Who is the best NBA player ever

I hate to be this obvious but: Michael Jordan. No contest IMO.

After a constant infuse of -1's on this answer I like to add that again, that's MY Opinion.

Some facts to back it up:

Six-time NBA champion (1991-93, 1996-98);
MVP (1988, '91, '92, '96, '98);
10-time All-NBA First Team (1987-93, 1996-98);
All-NBA Second Team (1985);
Defensive Player of the Year (1988);
Nine-time All-Defensive First Team (1988-93, 1996-98);
Rookie of the Year (1985);
14-time All-Star;
All-Star MVP (1988, '96, '98);
One of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History ('96);
Olympic gold medalist (1984, '92).

Also. 30.1 points per game career average. 33.4 on playoffs. 32,294 total career points.

MJ greatest EVER

I can only go with what I have witnessed and with these eyes, Jordan stands the test.

Wilt Chamberlain dominated the game like no one else I ever saw.

When you watched him play, you really felt sorry for the other team.

Michael Jordon.

micheal jordan.

All of you MJ fans are ignorant. MJ was definitely top 1-2 of all time but how can you discount Wilt Chamberlain? The NBA changed all sorts of rules because of him. Although his scoring numbers are about even with MJ's (both 30.1 PPG lifetime), Wilt did it in an era where scores were much lower. Wilt had 22.4 RPG lifetime! That's crazy! Rodman, a prolific rebounder, had 18.7 rebounds in his BEST year! Top rebounder this year? KG with 12.8. MJ's APG lifetime: 5.3. Wilt: 4.4, for a center! The gap between 1-2 and the rest is huge but Wilt's name definitely has to be included with MJ's in any discussion about the greatest player ever. MJ has more rings but Wilt was outright dominant.

Here's an excerpt from NBA.com:
"The record books are indeed heavy with Chamberlain's accomplishments. He was the only NBA player to score 4,000 points in a season. He set NBA single-game records for most points (100), most consecutive field goals (18) and most rebounds (55). Perhaps his most mind-boggling stat was the 50.4 points per game he averaged during the 1961-62 season--and if not that, then perhaps the 48.5 minutes per game he averaged that same year.

He retired as the all-time in career points with 31,419, which was later surpassed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone and Michael Jordan. He is tops in rebounds with 23,924. He led the NBA in scoring seven years in a row. He was the league's top rebounder in 11 of his 14 seasons. And as if to prove that he was not a selfish player, he had the NBA's highest assist total in 1967-68.

But the most outstanding figures are his scoring records; Most games with 50+ points, 118; Most consecutive games with 40+ points, 14; Most consecutive games with 30+ points: 65; Most consecutive games with 20+ points: 126; Highest rookie scoring average: 37.6 ppg; Highest field goal percentage in a season: .727. And with many of these, the player in second place is far behind. His name appears so often in the scoring record books that his name could be the default response any time a question arises concerning a scoring record in the NBA.

During his career, his dominance precipitated many rules changes. These rules changed included widening the lane, instituting offensive goaltending and revising rules governing inbounding the ball and shooting free throws (Chamberlain would leap with the ball from behind the foul line to deposit the ball in the basket)."

Without a doubt LArry Bird!!!

I would say either Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Michael Jordan.

I can't speak for the great player like Wilt cause all I've ever seen was highlights. My pick has to be Michael Jordan hands down...

Spud Webb

Russel/ Jordan

I will go with Wilt Chamberlin because of the way he dominated the game and changed the game.

Michael Jordon comes next, but if you remember, he had a very good supporting cast most of those years.

I would pick Micheal Jordan, but I don't think it's no contest...

kobe, wilt.. .are up there imo

Michael Jordan on Chicago Bulls team.

THE DR., Julius Erving

nope!!! def michael jordan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

karl malone

There is only one way to judge who was the greatest NBA player ever. Look at the record book.Wilt Chamberlain did things that no player did before him, and no player did after him. People like to use the argument that he was so big. There have been many people taller than him who couldn't carry his sneakers. He also led the league in assists and was in the top 10 in assists 4 times.He AVERAGED 40 points & 25 rebounds per game for his first 500 (that's FIVE HUNDRED) NBA games. Rebounds have never been a matter of height, but a matter of skill. Charles Barkley and Dennis Rodman are proof of that. He has the highest triple-double (24-21-23) in NBA history, as well as the highest double-double (78pts.-43rebs.) in history. No other p-layer in ANY sport has mor unbreakable records than he does. As final proof I mention 2 facts. 1. The had to change or adjusts the rules for Chamberlain because of his total domination. He was bigger than the sport. 2. You always hear 'Who will be the next Jordan or the next Gretzky. You will NEVER hear "Who will be the next6 Chamberlain?

LeBron James

Michael Jordan may have been the best, but my favorite players will forever be Ervin "Majic" Johnson and Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon. They both were great team players more than anything, which sets them apart from MJ who was more of a one man wrecking crew.

1. Michael Jordan
2. Larry Bird
3. Magic Johnson
4. Wilt Chamberlain
5. Bill Russell
6. Oscar Robertson
7. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
8. Shaquille O'Neal
9. Julius Erving
10. Rick Barry
11. John Havlicek
12. Jerry West
13. Karl Malone
14. Elgin Baylor
15. Isiah Thomas
16. Hakeem Olajuwon
17. Bob Cousy
18. Moses Malone
19. Bob Pettit
20. John Stockton
21. Charles Barkley
22. Dave Cowens
23. Walt Frazier
24. Elvin Hayes
25. Scottie Pippen
26. George Gervin
27. Kobe Bryant
28. Kevin McHale
29. Patrick Ewing
30. George Mikan
31. Willis Reed
32. Dominique Wilkins
33. Wes Unseld
34. Earl Monroe
35. David Robinson
36. Walt Bellamy
37. Tim Duncan
38. Nate Thurmond
39. Pete Maravich
40. Dolph Schayes
41. Alex English
42. Billy Cunningham
43. Paul Arizin
44. Dave DeBusschere
45. Gary Payton
46. Bob McAdoo
47. Clyde Drexler
48. Adrian Dantley
49. Kevin Garnett
50. Jason Kidd

Michael Jordan, hands down. He revolutionized basketball, he made you jump off your seat with excitement everytime he dunked, he was the one who made basketball known in Europe,Asia and South America.
MIchael Jordan is above all the greatest players of all-time, he's the legend of legends.

M.J.

While I will concede it is a tossup about who was the best individual *talent* to ever play in the NBA (Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan both make good cases), neither of them is the best NBA player ever.

That distinction belongs to Magic Johnson. Not only was Magic a singular individual talent, but he is perhaps the best *team* player among NBA superstars ever.

My memory of one play illustrates Magic's transcendence perhaps better than any other. In a preseason exhibition, the Lakers steal the ball and run upcourt 3-on-1. New-to-the-Lakers Sam Perkins runs the wrong lane on the fast break. Magic, seeing this, slows up his dribble and lobs a *PERFECT* pass over Perkins' head such that it bounces in front of him and the backspin moves the ball right into Perkins' hands. All he has to do is catch it and make the layup.

Perkins was so surprised that he fumbled the ball out of bounds, but the genius of the play remains. Magic was SO GOOD that he could compensate for a teammate's f***up and STILL make that teammate look good.

Jordan rarely played like this. Kobe almost never does. Chamberlain could do it (he led the NBA in assists one year), but Wilt was all about Wilt. Kareem and Bird didn't have the right personality. Russell was an amazing defender but was offensively limited.

I can't think of another NBA player who (in addition to being an individual superstar) used his talent, skills, and personality to make all of his teammates better players the way Magic did. He truly is unique in NBA history.
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Michael Jordan.

The great Larry Bird

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar he dominated three decades, who else has done that?

Extremely hard question. I would have to say... Wilt Chamberlin. Who could stop him. He didn't need a good team to be a great player, everyone else did. As a side note, Kobe is the most explosive and dangerous. Magic was the most versatile, Wilt was the best inside, Bird was the best shooter, Horry the best role player, best handles goes to Pete Marovich, and Jordan the most clutch.

Whoever comes up with a name other than Michael Jordan had to have been in a coma for the last 50 yeras.

micheal jordan

it's really close, but i like earvin, magic johnson, the ultimate winner, then jordan, then chamberlain, then jabbar, then olajuwon, then pippen, then isiah thomas, then oscar robertson, then elgin baylor, then bill russell, then cousy, i think if shawn kemp would have kept playing at a high level, he is definitely on of the top 5!

I think its allen iverson or leberon

lebron

Lebron James will one day be the best ever

Wilt 43 points per game in a season that's pretty dominant but Mj has more championships. Lebron however in my opinion is the most physically talented player ever to play in the NBA

jordan

Michael Jordan.

kobe braynt all day.

Someday it may be Kobe or LeBron...but as of now I'd say either Michael Jordan or Wilt Chamberlain.

It has to be MJ. because he played basketball in the toughest defensive era of basketball. u watch basketball now and its pretty muck a joke compare to basketball of old. u see guys just stand and watch as player dunk over each other uncontested instead of trying to defend them or even fouling them on purpose so they dont get easy points.

Wilt was such a success because he played when there wasnt a hole lot of people who could contest him. there were only a few basketball player from 6,10 to 7,0 inthe nba. bill russell, kareem, and dawkins were the only people who could even try to defend him. so out of all the teams that were in the nba only 4 or 5 had tall enough people who could possible defend him because of his height.

Teams had there own set of rules for defending MJ. the Jordan rules.

MJ is better because unlike wilt jordan played in the hardest defensive era.

I think Shaq dominated the league and changed the way people played the game but as far as the BEST ever I'm gonna have to go with MJ...Lebron will take that tittle before its all over with

When you're hot you could say as hot as a Pistol perhaps. Pistol Pete Maravich is 100% the best ever player. Who could argue with over 40 pts. per game?

Depends on the era. Jordan was the best of his era. The best today is Shaq.

wilt chamberlain. But there is also Reggie Miller, Dwight Howard, Allen Iverson is pretty good. Sorry not a fan of Kobe, Michael Jordan, Shaq or Lebron..they all think they are the hottest crap in this world. What about people that dedicate their lives, have good sportsmanship....Ron Artest rocks to..haha...

Larry Bird. He wasn't the athlete that Michael Jordan or Lebron James were, but he WAS the game and the team, the cohesive force, the glue, that made the Celtics the greatest basketball dynasty of that era.

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...championships and so forth...

(Michael Jordan) magic johnson and wilt Chamberlain are definently the best. i like lebron james though :)

i Dont know any netball players however i think your mum looks hot in that skirt get right up there