15. Moses Malone (1976-1995)
Career Stats: Games 1329, 20.6 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.4 AST, 1.3 BLK, .491 FG%, .769 FT%, PER 22.3
Accolades: 12x NBA All-Star, 3x NBA MVP, 1983 NBA Champion, 1983 NBA Finals MVP, 4x All-NBA 1st Team, 1x All-Defensive First Team, 4x All-NBA 2nd Team, 1x All-Defensive 2nd Team
14. Elgin Baylor (1958-1972)
Career Stats: Games 846, 27.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 4.3 AST, .431 FG%, .780 FT%, PER 22.7
Accolades: 11x NBA All-Star, 1959 NBA ROY, 1959 NBA All-Star MVP, 10x All-NBA 1st Team
13. Jerry West (1960-1974)
Career Stats: Games 932, 27.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 6.7 AST, 2.6 SPG, .474 FG%, .814 FT%, PER 22.9
Accolades: 14x NBA All-Star, 1972 NBA Champion, 1972 NBA All-Star MVP, 1969 NBA Finals MVP, 10x All-NBA 1st Team, 4x All-Defensive 1st Team, 2x All-NBA 2nd Team, 1x All-Defensive 2nd Team
12. Hakeem Olajuwon (1984-2002)
Career Stats: Games 1238, 21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.5 AST, 1.7 SPG, 3.1 BLK, .512 FG%, .712 FT%, 23.6 PER
Accolades: 12x NBA All-Star, 2x NBA Champion, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 1994 NBA MVP, 2x NBA Defensive POY, 6x All-NBA 1st Team, 3x All-NBA 2nd Team, 5x All-Defensive 1st Team, 4x All-Defensive 2nd Team, 1985 NBA All-Rooke 1st Team
11. Oscar Robertson (1960-1974)
Career Stats: Games 1040, 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 AST, 1.1 SPG, .485 FG, .838 FT%, 23.2 PER
Accolades: 12x NBA All-Star, 3x NBA All-Star MVP, 1961 NBA ROY, 1964 NBA MVP, 1971 NBA Champion, 9x All-NBA 1st Team, 2x All-NBA 2nd Team
10. LeBron James (2003-present)
Career Stats: Games 842, 27.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 6.9 AST, 1.7 SPG, 0.8 BPG, .497 FG%, .341 3P%, .747 FT%, PER 27.8
Accolades: 10x NBA All-Star, 2x NBA All-Star MVP, 4x NBA MVP, 2x NBA Champion, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 2004 NBA ROY, 8x All-NBA 1st Team, 2x All-NBA 2nd Team, 5x All-Defensive 1st Team, 1x All-Defensive 2nd Team
9. Tim Duncan (1997-present)
Career Stats: Games 1254, 19.9 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 3.1 AST, 2.2 BPG, 0.7 SPG, .506 FG%, .694 FT%, PER 24.6
Accolades: 14x NBA All-Star, 2000 NBA All-Star Co-MVP, 2x NBA MVP, 5x NBA Champion, 3x NBA Finals MVP, 1998 NBA ROY, 10x All-NBA First Team, 3x All-NBA 2nd Team, 8x All-Defensive First Team, 6x All-Defensive 2nd Team
8. Wilt Chamberlain (1959-1973)
Career Stats: Games 1045, 30.1 PPG, 22.9 RPG, 4.4 AST, .540 FG%, .511 FT%, 26.1 PER
Accolades: 13x NBA All-Star, 1960 NBA All-Star MVP, 4x NBA MVP, 2x NBA Champion, 1972 NBA Finals MVP, 1960 NBA ROY, 7x All-NBA First Team, 3x All-NBA 2nd Team, 2x All-Defensive 1st Team
7. Shaquille O'Neal (1992-2011)
Career Stats: Games 1207, 23.7 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.5 AST, 2.3 BPG, 0.6 SPG, .582 FG%, .527 FT%, 26.4 PER
Accolades: 15x NBA All-Star, 3x NBA All-Star MVP, 2000 NBA MVP, 4x NBA Champion, 3x NBA Finals MVP, 1993 NBA ROY, 8x All-NBA 1st Team, 2x All-NBA 2nd Team, 3x All-Defensive 2nd Team
6. Larry Bird (1979-1992)
Career Stats: Games 897, 24.6 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 6.3 AST, 1.7 SPG, 0.8 BPG, .496 FG%, .376 3P%, .886 FT%, PER 23.5
Accolades: 12x NBA All-Star, 1982 NBA All-Star MVP, 3x NBA MVP, 3x NBA Champion, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 1980 NBA ROY, 9x All-NBA First Team, 1x All-NBA 2nd Team, 3x All-Defensive 2nd Team
5. Kobe Bryant (1996-present)
Career Stats: Games 1245, 25.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.8 AST, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG, .454 FG%, .335 3P%, .838 FT%, PER 23.4
Accolades: 16x NBA All-Star, 4x NBA All-Star MVP, 2008 NBA MVP, 5x NBA Champion, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 11x All-NBA First Team, 9x All-Defensive 1st Team, 2x All-NBA 2nd Team, 3x All-Defensive 2nd Team
4. Bill Russell (1956-1969)
Career Stats: Games 963, 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 AST, .440 FG%, .561 FT%, PER 18.6
Accolades: 12x NBA All-Star, 1963 NBA All-Star MVP, 5x NBA MVP, 11x NBA Champion, 3x All-NBA First Team, 8x All-NBA 2nd Team, 1x All-Defensive 1st Team
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1969-1989)
Career Stats: Games 1560, 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 AST, 2.6 BPG, 0.9 SPG, .559FG%, .721 FT%, PER 24.6
Accolades: 19x NBA All-Star, 6x NBA MVP, 6x NBA Champion, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 1970 NBA ROY, 10x All-NBA 1st Team, 5x All-Defensive 1st Team, 5x All-NBA 2nd Team, 6x All-Defensive 2nd Team
2. Magic Johnson (1979-1996)
Career Stats: Games 906, 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 AST, 1.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG, .520 FG%, .303 3P%, .848 FT%, PER 24.1
Accolades: 12x NBA All-Star, 2x NBA All-Star MVP, 3x NBA MVP, 5x NBA Champion, 3x NBA Finals MVP, 1980 NBA All-Rookie 1st Team, 9x All-NBA First Team, 1x All-NBA 2nd Team
1. Michael Jordan (1984-2003)
Career Stats: Games 1072, 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 AST, 2.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG, .497 FG%, .327 3P%, .835 FT%, PER 27.9
Accolades: 14x NBA All-Star, 3x NBA All-Star MVP, 5x NBA MVP, 6x NBA Champion, 6x NBA Finals MVP, 1985 NBA ROY, 1988 NBA Defensive POY, 10x All-NBA First Team, 9x All-Defensive 1st Team, 1x All-NBA 2nd Team
The criteria's for this list were based off of these five categories:
The first and most important criteria to this list was championships and the role each player had in winning those titles. Winning is not everything, but it is the most important thing. Obviously, just because a player won more championships than someone else does not mean that they are a better player (if that was the case then Robert Horry would be the better than Michael Jordan). But what is important is how great and how clutch a player was in delivering those championships for his team. Was the player a leader and one of the main driving forces behind each championship team he was a part of?
Second was longevity and consistency. Was a player constantly one of the best players in the league year in and year out? It is easier for a player with amazing talent to be great during his prime years, but did they put in the work to continue to be an elite player late into their careers? Even after their athleticism diminished did they still dominate on the floor at an elite level?
Third was accomplishments/accolades. The individual awards as well as records a player holds.
Fourth was individual skill level and versatility. How great of an all-around player someone was - shooting ability, passing ability, ball handling, basketball I.Q., defense, fundamentals, etc.
The fifth and final thing was stats, career averages as well as all-time career totals.