Over the past five decades the NBA has arguably the most recognizable star power in all of sports. The game has transcended into an absolute culture in American society and its leading contributors are the modern day icons that crossover in sports and entertainment. Comparing NBA players from different generations, while still difficult, at first glance appears to be much simpler than some other sports. A seven-footer decades ago could seemingly have success in today’s NBA even with the faster and more athletic players on the court. The most difficult part of compiling an all-time NBA team is the fact that there are simply five positions on the court. With so many historic players over the years, selecting the true cream of the crop can be a lot more challenging than at first thought. Heck, we could probably lay out the 1992 dream team from the olympic games and we’d be doing pretty well. Or even a Los Angeles Laker’s all-time team (you’ll see several of those names on this list). Even though there are some of the biggest name in the sport’s history missing, we feel pretty good about our group of stars.
The BetCrushers All-Time Team:
Center – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain
The only real decisions that need to be made at the center position revolve around which Los Angeles Lakers center you favor. For our money we’re going with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain. The center position seems to have a Top 7 if you want to throw in guys like Olajuwon, Shaq, David Robinson and Mr. Championship Rings, Bill Russell and then there’s a large drop off. But in that group of heavyweights Kareem and Wilt stand at the top. Let’s start with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. If it’s possible for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer to be underrated, he very well could be. Abdul-Jabbar rode his trademark skyhook shot to a record number of wins in the league. No matter what pieces surrounded him, and admittedly there were several good ones, he always was the centerpiece of the offense. As the NBA’s third all-time leader in both rebounds and blocked shots, he was always a presence on the defensive end as well. Wilt Chamberlain was a true game changer both on and off the court. The 7’1 center entered the league and was immediately a force that could not be stopped. Most basketball fans know that Wilt is the only player to score 100 points in a game, but when you consider he’s the only person to average over 40 and 50 points in a game, and the only player to average 30 points and 20 rebounds in a season it illustrates his dominance. Chamberlain was so dominant that the league actually had to change rules around the key to level the playing field for the rest of the league. It’s hard to imagine either of these guys being stopped no matter what era they played in.
Honorable Mention: Shaquille O’Neal, Bill Russell
Power Forward – Tim Duncan, Karl Malone
The power forward position was pretty easy for us to make our selections. Karl Malone was the marquee PF during the 1990’s while Tim Duncan held that title during the 2000’s. Their styles were different, and while Duncan experienced the great success of being a five-time NBA Champion with the Spurs, Malone unfortunately was never able to secure a ring. Tim Duncan is probably the least flashy superstar on this list, but his skills and consistency are second to no one. That’s evidenced by his fifteen straight NBA All-Star appearances. Karl Malone on the other hand used his size and strength to flat out bully opponents. His work in the paint and on the fast-break with teammate John Stockton has him sitting at number two on the all-time scoring list with 11 All-NBA First Teams on his resume. Their careers had a small crossover, but we like to think of it as passing the torch of dominance at the four position.
Honorable Mention: Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett
Small Forward – Lebron James, Larry Bird
Lebron James and Larry Bird were also relatively easy selections for us at the small forward position despite their clear differences. We still don’t understand why LBJ gets so much shade thrown his way so if anyone can clear that up that’d be great? King James entered the league as a true phenom and has lived up to all of that billing and then some. He’s a true physical specimen that has the speed, athleticism, strength and court awareness to play any of the five positions on the court. While he’s criticized for needing help to win his NBA titles, you can’t deny he’s also done some pretty spectacular things with less than stellar supporting casts. He most likely is already on the Mount Rushmore of basketball history, but it’s probable that how he finishes his career both in terms of statistics and winning will ultimately determine his overall place in the game’s history books. Larry Bird on the other hand was just a small-town boy with a passion to play the game at the highest level. Despite his non-threatening appearance, Larry Legend was one of the fiercest competitors the league has ever seen. His relentlessness on the court and surprising agility, combined with deadly clutch shooting made him a true legend in Boston and around the country. If not for a bad back slowing down the latter stages of his career, it’s possible Bird would be even more highly regarded than he already is. While you make think of Lebron when thinking of highlight reels at the small forward position, do yourself a favor if you haven’t watched Larry Bird’s and check it out, you will not be disappointed.
Honorable Mention: Elgin Baylor, Julius Erving
Shooting Guard – Michael Jordan, Jerry West
Alright, let the hate mail flow for all of the Kobe Bean Bryant fans out there. We’ll admit leaving Kobe off of this list was probably the toughest call for us to make. First things first, let’s take a look at what we do have at this position. For starters we have number 23 in the red and black, arguably the greatest player in the history of the game. We know about MJ’s titles, his legendary dunk contests, his clutch performances and his all-around greatness on both the offensive and defensive end of the court. But what’s amazing to consider is “what could have been” had Jordan not taken a literal swing at the sport of baseball, sacrificing a part of his physical prime. It’s very possible the title number as well as scoring and MVP categories all climb even higher. There’s been so much stated about Michael Jordan and there’s next to no argument on his place at the top of the pyramid that we’ll move on to the topic of debate here. If you’re a Laker fan, or over the age of 50 you may be ok with Jerry West taking the other spot on the team over Kobe Bryant. Otherwise you possibly have some beef with us here. If you haven’t checked out, let’s at least take a look at what “The Logo” did in his career. A 14 time All-Star, he was 12 times a member of the NBA’s all First or Second team. He was a 5 time all-defensive team player, and keep in mind this award wasn’t created until West was 32 years old. They say that great players rise to the occasion in big moments. West exemplified that averaging a record 46 points per game in a playoff series, and he also is the only player to be named NBA Finals MVP despite not winning the series. Jerry West was an iconic player who was way ahead of his time who changed the way the perimeter game was played in the NBA.
Honorable Mention: Kobe Bryant, Clyde Drexler
Point Guard – Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson
Call us old school, but as the role of the point guard evolved over the ages, we still want a true floor general leading our squad. If they can put the ball in the bucket that’s just icing on the cake. There are probably about 8 or 10 players spanning different generations that this group could be narrowed down to, but when it’s all said and done two truly iconic names take these roster spots. Enter “Magic” and the “Big-O”. Both of these players were multifaceted talents who could pass the ball anywhere on the court, dribble their way out of trouble and as a bonus, rebound and defend. If the opportunity presented itself, or it was needed, either could also get the ball in the basket. While the Lake Show teams had many talented players and a legendary coach, Magic Johnson was truly the engine that made that team go. You could make the argument that he was the greatest ever at setting his teammates up to succeed. With that team in that era, Magic was the perfect fit. As far as Oscar Robertson goes, anytime you’re known as Mr. Triple-Double, and average that for an entire season you’re doing something right. We see you Russ, but for our money we’re sticking with Robertson. An 11 time All-NBA selection and 12 time All-Star, he was actually voted one of the top athletes, not just basketball players, in American History by ESPN. In our humble opinion, these two are interchangeable pieces that stand above the others.
Honorable Mention: Isaiah Thomas, John Stockton
Some names you may have expected to find on this list that just missed the cut:
Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kevin Durant, David Robinson, Steph Curry, Allen Iverson, Chris Paul, Rick Barry, Elvin Hayes, Dwayne Wade, John Havlicek, George Mikan, Scottie Pippen, George Gervin, Gary Payton, Russell Westbrook.
The BetCrushers are dedicated to finding value in sports betting but we enjoy some good rankings and debate as much as anyone. Have a beef with our list? Fire us a message and let us know. @TheBetCrushers
