter. This also kills his best trait. His passing out of the drive.


Right, we've seen how much this hurts him in the playoffs and finals.... :lol

But keep on saying it if it makes you feel better.

[Hey Yo]

The author's criteria is below which most of you prob. didn't read.

"If everything else is equal, dominance matters to me above everything else. It's not enough to have reached your peak for just a season or two, but a decent stretch of destroying the competition means more to me than maintaining an elite level of play that never quite reached that next stratosphere. In that same vein, versatility is the second-most important quality for an all-timer. If you were able to do it all, you'll rank higher on this list.

Then comes longevity, which is absolutely important. In fact, being able to put together an extended run of dominance trumps everything else. Next comes defense, because it wins championships. Coincidentally enough, rings fall in line behind defense. Titles matter, of course, but I won't hold it against a player if he came up short of a championship -- not too much, anyway. Winning a ring is difficult and takes a team effort. Last but not least is 3-point shooting. The league is just now realizing how important spacing the floor is, but that doesn't mean 3s are more valuable now than they were 30 years ago.

[Kblaze8855]

Dominance, versatility, and longevity....then Reggie Miller over a 3 time MVP, who was a 30ppg player and an all time elite rebounder, who was an all star at 19 and still a 19/10 player in his 16th of 20 seasons....who won a ring in dominating fashion...and was a better defender...

He either forgot Moses existed or actually ranks 3 point shooting first. Which is likely not the case considering the lack of Ray Allen. I think....he just doesnt know many all time greats.

[warriorfan]

Fox Sports does not know shit about ball

[Mr Feeny]

Folks let's recap all media and boards that have Kobrick 13th or 12th :

Fox : 12th
ESPN : 12th
SI : 12th
Realgm : 13th
InsideHoops.com : 12th

That's a consensus if I've ever seen one :roll:

[Bosnian Sajo]

It's just funny to me how 1 title can make a borderline top 10 player become the 2nd best of all time :lol



So if Lebron didn't win the title this year, most would be ranking him anywhere from 10-14.

[Lebron23]

It's just funny to me how 1 title can make a borderline top 10 player become the 2nd best of all time :lol



So if Lebron didn't win the title this year, most would be ranking him anywhere from 10-14.


It's his most important title.

Beating a 73 teams without an home court advantage
Came back from a 3-1 deficit.
Winning a title for Cleveland.

[SouBeachTalents]

It's just funny to me how 1 title can make a borderline top 10 player become the 2nd best of all time :lol



So if Lebron didn't win the title this year, most would be ranking him anywhere from 10-14.

4 MVP's & 3 FMVP's, borderline top 10 player though :oldlol:

[Bosnian Sajo]

That's cool, online Lebron fans will say top 3 all time, but in person EVERYONE agrees that Kobe > Lebron.


I'll let yall live in your fairyland, people here in FLORIDA (where Bron won 2/3 of his titles mind you) majority agrees that beans > bronze.

[warriorfan]

It's his most important title.

Beating a 73 teams without an home court advantage*
Came back from a 3-1 deficit.*
Winning a title for Cleveland.*
*Adam Silver

[k0kakw0rld]

Wade? 17? WHAT :biggums: :oldlol:

[k0kakw0rld]

Kobe at 12th yet AGAIN :roll: :roll:

Glad mainstream media have come around to the realisation that Lebron is better than kareem. The gap is only going to get wider from here-on out.
Hey slow down there buddy. He is not touching Kareem yet, let's not fool ourselves.

Kareem is GOAT.

[SouBeachTalents]

That's cool, online Lebron fans will say top 3 all time, but in person EVERYONE agrees that Kobe > Lebron.


I'll let yall live in your fairyland, people here in FLORIDA (where Bron won 2/3 of his titles mind you) majority agrees that beans > bronze.

Funny how all these lists have LeBron several spots higher than Kobe. But continue to think 1 MVP/2 FMVP's & inferior stats > 4 MVP's/3 FMVP's & superior stats

[Bosnian Sajo]

Funny how all these lists have LeBron several spots higher than Kobe. But continue to think 1 MVP/2 FMVP's & inferior stats > 4 MVP's/3 FMVP's & superior stats


Ok random guy on a trolling, dying forum :cheers: I'll take your word on it.

[ArbitraryWater]

Ok random guy on a trolling, dying forum :cheers: I'll take your word on it.

One day you'll get out of this Kobe loving stage, grow up, and will stop caring about one person in question because he was your childhood heroe.. THEN you will be at peace with yourself and be able to make a solid call on the matter :cheers:

[Mr Feeny]

That's cool, online Lebron fans will say top 3 all time, but in person EVERYONE agrees that Kobe > Lebron.


I'll let yall live in your fairyland, people here in FLORIDA (where Bron won 2/3 of his titles mind you) majority agrees that beans > bronze.

In person, everyone says lebron is top 2 and Kobe is out of the top 20.
See how easy that was?

[GrapeApe]

That's cool, online Lebron fans will say top 3 all time, but in person EVERYONE agrees that Kobe > Lebron.


I'll let yall live in your fairyland, people here in FLORIDA (where Bron won 2/3 of his titles mind you) majority agrees that beans > bronze.

In person? Who exactly are these people you speak of? The overwhelming consensus is that Lebron > Kobe. It's not even an argument at this point. Hell, a number of Kobe stans have even conceded that Lebron is better. It doesn't matter who you ask. Fans, writers, analysts, players, former players, coaches. Nearly everyone agrees that Lebron ranks above Kobe all-time.

[Bankaii]

What does this even mean? Ranked by skillset? Stats? I don't think has a case over Jabbar, when it comes to skills. Look how he struggled agains the Warriors in the first few games, traveling offensive fouling etc. What he's lacking is to create a surefire shot, when defensive tightens in the lane and plays off of him on the perimeter. This also kills his best trait. His passing out of the drive.

I've never seen a player that good - don't get me wrong, I think he's (accolades aside) easily one of the 10 best players ever - struggle that had to create looks he's comfortable with.

And before you throw in Kobe: I think he just struggled as much troughout his career with tight defense on him. He just made it look fancier, when he did.

btw the comment about Kobe is a giveaway about some personal bias.
Kobe's cockiness, unwillingness to let go and greedyness made him even more unlikeable for quite a bunch of people the last few years.

If Lebron wants to cement his status he should stop before it gets ugly.

Shaq is too high, David Robinson and Reggie Miller, too. The Admiral is in the low top 20 high top 30 imo.
If you take Lebron's best years and compare them to Kareem's you can definitely make an argument. What has Kareem accomplished without the 2 best PGs of all time? Dude missed the playoffs in his freaking prime ffs.

As individual players on basketball talent alone, you can for sure make arguments for Lebron at 2 and Shaq at 4.

Lebron hasn't had a jumper the past 2 years and has still managed to be a top scorer on phenomenal efficiency. Dude basically lives in the paint because of his ability to create for himself. What are you even talking about?

[pauk]

Reggie! :lol :bowdown:

[LostCause]

Smh, not even gonna get into specifics but this list is shit

[Hoopz2332]

That's cool, online Lebron fans will say top 3 all time, but in person EVERYONE agrees that Kobe > Lebron.


I'll let yall live in your fairyland, people here in FLORIDA (where Bron won 2/3 of his titles mind you) majority agrees that beans > bronze.


https://media.giphy.com/media/Q5kKwofYQaVc4/giphy.gif

[jlip]

So, a guy put 25 all-time greats at a practically random order and he's gonna get paid for this? :facepalm


The author is basically an ISH troll who works for a network.

[GrapeApe]

Wade? 17? WHAT :biggums: :oldlol:

Wade at 17 isn't outlandish at all. He's generally in the 20-ish range. On the other hand, Reggie Miller at 23 and Moses Malone being omitted entirely is laughable.

[Dray n Klay]

Wade? 17? WHAT :biggums: :oldlol:

Exactly :oldlol:


Had to reread the list once I saw Wade, needed to confirm that it wasn't just the All-Time SG's list :oldlol: :banana: