Greatest 70 at 70
No particular order
- Michael Jordan
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Bill Russell
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Larry Bird
- Magic Johnson
- Shaquille O'Neal
- LeBron James
- Hakeem Olajuwon
- David Robinson
- Karl Malone
- Oscar Robertson
- Charles Barkley
- Patrick Ewing
- Scottie Pippen
- Moses Malone
- Elgin Baylor
- Clyde Drexler
- Walt Frazier
- George Gervin
- Kevin Garnett
- George Mikan
- John Stockton
- Isiah Thomas
- Nate Thurmond
- Wes Unseld
- Jerry West
- James Worthy
- Bob Petit
- Jerry Lucas
- Pete Maravich
- Julius Erving
- Elvin Hayes
- John Havlicek
- Bob Cousy
- Rick Barry
- Sam Jones
- Lenny Wilkens
- Dolph Schayes
- Kevin McHale
- Billy Cunningham
- Earl Monroe
- Bob McAdoo
- Dave DeBusschere
- Bob Lanier
- Robert Parish
- Willis Reed
- Bernard King
- Alex English
- Dave Cowens
- Nate Archibald
- Dave Bing
- Allen Iverson
- Chris Webber
- Kevin Durant
- Pau Gasol
- Reggie Miller
- Paul Pierce
- Ray Allen
- Gary Payton
- Dwyane Wade
- Jason Kidd
- Dirk Nowitzki
- Kobe Bryant
- Tim Duncan
- Stephen Curry
- Dikembe Mutombo
- Tony Parker
- Vince Carter
- Dennis Rodman
Controversial Omissions/Omissions:
Alonzo Mourning
Tracy McGrady
Carmelo Anthony
Chris Bosh
Shawn Kemp
Gail Goodrich
Dennis Johnson
Hal Greer
David Thompson
JoJo White
Bill Sharman
Bill Walton
Paul Arizin
Artis Gilmore
Connie Hawkins
Notes:
- Being elected to the Basketball HOF doesn't automatically guarantee you should be in a Top 70 All-Time List in my opinion. The whole HOF process should be reviewed and be more transparent and fan-involving.
- Not just going on career averages here, tried to look at roles/parts played in championships and era played in etc.
- It's inevitable that people get pushed out of a list, especially one as small as this. It's just like the career points, assists averages etc, given time, someone will pass those on an all-time list and force others down.
- Should a Finals MVP or a Regular season MVP put you automatically in? Might not be the case.
- If it was borderline - say, picking between Pau Gasol and Adrian Dantley, I went with the retired player. The active player can improve their case in the years to come.
- Top 50 (or thereabouts) are a LOCK - bottom 20 could make a case to interchange MANY with some of the omissions, it's really close. Dave Cowens VS Artis Gimore, Chris Webber VS Chris Bosh etc etc
- Why so few voters (panel) in the original list in 1996? Makes sense now why Dominique might have been left out - if people didn't like him or not enough of the few voted then you didn't get in the Top 50. I'd open it up to more long-term media, more players and see what results came in. Here is the original panel:
Voters for the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (player), Marv Albert (media), Al Attles (team), Red Auerbach (team), Elgin Baylor (team), Dave Bing (player), Larry Bird (team), Marty Blake (team), Fran Blinebury (media), Bill Bradley (player), Hubie Brown (team), Wilt Chamberlain (player), Mitch Chortkoff (media), Bob Cousy (player), Billy Cunningham (team), Chuck Daly (team), David DuPree (media), Wayne Embry (team), Julius Erving (player), Joe Gilmartin (media), Sam Goldaper (media), Alex Hannum (team), Lester Harrison (team), John Havlicek (player), Chick Hearn (media), Red Holzman (team), Phil Jasner (media), Earvin Johnson (player), John Kerr (player), Leonard Koppet (media), Bob Lanier (player), Frank Layden (team), Leonard Lewin (media), Jack McCallum (media), Dick McGuire (team), George Mikan (player), Bob Pettit (player), Harvey Pollack (team), Jack Ramsay (team), Willis Reed (team), Oscar Robertson (player), Bill Russell (player), Bob Ryan (media), Dolph Schayes (player), Bill Sharman (player), Gene Shue (team), Isiah Thomas (team), Wes Unseld (team), Peter Vecsey (media), Jerry West (team)