People speculate all of the time who the best players in NBA history are, but this list has a twist—- it’s who will be considered the best players of all time in the year 2030.
- LeBron James
- By the time LeBron’s career is over, he will be the greatest of all-time. Jordan was a better scorer, but LeBron is the most complete player in the history of the game and has no signs of slowing down. By the time he hangs up his shoes, The King will be at the top.
- Michael Jordan
- Is there anything that needs to be said? It’s LeBron, Jordan and then everybody else.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Kareem was special. He had the size, skill set and longevity that allowed him to be the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Abdul-Jabbar helped both the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers to six NBA titles in his 19-year career.
- Magic Johnson
- Magic was a 6-foot-9-inch point guard that transformed the way that people viewed the position. Magic could do it all. In fact, he started at center in an NBA Finals game. The three-time MVP led the “Showtime” Lakers to five NBA titles in the 1980s. A terrific player, and an icon of the game.
- Larry Bird
- One cannot have Magic without Bird following right after. Larry Bird was perhaps the most fundamentally sound player in the history of the game. With three MVPs, three NBA titles, and 12 all-star appearances, Bird put on a show for the Boston Celtics faithful in his 13-year career.
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game. That alone puts him in the top 10. Chamberlain’s prime is perhaps the most dominant in NBA history. Wilt the Stilt averaged 50.4 points and 25.7 points per game during the 1961-62 season. Granted some of his gaudy stats are due to the sheer volume of shots Chamberlain took, but it is impossible to keep him out of the top 10 with the ability to change a game the way he did.
- Tim Duncan
- Mr. Fundamental was a quiet leader and willing to do whatever it took to contribute his team to win. Whenever he was on the floor, he contributed. The five-time NBA Champion lead his teams to titles in three different decades, and the 15-time All-Star remained productive throughout his 18-year career in the Association.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- This one may be considered a bit premature, but I truly believe that Giannis Antetokounmpo has the drive, physical gifts and smarts to be one of the all-time greats. The 22-year-old “Greek Freak” is a 6-foot-11-inch point guard that makes an impact on all parts of the floor. He can score, dribble, pass, defend and impact a game in a way that only the true greats can. If I am starting an NBA franchise today, I am taking Giannis with my number one overall pick.
- Shaquille O’Neal
- In his prime, the Big Diesel was perhaps the most dominant player in NBA history. At 7 feet, 1 inch and 325 pounds, Shaq was a complete monster on the NBA floor. However, his dominance did not last as long as many other players on this list, and that knocks him down a bit. The 2000 NBA MVP left his mark in the paint with career averages of 23.7 points per game and 10.9 rebounds per game.
- Anthony Davis
- If somebody built the perfect basketball player body in a lab, it would probably look like Anthony Davis. He is quick, lean, long and can defend both the post as well as the perimeter. Davis’ physical gifts, as well as his skill set will earn him a spot in NBA immortality. Davis could very well end up higher or lower on this list in 2030 due to his history of injury. Health is the one thing that may keep “the Brow” from being an all-time great.
