The NBA's GOAT

Take a look at the above picture. Soak it in for a few seconds. Also, it's old so put Lebron in a Cavs jersey and add one more Title and Finals MVP to his trophies. These four players are just a small group of numerous other great players the NBA has seen in its history before and after the merger of 1976.


After an amazing Game 7 of the NBA finals came to an end a few Sunday nights ago and a professional sports championship finally came back to the City of Cleveland after 52 years, I found it fitting to do a brief blog about the grand ole question: "Who is the greatest NBA player of all time?" I don't like to answer that question with one player that I really think is the GOAT, but more so a progressive question that can have more than one answer. If you take a look at the above four players half of them are already retired (another is probably pretty close to retirement). So that leaves only one player who still has a good amount of time to add to his trophy list of the three shown. Do I think any four of the players in the above picture could be consider the GOAT of the NBA, absolutely. Does one of them stand out to me more than any other, yes. Are their players not shown in this picture that I also would consider as the greatest player in NBA history, you got it.


Since I consider it impossible to narrow it down to one player, I'll give you my Top 5 greatest players in NBA history (up until this point). If you can, without a doubt, commit to one player being the GOAT of the NBA and give me your reasoning (with back-up) then please let me know because I find it impossible to do so. So that being said, my Top 5 of All-Time are as follows:


1. Michael Jordan
2. Bill Russell
3. Wilt Chamberlin
4. Lebron James
5. Magic Johnson


I have to say if that was my starting 5 in any generation I believe they would go undefeated. A couple players I was debating over include: Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaq. I think that Top 5 is without a doubt one I can stick with for years to come unless someone really, REALLY amazes everyone and has a flawless career.


The game just isn't the same anymore. Too many players are good but just will not be able to surpass that upper echelon of players. Steph Curry may be the only player who has the capability to get there but even he has his weaknesses and injury issues.


1. Michael Jordan ("MJ")

You want to talk about the best all-around player in NBA history it has to be MJ. He could to it all. Not only was he a prolific scorer but he played defense as well. Ever since his college days at UNC you knew he was going to be something special when he entered the League. With 6 Titles, 5 MVPs, and 6 Finals MVP, MJ is among the best when it comes to winning Titles. His 30.1 points per game career average is an NBA record (over 15 seasons). He defined a generation of basketball that included hard work, dedication, and the will to win no matter what. He has inspired so many players today. Everyone that played with him and around him became a better player and his ability to do anything with a basketball and make things happen just added to his persona. Needless to say, I think MJ is on the top of many people lists and regarded as the best player in NBA history.


2. Bill Russell

There is no player that will ever rival Russell's number of Titles (he has a total of 11 by the way). Not to mention they are all with the same team, the Boston Celtics. That number alone and to do it with the same team defines greatness in my mind. He really re-defined defensive play and ushered it into a new era. His rebound stats are only second to that of the next person on this list. Not to mention his five MVP awards which is also tied for second behind the person before him on this list. Needless to say he was a defining player during a transition era for basketball not only internally but society as a whole as well. I haven't seen a big man that has come through the league yet that will ever rival the stature and just all around center the NBA has ever seen.


3. Wilt Chamberlin

I think Wilt and Bill could have easily switched spots on this list but it's that Title number that separates Bill from Wilt in my mind. Wilt was somewhat of a physical phenom. To my knowledge, the Game had never really seen anyone like him before. Not just because of his height but his physical build as well. He had a very dominant force inside the paint and showed this very early on in his career. Not to mention he is a scoring machine and the all-time leader in assists and rebounds. Who can forget his 100 point game which has never been touched (and probably will never be). Even though his playoff wins and titles are lacking he makes up for it with what he has accomplished in his career and just the kind of mythical persona he became throughout the years. Needless to say he has gone down in history as one of the most dominant big men the Game has ever seen.

4. Lebron James

Now the first three players on this list are retired, Hall of Fame players. Lebron is neither of those two things (at least not yet). At the ripe age of 31, Lebron still has many more years to come barring any injury and it doesn't look like he's slowing down any time soon. Whether or not you agree with how he handled The Decision in 2010, needless to say he made his time in Miami worth it by winning back-to-back Championships with the team. He kept players like D-Wade and Chris Bosh relevant. He's now a three time NBA champion, three time NBA Finals MVP, and four time League MVP. He has become the All-Time leader in assists and scoring for the Cavs (and still going). Lebron has accomplished many feats before the age of 30 that have set him apart as one of the greatest players of all time. While his trophy case can still be added to, what he has accomplished so quickly and early in his career is a sign of greatness that cannot be ignored. Aside from all that, Lebron has gained greatness in the League not just for his awards and Titles, but for his ferocious play and physical abilities. I consider him one of the best all-around players the League has seen in a while and while his defensive abilities have come into question time and time again throughout his career he has shown he can play D (see most recent Game 7 block basically saving the game). All in all I cannot see how Lebron James is not part of any Top list of All-Time greats of the NBA.

5. Magic Johnson

What can I say, Magic is a player that is undoubtedly one the most "magical" players of all-time. He almost single-handedly created a new style of play with no-look passes, trick plays, and amazing shots only seen if you watched the Globetrotters play. Most of his records are related to assists. He has the highest career assists per game than any player of all-time. He has the most assists in an NBA All-Start game (22), Playoff game (24) and Finals game (21). Probably explains why he led the NBA in assists four times between 1983 and 1987. Not to mention his five NBA titles, 3 League MVPs, and 3 Finals MVPs to round out the trophy case. Some even claim he was the innovator of the style of play called "Showtime". Needless to say, Magic pioneered a new era in the game of basketball and made way for many of the styles of play that you see in the League today.


So there you have it. My Top 5 Greatest NBA Players of All-Time. Can't say that I agree with everything I said but at least you've got something to go off of as far as who I feel can be considered the GOAT of the NBA.


-R.N.N.
@ryannnelson87 on Twitter