thats really a hard question to answer...I know a lot of people would say Michael Jordon...and for his time and era he played in...he was the best...but I think each generation of basketball has its "best player of all time"...you would have to collect stats of players from the 50's and 60's and 70's and 80's and 90's and now...then you would have to compare stats and time played...assists...championshi ps and so forth...