ESPN “Experts” Rank the Top 74 Players in NBA History

Spoiler

ESPN, greatest players ever (January 2016)

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/nbarankalltime/greatest-players-ever

100. Shawn Kemp
99. Kevin Love
98. Gail Goodrich
97. James Harden
96. Bobby Jones
95. Marc Gasol
94. Mark Price
93. Lenny Wilkens
92. Nate Thurmond
91. Maurice Cheeks
90. Paul Arizin
89. Yao Ming
88. Billy Cunningham
87. Chauncey Billups
86. Chris Bosh
85. Dave DeBusschere
84. Dennis Johnson
83. Chris Mullin
82. David Thompson
81. Sidney Moncrief
80. Grant Hill
79. Jerry Lucas
78. Sam Jones
77. Joe Dumars
76. Nate Archibald
75. Blake Griffin
74. Dolph Schayes
73. Dikembe Mutombo
72. Adrian Dantley
71. Pete Maravich
70. Artis Gilmore
69. Vince Carter
68. Bob Lanier
67. Dwight Howard
66. Chris Webber
65. Alonzo Mourning
64. Dennis Rodman
63. Tracy McGrady
62. Alex English
61. Manu Ginobili
60. Earl Monroe
59. Carmelo Anthony
58. Tony Parker
57. Robert Parish
56. Pau Gasol
55. Dave Cowens
54. Bernard King
53. Wes Unseld
52. Bob McAdoo
51. Reggie Miller
50. Ray Allen
49. Russell Westbrook
48. Willis Reed
47. George Gervin
46. Allen Iverson
45. Paul Pierce
44. Dominique Wilkins
43. James Worthy
42. Bill Walton
41. Gary Payton
40. Elvin Hayes
39. Bob Cousy
38. Walt Frazier
37. Rick Barry
36. Clyde Drexler
35. Jason Kidd
34. Bob Pettit
33. George Mikan
32. Patrick Ewing
31. Kevin McHale
30. Steve Nash
29. Chris Paul
28. John Havlicek
27. Dwyane Wade
26. Isiah Thomas
25. Scottie Pippen
24. Elgin Baylor
23. Stephen Curry
22. Kevin Durant
21. Kevin Garnett
20. David Robinson
19. John Stockton
18. Charles Barkley
17. Dirk Nowitzki
16. Karl Malone
15. Moses Malone
14. Julius Erving
13. Jerry West
12. Kobe Bryant
11. Oscar Robertson
10. Hakeem Olajuwon
9. Shaquille O'Neal
8. Tim Duncan
7. Bill Russell
6. Larry Bird
5. Wilt Chamberlain
4. Magic Johnson
3. LeBron James
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
1. Michael Jordan

 

Spoiler

2020 (2016 rank; how many spots risen/dropped)
74. Artis Gilmore(70; -4)
73. Dikembe Mutombo(73; -)
72. Damian Lillard(NR)
71. Bob Lanier(68; -3)
70. Tony Parker(58; -12)
69. Bernard King(54; -15)
68. Pete Maravich(71; +3)
67. Alex English(62; -5)
66. Dave Cowens(55; -11)
65. Pau Gasol(56; -9)
64. Earl Monroe(60; -4)
63. Alonzo Mourning(65; +2)
62. Dennis Rodman(64; +2)
61. Robert Parish(57; -4)
60. Willis Reed(48; -12)
59. Bob McAdoo(52; -7)
58. Manu Ginobili(61; +3)
57. Clyde Drexler(36; -21)
56. Ray Allen(50; -6)
55. Vince Carter(69; +14)
54. Paul Pierce(45; -9)
53. Gary Payton(41; -12)
52. Tracy McGrady(63; +11)
51. James Worthy(43; -8)
50. Wes Unseld(53; +3)
49. Reggie Miller(51; +2)
48. Bill Walton(42; -6)
47. George Gervin(47; -)
46. Dominique Wilkins(44; -2)
45. Anthony Davis(NR)
44. Elvin Hayes(40; -4)
43. Rick Barry(37; -6)
42. Russell Westbrook(49; +7)
41. Bob Cousy(39; -2)
40. Chris Paul(29; -11)
39. Walt Frazier(38; -1)
38. Bob Pettit(34; -4)
37. Patrick Ewing(32; -5)
36. Kevin McHale(31; -5)
35. Jason Kidd(35; -)
34. George Mikan(33; -1)
33. John Havlicek(28; -5)
32. James Harden(97; +65)
31. Isiah Thomas(26; -5)
30. Steve Nash(30; -)
29. Allen Iverson(46; +17)
28. John Stockton(19; -9)
27. Giannis Antetokounmpo(NR)
26. Dwyane Wade(27; +1)
25. Kawhi Leonard(NR)
24. David Robinson(20; -4)
23. Charles Barkley(18; -5)
22. Elgin Baylor(24; +2)
21. Scottie Pippen(25; +4)
20. Kevin Garnett(21; +1)
19. Dirk Nowitzki(17; -2)
18. Moses Malone(15; -3)
17. Karl Malone(16; -1)
16. Jerry West(13; -3)
15. Julius Erving(14; -1)
14. Kevin Durant(22; +8)
13. Stephen Curry(23; +10)
12. Hakeem Olajuwon(10; -2)
11. Oscar Robertson(11; -)
10. Shaquille O'Neal(9; -1)
9. Kobe Bryant(12; +3)
8. Tim Duncan(8; -)
7. Larry Bird(6; -1)
6. Wilt Chamberlain(5; -1)
5. Magic Johnson(4; -1)
4. Bill Russell(7; +3)
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar(2; -1)
2. LeBron James(3; +1)
1. Michael Jordan(1; -)

 

Spoiler

Risers
27. Giannis Antetokounmpo(NR)
25. Kawhi Leonard(NR)
45. Anthony Davis(NR)
72. Damian Lillard(NR)
32. James Harden(97; +65)
29. Allen Iverson(46; +17)
55. Vince Carter(69; +14)
52. Tracy McGrady(63; +11)
13. Stephen Curry(23; +10)
14. Kevin Durant(22; +8)
42. Russell Westbrook(49; +7)
21. Scottie Pippen(25; +4)
4. Bill Russell(7; +3)
9. Kobe Bryant(12; +3)
50. Wes Unseld(53; +3)
58. Manu Ginobili(61; +3)
68. Pete Maravich(71; +3)
22. Elgin Baylor(24; +2)
49. Reggie Miller(51; +2)
62. Dennis Rodman(64; +2)
63. Alonzo Mourning(65; +2)
2. LeBron James(3; +1)
20. Kevin Garnett(21; +1)

Fallers
57. Clyde Drexler(36; -21)
69. Bernard King(54; -15)
53. Gary Payton(41; -12)
60. Willis Reed(48; -12)
70. Tony Parker(58; -12)
40. Chris Paul(29; -11)
66. Dave Cowens(55; -11)
28. John Stockton(19; -9)
54. Paul Pierce(45; -9)
65. Pau Gasol(56; -9)
51. James Worthy(43; -8)
59. Bob McAdoo(52; -7)
43. Rick Barry(37; -6)
48. Bill Walton(42; -6)
56. Ray Allen(50; -6)
23. Charles Barkley(18; -5)
31. Isiah Thomas(26; -5)
33. John Havlicek(28; -5)
36. Kevin McHale(31; -5)
37. Patrick Ewing(32; -5)
67. Alex English(62; -5)
24. David Robinson(20; -4)
38. Bob Pettit(34; -4)
44. Elvin Hayes(40; -4)
61. Robert Parish(57; -4)
64. Earl Monroe(60; -4)
74. Artis Gilmore(70; -4)
16. Jerry West(13; -3)
18. Moses Malone(15; -3)
71. Bob Lanier(68; -3)
12. Hakeem Olajuwon(10; -2)
19. Dirk Nowitzki(17; -2)
41. Bob Cousy(39; -2)
46. Dominique Wilkins(44; -2)
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar(2; -1)
5. Magic Johnson(4; -1)
6. Wilt Chamberlain(5; -1)
7. Larry Bird(6; -1)
10. Shaquille O'Neal(9; -1)
15. Julius Erving(14; -1)
17. Karl Malone(16; -1)
34. George Mikan(33; -1)
39. Walt Frazier(38; -1)

 

yeah, i just don't understand it. you basically just have to have not watched them play to make this claim. except these people are presumably old enough to have seen them play. shaq's '94-'95 season is better than any season kobe has ever had and that wasn't even peak shaq. and it's not like kobe has a longevity argument with the achilles basically making him a terrible player for the last 3 seasons.

 

Curry is not Wade. Wow. Curry has 2 MVPs. His team had 2 awesome seasons before Durant joined. He was the Shaq of guards in terms of the adjustments he forced on opposing defenses and his gravity.

I think his problem is he's viewed as soft. I would agree that he is soft. LeBron punked him in 2016. And he expresses his confidence in a way that aggravates people.

His talent, accomplishments, and impact on the game are ridiculous and disrespected. He'll come down a little from 13 when all is said and done. But he belongs around 15-20 if he does nothing more.

 

Did they ask him who should get out of the top 10? Tough for anyone on TV to say Kobe.

 

yeah people completely underrate the pau 2009 playoffs (or maybe it was 2010, or maybe both).

yeah it's hard to see what nash has on harden. if not winning a title is a problem, then nash didn't win one. they both played in a de facto finals series (2007 WCSF / 2018 WCF) where the winner was going to win the title, except harden got stopped by a much, much better team. nash had 2 seasons of mvp level basketball and somehow got 2 of the more controversial mvp's ever. harden is working on his 5th mvp level season and only has 1 because he lost 3 of the more controversial mvp's ever (the westbrook one just keeps looking stupider). according to the article, nash apparently led the #1 offense for 9 straight seasons, which is even crazier since he did it for 2 different teams, but harden has led elite offenses for a long time and they weren't teams whose personnel was almost solely focused on offense like nash's mavs/suns teams were (corey brewer played big minutes for us ffs).

i know you're not a lebron guy, but is there really much of an argument for anyone else at #2? almost any stat you turn to ends up being 1. jordan 2. lebron or vice versa (more for jordan obviously). i think the 2011 finals pretty much eliminated him from the GOAT conversation (when you're basically chasing perfection, that's too much of a slip-up), but few can really say they never messed up a big series (tragic johnson in the '84 finals, larry bird lost an amazing 7 series with home-court advantage). i guess russell but he's impossible to rank that high. and hakeem seemingly can say he never f'd up a really important playoff series ('96 sonics is about the worst he did and he was literally being doubled on the catch so i'm not sure what the answer is), but he also didn't have the sheer volume of high-level series and just isn't there overall statistically, as much as i'd like to make his case. the longevity of jordan-level to near-jordan-level dominance by lebron just isn't matched by anyone else.

 

man, clyde's play has really fallen off these last 3 years. maybe they're holding his announcing against him (i say fair). and again, steph moves up 10 spots from january of 2016? i realize this is probably not the same group doing the rankings, but in jan 2016 steph was in the middle of a historic season. since then he's choked away the 2016 finals and been carried by kevin durant for 3 years and lost the only meaningful series he played without durant (he's now 1-2 in his last 3 non-durant series). how is that worth moving up 10 spots?

 

Wilt Chamberlain could be a #2 overall.

 

Their 2016 top 10 is fair, not at all sure about the new changes.

 

I see no reason to even acknowledge the very idea of ESPN if they put Giannis at 25

 

Wilbon: James Harden is above Ewing, no way.

LOL...

Throw the entire damn list in the trash. I guess Ewing over Harden because Ewing played in New York. Dude hasn't even won an MVP award.

 

The hate Harden gets is unreal man. I get he hasn't won rings, I get that has an effect on his legacy, but he's putting up historic numbers. He should be in the top 25 IMO.

 

Scott Foster ruining the Rockets chances in 2018 pretty much ended any hope of Harden having a properly acknowledged legacy.

 

You're absolutely right, the argument is very difficult to make, but there are many who still don't have LeBron at #2 even. For me personally, #2 sometimes changes and Bron is one of them in there. It's just hard to really place the order for me. I find myself in a difficult place where i have to rank based on career/rings and eye test, but then i get caught up in a "who would you start your team with?" and i often pick several of the top players over LeBron. But, that's just me. But, mostly i was just saying how it's not nearly as universal for LeBron at #2 as it is for MJ at #1. Even recent player votes had MJ at 73% as GOAT and most have never even seen MJ play outside of youtube and highlights. By comparison, LeBron was at #2 11.9% and Kobe at 10.6% So that tells me even among just peers, Kobe would get nearly as many #2 spots as LeBron.

 

Harden is at 32. Which 7 players does he knock out? Nash, Iverson, Stockton, and Wade are the 4 easiest. And you would find pushback with Nash and Wade. The other 3 are tough to find.

32. James Harden(97; +65)
31. Isiah Thomas(26; -5)
30. Steve Nash(30; -)
29. Allen Iverson(46; +17)
28. John Stockton(19; -9)
27. Giannis Antetokounmpo(NR)
26. Dwyane Wade(27; +1)
25. Kawhi Leonard(NR)
24. David Robinson(20; -4)
23. Charles Barkley(18; -5)
22. Elgin Baylor(24; +2)
21. Scottie Pippen(25; +4)
20. Kevin Garnett(21; +1)





Also, curious why Iverson went up 17 spots without even playing.

 

Obviously Giannis, just cringe, but Hakeem not in the top 10 is still the most ridiculous thing about it.

 

It kind of reeks of recency bias and living in the moment.

I'd like more info about the expert panel who created it, if it's changed over the years and their thought process or critera.

 

Clyde was great.

the Hakeem-led Rox won the first ring without Clyde.
the way i see it, he rode the coattail of Hakeem to win the Rox's 2nd ring. Rox would've won with or without Clyde

concur; Dream carried the" mediocre talent" Rox across the finish line to win 2 consecutive rings

most impressive was how Dream had schooled Shaq (ranked #10) in the Finals to sweep the more talented Magic team

• Shaq was teamed w all-NBA pg Penny Hardaway, sharp shooting Nick Anderson, former Bull Horace Grant, etc.

,
a well-documented evidence that Dream was at least better than Shaq

​

only Dream belongs there.

Russell was the most accomplished NBA ballers, winning 8 or 9 rings; but his teams had 5 other HoFers
Shaq won rings w only lented teams.

• on 2 Finals his more talented team lost to a lesser talented team
  • Shaq/Penny lost to Dream
  • Shaq/Kobe lost to the Pistons

Dream carried a mediocre team to win 2 consecutive rings