As an NBA fan I like to think about what players are the best all time at their respective positions. I find it really fun to compare and contrast players and debate their ranking. Here is a list of my picks for all-time best NBA player at each position.
All-Time best NBA Player at Every Position
Point Guard: Magic Johnson
Magic is my pick for the all-time best point guard because who doesn’t love a little showtime? Magic, with his size, really created a lot of mismatches at the point guard position. Pair that with his amazing passing ability and you have the recipe for greatness. Magic averaged 19.4 ppg and 11.2 apg for his whole career—very good numbers for any player. To be able to score and still get your teammates involved is a balance that is hard pressed to find in basketball history. He also helped lead the Lakers dynasty in the 80’s that seemed to dominate all of basketball.
Shooting Guard: Michael Jordan
I should not have to rationalize this pick, but of course I will. Michael Jordan is either the greatest basketball player of all time or a very close second to LeBron James. Jordan was a three-time NBA steals leader, ten-time scoring champion, six-time NBA champion, five-time NBA MVP, fourteen-time NBA all-star, a Hall of Fame player, as well as many other accolades. What really stands out about Jordan was his relentless scoring ability. He averaged 30.1 ppg over a 17-year career. There is no reason to believe that he is not the greatest shooting guard to play the game of basketball.
Small Forward: LeBron James
Another great player that cannot be denied as the best at their position is LeBron James, a man who rivals the greatness of Michael Jordan. With a laundry list of accolades that include four-time NBA MVP, 13-time NBA all star, one-time NBA scoring champion, 11-time all NBA first team, and many more. He has an extremely high basketball IQ and possesses traits of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. Averaging 27.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, and 7.0 apg for his career, LeBron can do it all on the court.
Power Forward: Tim Duncan
When you think of Tim Duncan you think ‘Spurs’. But you can take that one step further and think ‘greatest power forward of all time’. With such a quiet and poised demeanor, the Big Fundamental made waves in the NBA. Sure, he averaged a double-double for his career, but what really impresses me is his defense. Being elected to eight NBA All-defensive First Teams and seven NBA All-defensive second teams is no easy feat. Being a cornerstone of the Spurs, he also made a lot of financial sacrifices to better the team to accommodate players and front office moves. He wasn’t the loudest NBA player, but he let his ball game do the talking.
Center: Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Kareem was a transcendent big man with an unguardable shot. The sky hook was impossible to defend and Kareem pulled off the move silky smooth and with a soft touch. The all-time leading scorer in the NBA was a member of the showtime Lakers during the 80’s dynasty. Kareem seemed to play forever playing 20 very productive seasons. He seemed to excel at everything a big man had to do. He averaged 24.6 ppg, 2.6 bpg, and 11.2 rpg for his career.
There are plenty of players who could qualify for this list, but if these players were all assembled on a team during their prime, it would be an unstoppable force.
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