Where Would LeBron James Rank Among All-Time Greats If His Career Ended Tomorrow

There is no question that LeBron James is one of the greatest players to ever lay hands on a basketball.

But what if his career ended tomorrow? Where would he rank among the all-time greats?

Here we rank Miami Heat superstar LeBron James with the best the NBA has had to offer over its illustrious history.

20. Isiah Thomas

Two-time NBA champion and 1990 Finals MVP Isiah Thomas was one of the best point guards the game has ever seen.

Thomas scored nearly 19,000 points during his career and tallied over 9,000 assists playing with the Detroit Pistons in the 1980s and early 90s.

19. Charles Barkley

Like LeBron James, the coveted Larry O'Brien Trophy has eluded Charles Barkley, who is without a doubt one of the greatest players to have never won an NBA championship.

Still though, Barkley was an MVP and 11-time All-Star during his days on the court.

18. Kevin Garnett

A 14-time All-Star with an NBA title and league MVP Award to his name, Kevin Garnett easily ranks among the best power forwards to ever play the game.

Garnett has more than 24,000 career points and over 13,000 career rebounds; he's only 36.

17. Elgin Baylor

Elgin Baylor dominated the sport in the early days of the NBA but is often overlooked since he failed to win a championship playing for the Minneapolis and eventual LA Lakers for most of his career.

A Hall of Famer, Baylor scored more than 23,000 points in his career and was an exceptional rebounder for his size at only 6'5".

16. John Havlicek

Like Bill Russell, John Havlicek helped lift the Boston Celtics to eight NBA championships in the 1960s and 70s.

Havlicek is an underrated player today despite racking up more than 26,000 points, 6,000 assists and 8,000 rebounds in his day.

15. LeBron James

The 27-year-old high school phenom is a statistical beast and the current league MVP; he has won three in the last four seasons.

James has yet to hit the 20,000 career point mark though, as he currently has 19,045 to his name. If his career ended tomorrow, players like Vince Carter and Dirk Nowitzki would have more career points than him.

An eight-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year and NBA scoring champion, LeBron James has every piece of hardware except the ring.

14. Karl Malone

Karl Malone played at a high level for a very long time, finishing his career with more than 36,000 points and nearly 15,000 rebounds; only two players in history have ever done that and Malone is one of them.

The Mailman never won a championship however, even though he was on some excellent Utah Jazz teams in the late 1980s and 90s.

13. Hakeem Olajuwon

A two-time NBA champion and two-time Finals MVP, Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon took advantage of Michael Jordan's mid-1990s retirement to win two titles with the Houston Rockets.

That isn't enough to dismiss the talented center though, as he scored nearly 27,000 points during his NBA career.

12. Oscar Robertson

The man was an NBA champion and averaged a triple-double during the 1961-62 season: 30.8 PPG, 12.5 RPG and 11.4 APG.

Robertson was an MVP once and a 12-time All-Star.

11. Moses Malone

Moses Malone won an NBA championship with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1983, but before that he was dominating on the glass with the Houston Rockets.

Malone averaged 17.6 RPG during the 1978-79 season with Houston and retired with more than 27,000 points and 16,000 rebounds in the NBA; he also played two seasons in the ABA.

10. Shaquille O'Neal

An MVP and four-time NBA champion, center Shaquille O'Neal was the anchor for the LA Lakers at the start of the new millennium as they won three consecutive titles; Shaq would win Finals MVP each time.

Shaq retired with more than 28,000 points and over 13,000 rebounds. He will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

9. Jerry West

LA Lakers legend Jerry West was so good that he won Finals MVP in 1969 despite losing the series.

The man simply known as "The Logo" could score with the best of them, and to this day he is known as one of the greatest champions the game has ever witnessed.

8. Larry Bird

Larry Bird played his entire career with the Celtics and defined the city of Boston with his stellar play on the court.

Bird could do it all: shoot, pass and rebound. He scored more than 21,000 points and racked up more than 5,000 assists during his career, finishing with three NBA titles and three MVPs.

7. Tim Duncan

A four-time NBA champion, three-time Finals MVP winner and two-time league MVP Award recipient, Spurs power forward Tim Duncan is among the Top 10 players ever to grace the NBA hardwood.

Duncan is arguably the greatest power forward of all time and his career isn't even over. He already has more than 22,000 points and 12,000 rebounds in a career that has spanned nearly two decades.

6. Kobe Bryant

Not since the days of Michael Jordan have we seen such a fierce competitor as Kobe Bryant. "The Black Mamba" has nearly amassed 30,000 points during his career and has five NBA championships to show for his efforts.

With another ring, Kobe would likely pass Magic Johnson and enter the discussion along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the greatest Laker of all-time.

5. Earvin "Magic" Johnson

Earvin Johnson, simply known as "Magic" during the 1980s, led the LA Lakers to five NBA championships in nine years.

One of the greatest and most unique passers in basketball history, Magic accumulated more than 10,000 assists during his roller coaster ride of a career.

At 6'9", Johnson was a matchup nightmare and the leader of Hollywood's Showtime Lakers.

4. Wilt Chamberlain

"Wilt the Stilt" stood seven-feet tall and used his basketball brilliance to win four MVP Awards and two NBA championships.

Chamberlain amassed more than 31,000 points during his career and racked up nearly 24,000 rebounds in all.

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

No player has ever won league MVP honors more times than six-time winner Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Abdul-Jabbar won six championships during his career and earned an incredible 19 All-Star appearances.

His famous skyhook was indefensible.

He is the greatest Laker of all time.

2. Bill Russell

Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell is arguably the game's greatest champion.

Russell won 11 NBA championships with the Boston Celtics spanning from the late 1950s to the late 1960s.

He won five league MVPs and holds the record for highest rebound per game career average in the playoffs with 24.9 RPG.

1. Michael Jordan

There is no argument. The hands-down greatest basketball player of all time is Michael Jordan. A six-time NBA champion and five-time league MVP, Jordan willed his teams to victory.

No matter the time or situation, regular season or NBA Finals, Jordan delivered. We had never seen anything like it before, and we probably never will again.

His 33.5 points per game career average in the playoffs is to this day the best in NBA history.

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