Hundreds of players have come and go in the 80 years that the NBA has started. Many of the players living their entire NBA career as just role players supporting their teams in whatever they can. But other outshine and put up performance only few can do what others strive to and here are the best to do it.
1. Lebron James
Notable Stats / Achievements
- NBA’s all-time leading scorer
- 4× NBA Champion
- 4× NBA MVP
- 4× NBA Finals MVP
- 21× All-Star
- Career averages around 27.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 7.4 APG
- Has played and won championships with 3 different franchises (Heat, Cavaliers, Lakers)
- Holds the record for the most combined regular-season + playoff wins in NBA history as of April 2026
LeBron James is the definition of longevity, versatility, and greatness. His ability to dominate as a scorer, passer, rebounder, and leader across multiple eras makes him one of the most complete players the NBA has ever seen. Whether it’s his scoring records, playoff dominance, or championships with three different teams, LeBron’s career has built one of the strongest GOAT cases in basketball history.
2. Michael Jordan
- 6× NBA Champion
- 6× NBA Finals MVP (most in NBA history)
- 5× NBA MVP
- 4× All-Star10× Scoring Champion
- 1× Defensive Player of the Year
- Career averages: 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- 6× NBA Champion
- 6× NBA MVP (most MVPs in NBA history)
- 2× NBA Finals MVP
- 19× All-Star
- Career averages: 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG
- 17,440 career rebounds (3rd all-time)
4. Magic Johnson
- 5× NBA Champion
- 3× NBA MVP
- 3× NBA Finals MVP
- 12× All-Star
- Career averages: 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG
- Widely considered the greatest point guard of all time
5. Bill Russel
- 11× NBA Champion
- 5× NBA MVP
- 12× All-Star
- 4× Rebounding Champion
- Career averages: 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG
