10. Dennis Rodman
Rodman was one of the greatest rebounders of all time. In his 14-year career, Rodman won seven consecutive rebounding titles, from the 1991-1992 season through the 1997-1998 season. He also won five championships in his career, with three of them on the Chicago Bulls and two of them on the Pistons.
He had career averages of 7.3 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, along with a very good 52.1 percent from the field.
He was also one of the best defensive players, as he won back to back Defensive Player of the Year Award in the 1989-1990 and 1990-1991 seasons. He was also selected to eight All-NBA defensive teams, with seven of the selections as a member of the first team. He also made two All-Star teams and two All-NBA teams, both were on the third team.
9. Dirk Nowitzki
As a big man, Dirk is one of the two greatest shooters, along with Larry Bird. He has career averages of 22.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.9 steals, and one block. He also shoots a solid 47.1 percent from the field, 38 percent from the three-point line, and a fantastic 87 percent from the free-throw line.
Dirk is also the only European player to have won an MVP award, as he led the Mavericks to a 67 wins in the 2006-2007 season. He has been selected to seven All Star teams, and he has been selected to eight All-NBA teams, with three of them as a first-team member.
He also still has a few very good seasons left, as he is only 30-years old. However, he has never won a ring, as he couldn't lead the Mavs to a championship against the Heat in the Finals, as they blew a 2-0 lead.
8. Dave Debusschere
Debusschere was one of the first great power forwards in the NBA. He had career averages of 16.1 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists. He also shot 43.2 percent from the field and 69.9 percent from the free-throw line. He was selected to eight All Star teams in his 12-year career.
He was also selected to one All-NBA team as a member of the second team. However, he was one of his era's best defensive players, as he was selected to six All-NBA Defensive teams, with all of the selections on the first team. Finally, he helped the Knicks win two championships in the 1970s.
7. Charles Barkley "Sir Charles"
Barkley is the best rebounder of all time for his height. In his career, he had averages of 22.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, four assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.8 blocks. He also shot a tremendous 54.1 percent from the field and 73.5 percent from the free-throw line. He was selected to 11 All Star teams.
He was also selected to 11 All-NBA teams, with five of the selections as a member of the first team. He won an All-Star Game MVP, and more importantly, an MVP Award in the 1992-1993 season as a member of the Phoenix Suns. However, he could never lead his team to a championship, for in his only Finals appearance, his Suns lost to the Bulls.
6. Kevin McHale
McHale was a key member of the three championship Celtics teams in the 1980s. He had career averages 18 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.7 blocks. He also shot an amazing 55.4 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line. He also won two Six Man of the Year Awards in 1984 and 1985.
27 comments Last one added 8 months ago — Leave a Comment
Steven Jarjees 9 months ago
This is a great list. Although I would put Barkley a little higher.
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Gerry Kelly 9 months ago
I like this one.....love the fact that you have Rodman in on the list. I loved watching him, and the way he attacked the boards, played defense and got inside someone's head was different class. Delighted where you have Barkley and Malone too.....Never a nowitzki fan though, if you ask me, i'd take a Charles Oakley over him any day....
GK
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darrell jones 9 months ago
First, dirk is not on this list. Malone and Mchale should be 3 and 4. Malone not a winner? You can't fault him for that because Jordan stopped everyone in that era from winning a ring (except the rockets and Jordan was out).
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Mark Brown 9 months ago
Garnett should be on this list, but he is too high. Maybe at number 5 or 6.
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Justin Lowder 9 months ago
Charles Barkley should be higher.
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Marcel Mansour 9 months ago
Justin, while Barkley was amazing. You do think he should be ahead of on my list. He never won a ring which kills him when you want to put him into the top 3.
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Marlon Oram 9 months ago
Good list, but I think Barkley should have been ahead of McHale and I think Bob Pettit should be ahead of Kevin Garnett right now. I wouldn't put KG already ahead of him until he has a few more very good seasons.
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Rodge Correa 9 months ago
Great article, but I agree with a lot of people when they write Barkely should be higher. And os hould Malone. Great piece!
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Ben Thomason 9 months ago
Amare Stoudemire will soon break into this list. Although I feel he is better than Dirk. However he hasn't won MVP, yet!
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Brittni O'Ryan 9 months ago
No he's not! lol Dirks the man!
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Marcel Mansour 9 months ago
Ben, Amare has a good chance to make the list. However, he needs to have 4-5 really good seasons with All Star appearances and All NBA selections to make it. He probably will though.
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Brad Ryan 9 months ago
Karl Malone number 5. What? He has multiple MVP's for a reason.
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J. Michael Morris 9 months ago
Karl Malone's stats and awards were a product of John Stockon's passes. As the article said, he was neither a winner or a clutch player.
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Ari Horing 9 months ago
THe only reason Karl malone isn't a winner is because of a guy named Michael Jordan. Garnett may have a title but he is no winner. He need Ray Allen and Paul Pierce to carry him to the title.
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Micah Green 9 months ago
How strange...Garnett has a ring and is not a winner? I must ponder this. =P
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Ari Horing 9 months ago
Dude Garnett has been a choker for years. He doesn't show up in big games. Wonder why he didn't win Finals MVP. Just because you win a title doesn't make you a winner. It's how you win it.
Paul Pierce is a winner
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Michael Cline 9 months ago
Great article. I agree with a lot of your commenters that Barkley should be higher and I'd also like to add that Rodman is deserving of a top 5 in my book.
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Marcel Mansour 9 months ago
You are completely right J. Michael. Malone was blessed to have Stockton giving him all of those great passes that put him in perfect ability to score. He would've just been a good player had it not been for Stockton being his point guard.
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Brett Fulmore 9 months ago
It's strange that people want Malone to slide down the list on the basis that he "never won anything", and at the same time they want Barkley ranked higher, considering that Sir Charles had even less team success than the Mailman and has less impressive numbers in almost every category.
I think a players public persona can affect these lists quite a bit.
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Raven 9 months ago
Where would you rank Elgin Baylor????
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robert stevenson 9 months ago
Elgin Baylor was six foot five and a wing, although his stats were good enough to shame any player today. 62-63 season 34 ppg, 14.3 rpg. Career 27 ppg and 13.5 rpg. Wow!.
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Marcel Mansour 9 months ago
Raven, Baylor is number three on my all time small forward list. He was amazing and also extremely underrated as very few people talk about him today despite his great stats.
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Dave Morrison 9 months ago
Great article, but I agree with Steven, Barkley should be higher.
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Dave Morrison 9 months ago
Great article, but I agree with Steven, Barkley should be higher.
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Dave Morrison 9 months ago
Great article, but I agree with Steven, Barkley should be higher.
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BabyTate 9 months ago
Another good job. You did good research and defend your positions well. It is your ranking so you can put them anyway you wish, however, I feel you wrote a very reasoned article. Proud to read it.
I would rate Bob Pettit as #1. In my view, having followed the NBA for 60 years, Bob Pettit is the greatest basketball player I've ever seen, and I would rate him with Russell and Mikan as the 3 most important NBA players of all time.
Like I commented on your All Time Center article, you must be aware that very view readers on the Bleacher Report will have seen some of the players you've listed. It will take skill to demonstrate to those less aware than yourself that you are making the correct choices.
Congratulations on a terrific article.
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Brian Ross 8 months ago
Malone is number 1 on this list........PERIOD! Remember we are talking about players and positions here and not teams. Malone is the most consistent and durable player the league has ever had. Do i have to remind everyone that Malone was still averaging over 20 pts a game when he was 39 years old and Stockton was playing fewer minutes. Do i have to remind you that when he was with the Lakers for one year that he was the only player in the playoffs that year who put up 20 pts in one half???? Not a winner, give me a break, the man played in more playoff games than almost anyone in the history of the game, of course you're going to have some off nights, even in playoff games. Oh, and by the way, if it weren't for TWO REALLY BAD CALLS in game 6 in the 98 finals, Malone and Stockton might have a ring! Too bad instant replay wasn't implemented until after that because game 7 that year was in UTAH.
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