The Greatest of the Greats

     Ranking the greatest basketball players to ever play the game is an incredibly difficult task. I was given twenty players (already selected) to do just that. Putting them in order was no easy task. While opinions on this matter vary incredibly worldwide among"experts" as well as casual sports fans, I confidently stand by my rankings of each player. Below is my thought out top 20:

1. Michael Jordan
2. Kobe Bryant
3. LeBron James
4. Oscar Robertson
5. Magic Johnson
6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
7. Bill Russell
8. Wilt Chamberlain
9. Shaquille O'Neal
10. Larry Bird
11. Hakeem Olajuwan
12. Tim Duncan
13. Julius Erving
14. Jerry West
15. John Stockton
16. Isiah Thomas
17. Moses Malone
18. Dirk Nowitzki
19. Charles Barkley
20. Karl Malone

**The list of 20 players was already given to me. Had I created my own list, I would have substituted Charles Barkley and Karl Malone for Bob Cousy and Dwyane Wade.

- Why Michael tops the list needs no explanation. Air Jordan's game has and will continue to withstand the test of time. He has done more for the game of basketball than anyone has come close to. Yes, his shoes will probably still be the greatest for decades to come.











From the Top to the Bottom:




- Being recognized as the 20th best player ever to play the game is nothing to be ashamed of. Why, however, is Karl Malone at the bottom of my list? Well, there are two reasons for that. First, he, like Barley, lacks the bling bling. He is ringless. Second, short-shorted Stockton made him. I believe he needed the simple but still great point guard to turn him into what he became, which was an excellent professional basketball player.





From Mike to the mailman, this list of players will forever be remembered by the basketball Gods. If you'd like to contest with the order of my list, or inquire as to why each player is where they are, I would be more than happy to respond to any questions or comments.