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I watched my first NBA game 30 years ago. It was an NBA Finals match between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers.
My father and two older brothers were rabid Boston fans, and had decided that it was time to inject some Celtics green into the baby of the family, by making me watch a game taped on a Beta cassette.
However, this black sheep was having none of it, and was much more enamoured with the colourful gold and purple jerseys, versus the boring white and green ones that my siblings were attempting to make me barrack for.
I also thought I’d come across the coolest name I’d ever heard: ‘Magic‘.
A love affair was born – not just with the game, but with the Lakers – and I’ve been faithful ever since.
I’ve subsequently watched countless NBA games, and I thought I’d rank the top ten players I’ve seen play since that fateful day.
Obviously, this list will therefore not include names like Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, as I never saw them play during their careers.
Likewise, other legends of the game like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Julius ‘Dr J’ Erving are missing, primarily because their primes came just before I started watching.
These are my top ten NBA players of the past thirty years.
1. Michael Jordan
Early in his career, MJ was an athletic freak and a scoring machine, but was perceived as more of a highlight reel than a winner.
Though he always had a burning desire to win, it wasn’t until he embraced and trusted his teammates that he won a championship. And once he knew the formula for success, he never lost again (if you exclude his first comeback from baseball and his forgettable Washington Wizards tenure).
At the peak of his powers, he had no weaknesses in his game, and could dominate offensively or defensively. In fact, words simply don’t do him justice, so let’s just nominate him the greatest and move on.
2. Magic Johnson
Despite being a completely different type of player to Jordan, Magic is the closest I’ve seen to His Airness.
Magic was a winner, pure and simple. He would do whatever it took to get a victory, and his record speaks for itself. He made the NBA Finals an astonishing nine times, winning five championships, and he also took home three MVP trophies.
He could beat you in a number of different ways, and before LeBron James came onto the scene, he was the most versatile player in NBA history. However, it was his passing, basketball IQ and leadership that separate him from the rest, and earn him the number two spot on this list.
3. Larry Bird
The best shooter I’ve seen play. Period.
However, it would be a discredit to Bird to believe that was the extent of his greatness, for he was a brilliant rebounder, an excellent passer, a sneaky defender, and one of the best – if not the best – clutch players in NBA history.
Bird was unassuming and non-threatening physically. He wasn’t that fast, he wasn’t that strong, and he wasn’t very athletic. However, he was one of the smartest players to ever play the game, and strong where it counted most: mentally.
4. Tim Duncan
It would be easy to assume that Duncan rates this highly simply because of his longevity, and you’d be half right. The truth is that Duncan is rated this highly because he’s been great for a long, long time.
He’s never been a media darling, and he’s never been flashy, nor has he been controversial. He’s just been great.
Though he doesn’t quite dominate the way he did in his prime, he’s still a very good player, and was named to the All-NBA First Team in his 16th season in the league.
Yet, it’s that prime I mentioned that really sticks in my mind, for he simply dominated the league for a number of years with his smart play and fundamentals.
It wasn’t uncommon for him to drop 30 points, grab 15 rebounds, gather five assists, and block five shots in regular displays of all-round dominance.
5. LeBron James
The King cracks the top five, and frighteningly for opponents, at 28 years of age, he may only be halfway through his career, with plenty of time to keep climbing up this list.
He’s almost the perfect basketball player, with the ability to influence a game with his scoring, passing, rebounding, defence, and even just his aura.
Somewhat frustratingly, he still hasn’t quite harnessed all of his abilities and potential, but if he does, he won’t be listed this low when he finishes.
6. Kobe Bryant
Along with LeBron, Kobe is probably the most polarising player on this list.
Depending on your point of view, Kobe is either a devastating player and a winner who has five championships to his name. Or a selfish hog who wants to win, but only on his terms.
Ironically, both sets of opinions are probably right.
Yet what can’t be questioned is Kobe’s desire, and his dedication to improving.
No current player works as hard on their game as Kobe, and it’s why most of the old school players – Bird especially – absolutely love him.
Despite just finishing his 17th season, Kobe was named All NBA First Team, and finished fourth in the MVP voting, confirming his long-standing greatness.
7. Hakeem Olajuwon
‘The Dream’ is the greatest centre I ever saw play.
He had unbelievable athleticism for an individual of his height, and combined with uncanny speed and unbelievable hand/eye coordination, it was package of skills and talent that made Olajuwon one of the leading players in the NBA.
He could dominate in any number of ways, as evidenced by the fact he is one of just four players to have recorded a ‘quadruple double’ (double figures in four statistical categories), when he had 40 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists and 11 blocks in a 1990 game.
He also went within one assist of achieving the feat a few weeks earlier.
That is simply mind-blowing.
8. Shaquille O’Neal
A physical force of nature, Shaq just couldn’t be contained. There was simply nothing you could do to stop this behemoth.
Though he was a notoriously bad free throw shooter, even that didn’t prevent him from winning four championships, an MVP trophy, and breaking a number of backboards.
He was unstoppable, and if he ever truly dedicated himself, he could have been much higher on this list.
9. Kevin McHale
Some younger readers may find this inclusion surprising, and think “Really? The Houston Rockets coach was good?”.
He wasn’t good. He was great.
McHale was one of the most unstoppable low post players in NBA history. In fact, considering his footwork and arsenal of moves, I think he might be the best.
He was also a fantastic shooter, and sublime defender: he could match-up against almost any player, and his long arms made him a great shot-blocker.
McHale, in my opinion, trails only Tim Duncan on the all-time list of power forwards.
Many people would assume Charles Barkley and Karl Malone would be ranked ahead of him, but McHale was a much better defender than both, and a much better low post threat. Throw in his three championships, and honestly, it’s not even close.
10. Scottie Pippen
Pippen is the most underrated superstar of the last 30 years. It’s criminal how underappreciated he is, mainly because he had the ‘misfortune’ of playing alongside Michael Jordan for the majority of his career.
MJ casts a large shadow. It is one that eclipses the ability to judge Pippen on his merits. Yet they are merits that are actually phenomenal.
For starters, Pippen is probably the best defender I’ve ever seen. Considering defence is 50% of the game, that alone should have him highly ranked. However, he was also a versatile and dangerous offensive player, and one of the first ‘point-forwards’ in the league.
And just to put the myth to bed that he simply rode Jordan’s coat tails, in the 1993-94 season, after MJ had retired, Pippen averaged 22 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and one block per game.
He was named to the All-NBA First Team, and finished third in MVP voting, with the Bulls winning 55 games, only two fewer than the previous season.
Pippen was great with, and without, Jordan.
Honourable mentions: Dirk Nowitzki, Charles Barkley, Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson and Isiah Thomas.
I’ve left some seriously talented players off this list, and the Honourable Mentions, so let the debates begin…