All the Time Great NBA Players Currently Active

There is a never-ending debate for the best players of all time in any sports. With different generations setting their own standards and competition levels changing with each era, it is a difficult argument to come up with the best players of all time.

Leaving that debate behind, we can argue about the current NBA generation, which can be known as the fantasy basketball generation with more and more people paying attention to the game for that reason. Now matter what you want to call the current basketball generation, here is an argument for the top five active players from an all-time basketball angle.

1. Shaquille O'Neal: This one is an easy call for now. Shaq is unquestionably the most dominant center of our time, going to the NBA Championship with three different teams. Among active players, he is currently third in points per game, second in rebounds per game and third in blocks per game. He is also first in win shares by a wide margin, and his economic and international impact on the game adds an intangible value to the argument. At the end of Shaq's career, he will be able to make an argument as one of the best centers of all time, if not one of the best basketball players of all time. Plus, who didn't love Kazaam?
2. Tim Duncan: Duncan is currently ninth in points per game, first in rebounds per game and fourth in blocks per game. He hasn't slowed down very much, and he remains one of the winning players in the league. He already has a few NBA Championships on his resume with the Spurs, and with the way that team continues to play, he may not be finished yet. Add his two MVP Awards, and there may not be a better all-around player in the NBA.
3. Kobe Bryant: Kobe is still very young, which makes his rank as fourth in points per game most impressive. He already has his NBA Championships, but it will add to his legacy if he is able to bring the Lakers to the promised land without Shaq. He has one MVP Award and could have many more to come. The Lakers got close last season and have started this season as a frontrunner for the NBA Title. He has a long way to go in the game and could eventually be considered the best player on the list.
4. Allen Iverson: This pick could be considered controversial, but we can't overlook the fact that Iverson is currently first in points per game and first in steals per game. He also has an MVP Award. On the other hand, he has been with a merry-go-round of different teams recently and has never won an NBA Championship like the names above. He has caused some on the off-the-court controversies himself, but he is not the only one on the list to do so. Among small squaring guards, you will have a tough time coming up with many better players.
5. Kevin Garnett: Garnett finally has his NBA Championship. He also ranks third in rebounds per game and 12th in points per game among active players, and it's worth keeping in mind that he has had some very bad players around him in the past. Garnett has won an MVP Award and still has plenty of good years left to add to his career totals.

There are plenty of other players currently in the NBA who can stake a claim on the all-time greats list such as Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzski, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Marcus Camby and others. The case can be made for so many players, which is why the subject makes for such a fun argument.

fantasy basketball
Fantasy basketball