Top 10 NBA Players of All Time

Time has changed every sport and so it has changed basketball. Making a list of the top 10 NBA players of all time is tough to determine as the game has changed drastically over time and performances of players have changed due to the new rules which come out every now and then. The players that have been mentioned in the list have proved their worth and excellence both on and off field.

Top 10 NBA Players

Let's start from the start, who has been the most iconic player in basketball history? This game is filled with players who have scored points but this list mentions players who have maintained their dignity and their sporting spirit even outside the game.

Michael Jordan: This name had to feature in my list of top 10 NBA players, forget Magic, Kobe and Lebron. Michael Jordan was the most amazing player in the history of basketball. Every time Jordan came to the field he defied gravity with his trademark Nike Airs basketball shoes. He was one of the most decorated and celebrated player in the history of his game. He was a player of Chicago Bulls and they were not a good team. There were many great players like Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman in the team but Michael put the Chicago Bulls on the map. He won six NBA championships, 32,292 points, 5 MVP titles and a room full of awards and titles.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Kareem Abdul Jabbar was the highest scoring player in NBA history with 38,387 points. Jabbar stood 7'2'' tall and along with Magic Johnson he dominated the 80's era. He is best remembered for his signature skyhook shot that had his competitors confused for a long time. Not as dynamic as Johnson, Jabbar made his dominance presence felt in every game that he played. He retired with 6 NBA championships and 6 NBA MVP titles.

Wilt Chamberlain: Chamberlain popularly known as "Stilt" on the court has won two NBA titles in his long basketball career. But that doesn't make his contributions any less in this game. Stilt is the only player to score 100 points in a single game and is one of two players to grab more than 50 rebounds in a single game. Chamberlain also enjoys the honor of being the only player to score more than 4000 points in a single season. He retired gracefully with over 31,000 points and nearly 24,000 rebounds. In his prime Wilt the Stilt was one of the most dominant forces in the history of basketball.

Magic Johnson: Magic Johnson had to be featured in this list. Known by his teammates as the creative passer, Johnson was one of the most unselfish players in the game and inspired every one of his teammates to perform better. He held 5 NBA titles and was also rewarded 3 NBA finals MVP rewards.

Bill Russell: Bill Russell played basketball only for 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association, but he scored 11 championships. Russell has won more championships than any other player in this game, only Henri Richards of the Montreal Canadians has won as many titles as Russell. Though great Bill scored over 14,000 points during his career, he is more popular for his defensive skills than his offensive play. He was also an incredible rebounder. He finished his basketball career with over 21,000 points and shares the title with Stilt for playing more than 50 rebounds in a single game.

Oscar Robertson: Robertson was given a $33,000 signing bonus when he entered the world of basketball with Cincinnati Royals in the 1960-61 game. He proved that he was worth every penny that the Royals had paid for him. He had a season average of 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 9.7 assists he doubled in his debut season. Despite his heroic skills Robertson only won 1 NBA title in his career, but he will always be remembered as one of the greatest basketball players.

Larry Bird: A furious player, Bird had one of the sweetest strokes in the history of this game. Larry Bird was a delight to watch, he started his career with Boston Celtics and was part of one the greatest rivalries in the history of basketball. His Celtics and Johnson's, Lakers were always on cut throat competition which created millions of fans and many memorable moments in basketball. He led Celtics to 3 NBA titles in the 80's and won the honor of the MVP finals.

Julius Erving: Erving populalry known as Dr. J in basketball was considered as one of the most athletic and dynamic player of his era. He is fondly remembered for his incredible dunking ability which gave him the name of Doctor. He has scored 30,026 points and was 5th in the NBA scoring. He was awarded 4 MVP awards and 3 championships, one of the most respectable players in the game. Dr. J easily earns a spot in this list.

Shaquille O'Neal: Known as the Diesel, O'Neal is one of the dominant players to ever step foot in the court. He is always panned by critics as the worst free throw shooters in this history of this game. Despite so much Shaq made it to the list for one simple reason. His height 7'1'' and weight which was over 300 pounds, Shaq is unstoppable in basketball. Before age and many injuries slowed Shaq down defenders used to just watch Shaq take the ball and score every time. He won 4 NBA titles and scored over 25 points each game and this big guy makes his place in my list.

Kobe Bryant: Shaq and Kobe never saw eye to eye, but both were players that brought the Los Angeles Lakers success and many titles. Kobe and Shaq were compared to each other in almost every move in the game. Kobe's speed and agility were the perfect partnership to Shaq's inside game. Kobe Bryant was born to be a star and he proved his worth by getting a spot in the big club just after graduation. He holds the record of being the youngest player to score 10,000 career points and also the youngest to score 20,000 points. He holds two MVP titles and has won 3 championships for his team and he also scored 81 points in a single game against the Raptors which is considered the second best in NBA history.

Top 10 NBA players of the Decade
After listing such great names in basketball it's time to list the new guys who have amazing talents and are here to raise the standards of the game.

1. Kobe Bryant: Los Angeles Lakers (2000-2009)
2. Tim Duncan: San Antonio Spurs (2000-2009)
3. Shaquille O'Neal: Los Angeles Lakers (2000-2004), Miami Heat (2004 -2008), Phoenix Suns (2008-2009), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009)
4. LeBron James: Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-2009)
5. Allen Iverson: Philadelphia 76ers (2000-2006, 2009), Denver Nuggets (2006-2008), Detroit Pistons (2008), Memphis Grizzlies (2009)
6. Steve Nash: Dallas Mavericks (2000-2004), Phoenix Suns (2004-2009)
7. Kevin Garnett: Minnesota Timberwolves (2000-2007), Boston Celtics (2007-2009)
8. Dwyane Wade: Miami Heat (2003-2009)
9. Dirk Nowitzki: Dallas Mavericks (2000-2009)
10. Jason Kidd: Phoenix Suns (2000-2001), New Jersey Nets (2001-2008), Dallas Mavericks (2008-2009)

Top 10 NBA Players by Position
Do you have any idea about who are the top players by basketball positions, let's have a look:

Top 10 Point Guards

1. Luke Ridnour
2. Raymond Felton
3. Will Bynum(R)
4. Jordan Farmer(R)
5. Nate Robinson
6. Kyle Lowry(R)
7. Jason Williams
8. Earl Watson
9. Steve Blake
10. C.J. Watson(R)

Top 10 Shooting Guards

1. Dwyane Wade
2. Joe Johnson
3. John Salmons
4. Randy Foye
5. Wesley Matthews(R)
6. J.J. Redick(R)
7. Ronnie Brewer(R)
8. Larry Hughes
9. Anthony Morrow(R)
10. Kyle Korver

Top 10 Small Forwards

1. LeBron James
2. Rudy Gay(R)
3. Josh Howard
4. Tracy McGrady
5. Rasual Butler
6. Quentin Richardson
7. Mike Miller
8. Travis Outlaw
9. Dorell Wright
10. Rodney Carney

Top 10 Power Forwards

1. Chris Bosh
2. Dirk Nowitzki
3. Carlos Boozer
4. Amar'e Stoudemire
5. Luis Scola(R)
6. Drew Gooden
7. Udonis Haslem
8. Craig Smith
9. Al Harrington
10. Tyrus Thomas(R)

Top 10 Centers

1. Shaquille O'Neal
2. Brendan Haywood
3. Jermaine O'Neal
4. Brad Miller
5. Kyrylo Fesenko(R)
6. Darko Milicic
7. Kwame Brown
8. Primoz Brezec
9. Josh Boone(R)
10. Hilton Armstrong(R)

Well I should stop writing now, because I can go on and on about the game of basketball but it wouldn't be enough. I hope you liked reading this article on top 10 NBA players of all time, if you think that I have missed out on some names in this list please leave your comments in the comment box.