Basketball Tiers

All-Time Greatest NBA Players
by Spencer Keele

Tier 5

25 - Scottie Pippen

24 - Bob Cousy

23 - Charles Barkley

22 - Kevin Garnett

21 - Isiah Thomas

20 - Bob Pettit

19 - Karl Malone

18 - John Stockton
17 - Julius Erving

16 - Elgin Baylor

15 - John Havlicek

Tier 4

14 - Kobe Bryant

13 - Moses Malone

12 - Jerry West

11 - Tim Duncan

Tier 3

10 - Hakeem Olajuwon

9 - Shaquille O'neal

8 - Larry Bird

Tier 2

7 - Oscar Robertson
6 - Magic Johnson

5 - LeBron James

Tier 1

1 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

1 - Wilt Chamberlain1 - Bill Russell  
1 - Michael Jordan 

Comments - I originally had named each tier, but then I changed it because I liked it better with just the tier levels and no explanation. Tier 5 was "honorable mentions." Tier 4 was something to the effect of "on a another level from tier 5 players, but not quite on the same level as players from tiers 1-3." Tier 3 was something like "Defiantly top 10 player of all time, but defiantly not the BEST player of all time either." Tier 2 was "Almost had it! Gotta be quicker than that!" - just need(ed) a little more to get to tier 1; or better yet "Definitely one of the best, but I cannot say THE best."  And then Tier 1 was "G-O-A-T Tier - Each has a legitimate case for the best player of all time." Also, the last 4 are all listed as "1" because I refused to rank them. They all have a really good argument for the best player of all time.

I guess the best way to describe how the tiers work is how I answer the question "Is (blank) the greatest basketball player of all time?" So:
Q - "Is __________ the greatest basketball player of all time."
My answer any Tier 1 player  - "Quite possibly yes."
My answer any Tier 2 player  - "It's close, but no."
My answer any Tier 3 player  - "No. But they're right up there with the best of the best."
My answer any Tier 4 or 5 player  - "No. But they're definitely one of the greats."


(WOW-stats for tier 1)
Bill Russell (11 rings in 13 years, 2nd all time rebounds, played before blocks/steals were counted, second most MVP's all time, 5 MVP's)
Michael Jordan (Career 30 PPG, highest PER all-time, 5 MVP's)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Most points all time, 3rd most rebounds all time, most MVP's all time (6), 3rd most blocks all time)
Wilt Chamerlain (100 point game, had a season averaging 50 PPG, career average of 30 PPG, most rebounds all time, 4 MVP's)

Links
Bill Simmons has LeBron James in his top 8
Myths about Wilt Chamberlain
Kareem says Oscar Robertson was better than MJ and LeBron