Part of being a sports geek revolves around debate. It’s fun arguing with someone about which teams or players are better than the other.
Last week during the Johnny Ballgame Show, the crew and myself were announcing our NBA all-time top five. There was some heavy debating going on. It’s a tough call. There are so many legendary NBA players that could arguably make this list. It’s like a Mt. Rushmore of basketball.
Many factors should come into play when making a list this geeky. Players should be measured on career statistics, longevity and championships. It’s tough for me to put anyone on my list who never won an NBA title. Another key factor to consider would be the player’s iconic status. Did he change the game? Did he make a difference or impact the sport?

Now that you know the criteria, and after much deliberation, here’s my list.

Bill Russell (1956-68, Celtics)
Eleven championships in 13 seasons and a five-time league MVP. Yeah, 11 titles. Russell was the first true superstar of the NBA. He’s the Babe Ruth of basketball and in my opinion, a must on this list. It’s not all about the numbers with Russell because other players during his era scored more points. It’s about being the best player on the most dominating team in league history. Russell was a winner, more so than any other player. He retired at 34, and probably could have played longer, but he wasn’t the type of player that was going to hang on too long. He was one of the greatest rebounders ever and was the architect of the outlet pass. Russell’s career numbers were 15.1 PPG, 22.5 REB and 4.3 APG. 
Michael Jordan (1984-93, 1995-99, 2001-03 Bulls, Wizards

Any list without Jordan is ridiculous. The biggest sports icon on planet Earth over the last 25 years is an automatic choice for me. Jordan dominated the game from the guard position in a way never seen before. He won six championships and five MVP awards. He is without question the greatest player of his era and possibly ever. In 15 seasons, Jordan piled up impressive numbers — 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG and 5.3 APG. His face is the most recognizable in the country, and his overall impact and influence on the sport tops any other. He hasn’t played a game in five years, and his signature shoes are still the top-selling sneaker on the planet. 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
(1969-89 Bucks, Lakers)
Kareem was a giant. He had the greatest mixture of athletic skills and fundamentals in hardwood history. He spoke softly and carried a big stick, as Theodore Roosevelt probably would have said. His resume however screams at you — six championships (same as Jordan), six MVP awards (more than Jordan and Russell) and a career average of 24.6 points per game (during 20 NBA seasons). He’s the league’s all-time scorer with 38,387 points. I don’t put him ahead of Russell and Jordan because his overall iconic impact on the sports wasn’t equal. His “sky-hook” was possibly the greatest signature shot of all time. He just never transcended the sport. But when you have more MVP awards than Russell and Jordan, and more points than anybody, the argument definetly presents itself.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson (1979-91, 1995-96 Lakers)
Magic was the league’s biggest superstar during the pre-Jordan era. His leadership and unselfish play-making ability is unmatched by anyone in NBA history. He won five championships during an era filled with superstars and battled Larry Bird during three epic championship series (winning two). He was just smooth and it was always so obvious to anyone watching the game that he was the smartest player on the court. Johnson was the best point guard in NBA history and a three-time league MVP. His career numbers were 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 11.2 APG.

Larry Bird (1979-92 Celtics)
“Larry Legend” rounds out my top five. Just so you know, this decision wasn’t easy. There are many different players I could put here. I went with Bird because I felt he represented each qualifying category well and is a true basketball icon. His numbers at the forward position are crazy — 24.3 PPG, 10.0 RBG and 6.3 APG. Bird did it all. He scored, distributed, rebounded and played great defense. Also, he did all of this without being an amazing athlete. He never ran the fastest or jumped the highest, but he always found a way to beat you. He was a genius on the court and won three MVP awards in consecutive seasons along with three championships. He went head-on with Magic during the greatest era of NBA basketball, the 1980s. I would feel weird leaving him off my list.

So there you have it. My all time top five. I really crunched the numbers, and I found many other deserving players. Here’s who just missed the cut: Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan and Oscar Roberston.

One more thing, in a few years Kobe Bryant and LeBron James may force another debate, too.

Listen to The Johnny Ballgame Show on 89.3 FM or www.kuoi.org each Thursday from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and Sunday from 3-5:30 p.m.

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