-
Magic Johnson
One of just three players to earn league MVP three times and Finals MVP three times, he’s the original “Unicorn,” possessing the size and skill even as a rookie to fill in at center in game six of the 1980 NBA Finals
-
Dominique Wilkins
His powerful and graceful dunks earned him the nickname “Human Highlight Film” and his prolific scoring earned him endless accolades
-
Allen Iverson
A polarizing figure, beloved for his skills and relentlessness but controversial for his aversion to practice, hip-hop career ambitions, coach killing reputation, and unapologetic street style; his ’00-’01 MVP season is the stuff of legends
-
Spencer Haywood
Maybe the most controversial figure in NBA history, going from amateur hero to professional pariah to youthful superstar to cocaine-addled and washed up by age 31 to eventually a revered and beloved Hall of Fame inductee
-
Scottie Pippen
Rivals John Havlicek as the greatest player of all time who spent most of his career as not the best player on his own team; during Michael Jordan’s two-year retirement, his stint as top dog was mixed and almost got him traded to the Sonics
-
Phil Jackson
The only coach in NBA history with 11 championships, he guided the Bulls to six and the Lakers to five and along the way coached some of the greatest players and teams of all time
-
Hakeem Olajuwon
The ultimate across-the-board stat filler, who is the only player ever to be named league MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in one season, when he led the 1994 championship Rockets in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks
-
Don Nelson
An innovative, beloved, and prolific head coach, he retired as the all-time NBA wins leader; prior to that, he was a five-time champ as a player in the ’60s and ’70s
-
Stephen Curry
A four-time champion and the most revolutionary shooter in NBA history since the invention of the jumper, who holds the all-time records for most career three-point field goals and most three-point field goals in a season
-
Dennis Rodman
A five-time champion and one of the most controversial figures in NBA history; his off-court lifestyle was legendary but so was his rebounding and defense
-
Willis Reed
His signature moment, hobbling out of the locker room to start game seven of the 1970 NBA Finals, culminated a season in which he became one of just three players to earn NBA league MVP, Finals MVP, and All-Star Game MVP in the same year
-
Walt Frazier
An icon of ‘70s cool, with his fur coats and signature fedora hats that inspired his “Clyde” nickname, one of the all-time great two-way guards, and arguably the catalyst and true heart of the early ’70s Knicks
-
Jason Kidd
The rare NBA superstar who wasn’t much of a scorer, he did everything else on the court and was an elite play maker and defender, and a triple-double machine
-
Chris Paul
The “Point God” is second in NBA history in both career assists and career steals, amassed over 21 seasons with seven different teams; never won that elusive title and never earned a signature individual award
-
Jerry West
Greatest player of all time to never win league MVP, the only player ever to earn Finals MVP in a losing cause and yet so synonymous with the NBA that his silhouette is unofficially the league’s logo
-
Steve Nash
With a breakneck pace and a flair for showmanship, he revitalized a dormant Suns franchise and won back-to-back league MVP awards, but the postseason was a house of horrors
-
Oscar Robertson
The first player ever to average a triple-double in a season, he was league MVP in ’63-’64, a champion with the ’70-’71 Bucks, an Olympic gold medalist, and a pioneer in NBA free agency and labor relations.
-
LeBron James
What do you get when you combine the skill of Wilt Chamberlain with the longevity of Kareem? A four time champion, four time Finals MVP, four time league MVP, and the all-time leading scorer in NBA history
-
Wilt Chamberlain
A record books shatterer, 100-point scorer, and four time league MVP who is inexorably linked with Bill Russell, who got the better of him seven times in eight postseason matchups
-
Wes Unseld
A Finals MVP and one of just two players to win league MVP as a rookie, he is the face of the Wizards (Bullets) franchise, spending his entire playing career with the team and then later stints as the franchise’s head coach, general manager, and vice president
-
George Mikan
The biggest star of the NBA’s first 10 years was a bespectacled awkward giant, lumbering around the court like an Apatosaurus en route to five Lakers championships over the course of just six years
-
Earl Monroe
Honed his seemingly magical skills on the street courts of Philadelphia, where he picked up the nickname “Jesus”; Rookie of the Year for the Bullets and a champion with the Knicks
-
Julius Erving
An innovator in above-the-rim play, who was NBA MVP once and ABA MVP three times, an All-Star 16 times across the two leagues, and winner of the fabled 1976 ABA Slam Dunk Contest
-
Russell Westbrook
League MVP, two-time scoring champ, first player in NBA history to average a triple-double in multiple seasons, and one of just two players to reach the career plateaus of 20,000+ career points, 8,000+ rebounds, and 8,000+ assists
-
Lenny Wilkens
A Hall of Fame point guard who then became one of the greatest coaches in NBA history, leading the Sonics to a 1979 title and breaking Red Auerbach’s vaunted wins record
-
Shaquille O’Neal
A jolly, seen giant, who is one of just two players to win three consecutive Finals MVP awards and was the leading scorer and rebounder for the Lakers each time; also league MVP in ’99-’00, and finished second in voting twice
-
Red Auerbach
An icon of the NBA, he coached the Celtics to nine championships, then earned seven more as an executive; completely changed the league and sport with his innovative style, eye for talent, and championing of Black players
-
Isiah Thomas
The quintessential traditional point guard and the ultimate team player, forgoing individual stats and accolades throughout his entire career in turning the “Bad Boys” Pistons into one of the sports’ great dynasties
-
Bill Walton
Producer of some of the highest highs in basketball history at UCLA and with the Trail Blazers, but also struggled constantly with injuries; later became a beloved broadcaster and general ambassador of the sport
-
Kobe Bryant
One-time MVP and two-time Finals MVP with so many memorable moments, from his breakout performance in the 2002 Finals to his 81-point outburst in 2006 to his fraught showdowns with Shaquille O’Neal to his 60-point denouement
-
-
Tim Duncan
A player so effective that they labelled him boring, who is top 10 in NBA history in career rebounds, blocks, and win shares. A five-time champion with the Spurs with two league MVP and three Finals MVP trophies
-
Kevin Durant
One of the greatest pure scorers in basketball history, he won four NBA scoring titles, won one league MVP, and captured two Finals MVPs with the Warriors; his four Olympic gold medals is the record
-
Steve Kerr
A four-time champion as coach of the Warriors, he was previously a renowned broadcaster and before that, a crucial bench guard in the latter years of the Michael Jordan Bulls dynasty
-
John Stockton
The assists king, who was dull yet reliable for almost two whole decades but never a champion; holds the all-time NBA records for career assists, career steals, assists in a season, and assists per game in a season
-
Bob Pettit
An oft-forgotten legend who was the first league MVP in NBA history, earning the award twice, and the leading scorer and rebounder on the ’57-’58 Hawks championship team, scoring 50 points in the clinching game six of the NBA Finals
-
John Havlicek
Earned eight championships with the Celtics, the first six alongside Bill Russell, who once called him the “greatest all-around player in the NBA,” then bridged the gap into the Dave Cowens era, earning Finals MVP in 1974
-
Dwyane Wade
Finals MVP at age 24, that was his first of three NBA championships with the Heat, for whom he is the all-time franchise leader in points, assists, steals, win shares, and All-Star appearances
-
David Robinson
Tailor-made for NBA stardom, with a physique that looked like the Roman ideal of an athlete plus preternatural leadership skills; “The Admiral” won a league MVP, a scoring title, and two NBA championships
-
George Gervin
The “Ice Man” won four NBA scoring titles thanks to his patented finger roll floating jumper (but he could score from anywhere on the court), and was the first player to reach 20,000 career points post-merger
-
Patrick Ewing
An absolute warrior and defensive beast who plugged away for Georgetown for four years and the Knicks for 15, he’s a legend at both levels though he only managed an NCAA title, losing in the NBA Finals twice
-
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
A paragon of durability, who held the NBA’s all-time points record for nearly 40 years, he was league MVP a record six times, appeared in 10 NBA Finals, and won six titles
-
Elgin Baylor
The first above-the-rim superstar, he elevated the game to new heights and racked up eye-popping stats but it never translated into an NBA title, despite eight Finals appearances
-
Moses Malone
A preternatural rebounder and low post scorer, he started his career at age 19, compiled huge stats until he was 40, and earned three NBA MVP awards and one Finals MVP trophy
-
Rick Barry
A scoring champion and misanthrope who fled for the ABA in his prime but returned to the Warriors in ’72-’73 and managed to shed his selfish reputation, delivering a title in 1975 and earning Finals MVP for an all-around dominant performance
-
Reggie Miller
One of the greatest shooters the NBA has ever seen, he had a penchant and flair for the biggest moments, especially against the rival Knicks, but could never break through to superstardom or a title
-
Karl Malone
A two-time NBA MVP, third in league history in scoring, and 1st-Team All-NBA 11 times, but top of the bio always has to mention his record 19 playoff appearances without a title
-
-
-
Gary Payton
Face of the SuperSonics and nicknamed “The Glove” because defensively he fit opponents like one; was the only pure point guard to earn Defensive Player of the Year and racked up more career steals than all but two other players
-
Charles Barkley
The NBA’s Sisyphus, a warrior memorably remembered for fighting stubbornly against impossible odds, he was league MVP in ’92-’93 and is now a memorable and controversial media figure
-
Larry Bird
Nicknamed “Legend” for good reason, his career was brilliant but brief, winning three consecutive MVP awards, Finals MVP twice, and becoming the original member of the 50/40/90 club
-
Kevin Garnett
History was made when he entered the NBA directly from high school and justified when he became an imposing and intense force, earning league MVP in 2004 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2008
-
Michael Jordan
More than any other athlete in history, his fame transcended sport and he completely changed the framework of athlete relationships with Hollywood, the shoe industry, conspiracy theories, commercials, and video games
-
Bill Russell
The ultimate basketball victor, he was a two-time NCAA champion, an Olympic gold medalist, and won a record 11 NBA titles in just 13 seasons with the Celtics. Additionally a tireless civil rights promoter and the first Black head coach