25 Best Players in the NBA and Their Greatest Highlight Play

With nothing else to rank, why not rank the 25 best players in the league while we're at it?

This time, however, we put a different spin on it. Not only do we rank the 25 best players and their accomplishments, but we also list the top highlight of their careers on top of it. With every great player, there comes that one signature play that each one of these players will be remembered by.

Whether it's a game winner, a ferocious slam or a beautiful drive, nearly every one of the players on this list has made that highlight play that not only gave their team momentum or even a win in that instance, but will be remembered as the signature play of their career whenever you bring that player's name up.

Even the youngest players on this list have made signature plays that will be remembered throughout their careers, while some of the veterans are still making plays that overshadow the highlight plays that they have made throughout their careers.

Let's stir up some controversy and drop some jaws—here are the league's 25 best players and their most memorable moments.

25. Zach Randolph

One of the NBA's most underrated players and one of its best rebounders, Zach Randolph has made a career out of using his wide frame to push taller and more athletic players out from under the rim.

He's coming off of one his most successful seasons where he averaged 20 points and a career-high 12 boards per game, (four offensive). Aside from impressive statistics, Randolph also took the charge for the Memphis Grizzlies' postseason run after the team lost Rudy Gay to a season-ending injury.

In only his third postseason, Randolph led the Grizzlies to a stunning upset over the first-seeded San Antonio Spurs and then pushed the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games in the semifinals. Randolph averaged 22 points and 11 boards during the run.

His best highlight comes by way of a game winner where he hits a difficult two-pointer over the outstretched hands of center Brendan Haywood to give the Grizzlies a one-point win.

Honorable mention: Dagger three-pointer over Duncan and the Spurs

24. Rudy Gay

In only five years time, Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay has already emerged as an up-and-coming superstar and the potential leader of a young squad that could cause some noise come postseason time.

After receiving a contract worth $80 million to stay around with Memphis, Gay provided the team with some of the best work of his career before an injury forced him to sit out the final month of the season as well as the entire postseason. Up until that point, Gay was averaging 20 points on 47 percent from the field to go along with six rebounds and three assists per contest. He was also hitting a career-high 40 percent from deep on nearly three three-point attempts per game.

Mostly known for his unbelievable hops and athletic ability, his most memorable moment came at the hands of an ugly poster over the top of Houston Rocket power forward Luis Scola and center Dikembe Mutombo.

Honorable mention: Gay hits the game winner over LeBron James and the Heat

23. Chris Bosh

Chris Bosh might have been the league's most criticized player aside from his teammate LeBron James, but he didn't let that diminish his play at all as he still managed to find a way to implement himself in an offense that was mostly centered on its two slashers in James and Dwyane Wade.

After struggling from the outset attempting to find a niche in the team's offense, Bosh eventually found his way and became one of the team's most reliable players. He stepped up in key moments during the team's postseason run including the conference finals series against the Chicago Bulls and picking up some of the slack that James left during the NBA Finals.

Bosh averaged 19 points per game on a little less than 50 percent from the field to go along with eight rebounds per contest—all career lows, but expected out of a player who is transitioning his game from first option for seven years to suddenly becoming a third scoring option.

His most memorable however came this season by way of a beautiful Dwyane Wade pass and a ferocious jam on Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes.

Honorable mention: Chris Bosh destroys Shelden Williams

22. Al Jefferson

One of the NBA's most skilled post men in the middle, Al Jefferson prides himself on being one of the league's most prolific scoring centers as well as one of its top rebounders.

Averaging as much as 23 points per game as a center and power forward, Jefferson is a dying breed of players that you don't see too much in the NBA today. He actually utilizes his footwork in the middle to score points rather than the more popular methods of not being able to score or shooting from 25 feet out.

Along with a wide frame, Jefferson is one of the more dangerous post threats in the league and is coming off of a season where he averaged 19 points per game on a little less than 50 percent shooting from the field in his first year with the Utah Jazz. He also averaged a little under 10 boards per game and a career-high two blocks.

His most memorable play came thanks to his exquisite work in the post. With surprising quickness, he works his way around Los Angeles Lakers power forward Pau Gasol along the baseline before throwing it down for the pretty reverse.

Honorable mention: Jefferson tips in the game winner against the Toronto Raptors

21. Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson may be the most overpaid player in the league next to Rashard Lewis and Gilbert Arenas, but he can at least provide some sort of support on both sides of the ball while maintaining some sort of consistency as well.

Despite shooting a career-worst 30 percent from beyond the arc this season, Johnson is still one of the league's most feared shooters from deep. He's a career 37 percent shooter from beyond the arc and has led the Atlanta Hawks in scoring since arriving to the team via sign-and-trade prior to the start of the 2005-06 season.

He has failed to match the 25 points per game that he averaged in the 2006-07 season, but he has maintained consistency and has averaged between 18 and 22 points over the past four seasons.

He's a difficult player to guard as well, as his 6'7" frame gives him a height advantage over most shooting guards. His speed also gives him an advantage over most small forwards.

Johnson is also notoriously clutch and has hit a series of game winners. Here's his best one coming against the Minnesota Timberwolves where he hit an off-balanced buzzer beater to give the Hawks the win.

Honorable mention: Johnson hits the game winner over the Charlotte Bobcats

20. Paul Pierce

Quite possibly one of the most arrogant players in the league today, it's a good thing this list isn't based on a humble and modest attitude because Paul Pierce would be tied with LeBron James for dead last.

Either way, Pierce has a right to talk with the amount of individual success he's had and the team success coming in 2008 via the Boston Celtics' first championship in over two decades. With a core that could actually be relied on surrounding him, Pierce took full advantage of all the open opportunities and the quality supporting cast by leading the Celtics to the championship, winning it and taking home NBA Finals MVP.

His game hasn't let up since then either. At 33 years old, Pierce led the team in scoring with 19 points per game while hitting a career-high 50 percent from the field. He also grabbed five rebounds, dished out three assists and shot 37 percent from deep.

Pierce has averaged as many as 27 points per game and is one of the league's deadliest when it comes to performing in the final seconds. He has hit a myriad of game winners, but we'll go with one of his most ferocious dunks as his top play. Pierce drove and slammed over two of the Toronto Raptors big men in this particular instance.

Honorable mention: Pierce hits the game winner over Dorell Wright and the Miami Heat

19. LaMarcus Aldridge

With Greg Oden sidelined yet again and now rising superstar Brandon Roy suffering serious knee injuries that could affect the rest of his career, the pressure of saving the Portland Trail Blazers franchise was put on the shoulders of LaMarcus Aldridge.

In his fifth season, Aldridge was ready for the task by saving the Blazers franchise and then some. He became the offensive leader of the team after averaging a career-high 22 points per game and even led the team to the sixth seed in the Western Conference. Aldridge also shot 50 percent from the field, and averaged a career-high nine boards per game to go along with one block per game.

Aldridge came from out of nowhere to lead the Blazers after playing Robin to Brandon Roy's Batman for the previous three seasons. LaMarcus abused teams with his exceptional work in the post, athleticism and ability to hit the mid-range shots from as far out as 20 feet. He's multi-dimensional on offense and also possesses the length and quickness necessary to defend opposing power forwards and centers.

His most memorable moment came this season with a huge alley-oop throwdown over Minnesota Timberwolves small forward Michael Beasley.

Honorable mention: LaMarcus flies one in on Erick Dampier

18. Manu Ginobili

So what if the guy is the basketball equivalent to Cristiano Ronaldo? Manu Ginobili can play like he's a Top 10-caliber player when he wants to, especially in moments when the San Antonio Spurs need him most.

Ginobili has been one of the league's top shooting guards since joining the league as a 25-year-old fresh off of stints in league play with his native Argentina and Europe. While being completely capable of being a starting shooting guard, he has mostly been utilized as the team's sixth man as a needed offensive spark. He won the 2007-08 Sixth Man of the Year award after averaging 20 points per game despite only playing 31 minutes per night.

Manu is supported on offense by his lengthy range. He's hit as many as two three-pointers per game. He has an incredible ability to explode at any given moment, and possesses a Euro-style dribbling that most American players haven't yet caught onto.

Ginobili is coming off of another strong season averaging 17 points and five rebounds per game in his first season as a starter since 2005-06, when he started in all but nine of the games that he played in.

In his most memorable highlight, Ginobili shows off some of his fast-break skills by putting the ball through Daniel Gibson's legs and finishing with the easy lay-in during the Spurs' 2007 finals win.

Honorable mention: Ginobili hits the game winner against the Milwaukee Bucks

17. Kevin Love

Don't tell Kevin Love that you need athleticism and height to be one of the league's most dominant post players. In fact, all you need is some size, the ability to throw that size around and the mentality that you can rebound over each and every player on the court.

After two productive seasons averaging 11 and nine the first season and then 14 and 11 the next, Love went berserk this past season averaging 20 points per game and leading the league in rebounds with 15. Not one player has averaged that many rebounds since Ben Wallace did so in the early 2000s, but Love was able to do so in only his third NBA season on a team that could barely reach the 20-win plateau.

Love saw most of his offensive production come by way of finishing around the basket from the near five offensive rebounds he averaged per game and off of a quality three-point shot which he shot 42 percent on an average of three attempts.

Rather than just putting one play, we decided to list Love's unbelievable 30-point and 30-rebound game against the New York Knicks as his top highlight. It was a feat that hadn't been accomplished in 28 years, last done by a player known as Moses Malone, one of the NBA's greatest post threats on offense, defense and on the boards.

Honorable mention: Kevin Love and the worst handshake ever

16. Monta Ellis

You want a player that can play for a really long time and do nothing but play on one side of the court, then look no further than Monta Ellis, who is a dream in the Golden State Warriors' system.

Since hurting himself in an embarrassing moped accident that could have cost him a lucrative deal, Ellis has been performing beyond expectations and has already become the Warriors' offensive leader at the age of 25. After averaging a career-high 26 points per game for the 2009-10 season, he matched it up well by averaging 24 points per game this most recent season.

While Ellis did attempt more shots per game last season, he has been attempting to integrate a three-point shot in his repertoire and recently attempted nearly five three-pointers per game. He nearly converted on two per contest and shot a career high 36 percent from deep. If Ellis were to add a consistent three-point game to an already volatile offensive skill set, he could win a scoring title in the next few seasons even with the likes of Stephen Curry, Dorell Wright and David Lee on his team.

When you play for the Warriors, it's completely possible.

His most memorable highlight comes by way of a huge poster over the top of center Ronny Turiaf. Keep in mind that Ellis is only 6'3" and somehow weighs 175 pounds.

Honorable mention: Monta Ellis dunks all over Leandro Barbosa

15. Russell Westbrook

In only three years time, Russell Westbrook has not only become an elite point guard, but is also attempting to make the initiative of becoming the leader of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

He should probably quit while he is ahead because the Thunder already have someone that is completely capable of leading the team.

Westbrook is coming off of a career season where he averaged highs in nearly all statistical categories. He averaged 22 points per game on 44 percent from the field to go along with eight assists and a little under five boards per contest. Westbrook still has a severe problem with turnovers, four per last season, but he makes up for it with his ability to explode just as well as any player in the league and can also consistently hit from mid-range.

He's one of the league's most prolific scorers and overall players and is only 22 years old with three years of experience under him. He's having clashes with teammate Kevin Durant on the court as he sometimes tries to do too much, but you can't blame him for having the mentality of a born leader.

His highlight play comes as a result of a poster where he dunks on renowned defender Shane Battier and the rest of the Houston Rockets franchise.

Honorable mention: Westbrook hits the pure windmill

14. Rajon Rondo

When you have a jump shot that is restricted beyond 10 feet, you better have a lot more to add if you want to become a legitimate player in the NBA.

Rajon Rondo may have the worst jump shot of any player that isn't a power forward or center, but he offers so much more to the game that it doesn't even matter. Given the gift of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in his first years, Rondo took full advantage and played to his fullest potential with the number of veterans that surrounded him.

Rondo is one of the league's best facilitators and is a key reason behind the success of the Celtics. He's extremely quick off the dribble and off pick-and-rolls and has the inside game on offense to attract defenders. Once he attracts those defenders, he has already completed his mission as he can now do whatever he wants with the options set in front of him.

His most memorable highlight comes as a result of one of his passes and ability to attract the double-team. Surrounded by three people and running out of bounds, Rondo throws the pass behind his head and miraculously places it right into the awaiting hands of Ray Allen about 15 feet away for the easy three-pointer.

Honorable mention: Rondo makes John Salmons dizzy

13. Pau Gasol

Get Chris Bosh in the Phil Jackson system because it seems as if he toughens even the most notoriously soft players.

One of those players was Pau Gasol, who was regarded as a weak-minded player and defender in his time with the Memphis Grizzlies. Since joining the Los Angeles Lakers, not only has he brought the team two titles but has greatly improved his game as well on both sides. He's become a much stronger defender and has played a huge part in the Lakers' two most recent title wins for his defense on Dwight Howard in the first and Kevin Garnett in the second.

Gasol played a huge part in the Lakers' last championship run averaging 20 points and 11 boards per game while hitting a number of key shots at dire moments.

Pau's stock took a hit after an extremely disappointing postseason, but he's still supported by the 19 points and 10 boards per game he averaged during the regular season and the fact that he was the No. 2, and sometimes No. 1, player on two championship teams in the past three seasons.

His most memorable play comes during the Lakers' 2008 finals run where the team came two games short of winning a title. In this particular instance, he spins off of one of the league's most notorious defenders in Kevin Garnett and then finishes the play off with a convincing slam.

Honorable mention: Gasol fools Darko Milicic and the Minnesota defense

12. Blake Griffin

Usually you wouldn't find rookies this high on a list of the top players in the game today.

In the curious case of Blake Griffin, we have to make an exception. After suffering a season-ending injury in the final preseason game last year, Griffin came back on a tear by devastating the NBA with his otherworldly athleticism. Ever since scoring his first points via alley-oop, Griffin has dominated the paint with his ability to finish from just about anywhere within five feet of the rim.

It's a surprising sign from someone who actually suffered a season-ending injury from landing wrong after a dunk. He still managed to play a full 82 in what was deemed as his rookie season.

Griffin led the Los Angeles Clippers in scoring with nearly 23 points per game while also averaging 12 rebounds and four assists per contest. He's not a good defender and is greatly limited on offense, as he has yet to develop a jump shot, so for now, he'll have to rely on his athleticism and ability to finish around the basket.

With a jump shot, Griffin would bear a game reminiscent of Karl Malone in his prime, who also possessed terrific skills in the post and great athleticism.

There are too many highlights to name for Griffin despite only being in the league for one year. The obvious choice, however, was his throwdown on former New York Knicks center Timofey Mozgov, where he launched from outside the paint and actually threw it down into the rim much like Dwight Howard's Superman dunk from the dunk contest.

Honorable mention: Griffin spins and wins on Danilo Gallinari

11. Amar'e Stoudemire

Amar'e Stoudemire still may be centered solely on offense, but at least we know now that it wasn't solely because of Steve Nash that was the reason for "Stat's" success.

After eight successful seasons with the Phoenix Suns where he developed his game and honed his offensive craft, Stoudemire took his talents to the New York Knicks where he suddenly became the center of the universe after bringing about some early success. Stoudemire led the Knicks to their first postseason in over a decade after averaging a near career high of 25 points per game as well as a solid eight boards and three assists per contest.

Next season will be a true test to Stoudemire as he now gets to play alongside another offensive-minded player in Carmelo Anthony. Neither player plays too much defense and they're both focused solely on offense, so it'll be a true test to Amar'e's state of mind and to his overall game if he can learn to coexist with a player that wants to score just as much as he does.

Stoudemire is extremely athletic for a player of his size at 6'10" and it shows whenever he gets the ball with little resistance in front of him. He has a number of highlight dunks with none better than the fast-break throwdown he had over former Golden State Warrior Anthony Tolliver.

Honorable mention: Stoudemire throws one down on the Kandiman

10. Deron Williams

It turns out that Deron Williams was nearly the equivalent of LeBron James when it came to supporting a franchise. After getting traded to the New Jersey Nets, not even the frontcourt of Andrei Kirilenko, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson could right the ship and bring the team back to the postseason.

Williams has been greatly responsible for the success of the Jazz as it shows by the slump that they went on once their All-Star point guard was traded.

Now with the Nets, Williams has a lot on his plate if he wants to bring the franchise back to the postseason after only winning 12 games two years prior. Deron only played 12 games with New Jersey last year and already made his impact felt with the team going on a season-long five-game winning streak.

He struggled greatly with his shot, averaging only 15 points per game on 35 percent shooting, but was a terrific facilitator by averaging 13 assists per contest and having two 18-assist games during his short time with the club. On a team with limited offensive options, Williams showed off just how well he can make some of the most offensively inept players suddenly turn into All-Stars.

Williams is considered one of the NBA's top point guards not only because of his ability to facilitate an offense, but because he is much stronger than most opposing point guards. He has a great deal of athleticism, which he shows off in his best highlight when he threw one down on Miami Heat power forward Joel Anthony.

Honorable mention: Williams goes down the lane and throws a jam over the Phoenix Suns defense

9. Carmelo Anthony

Jumping on the Big Three bandwagon, Carmelo Anthony turned an Amar'e-centered universe in New York to a Big Three between himself, Stoudemire and point guard Chauncey Billups.

Much like Stoudemire, it's going to be a test of Anthony's will to see how well he plays with another offensive-minded player. Each player is going to need to refine their games and their approach on every game if they are going to be able to coexist since neither player can take every shot.

Either way, it doesn't take away from just how talented of a player Anthony is. He is arguably the league's purest scorer and has averaged over 20 points per game since being drafted as the No. 3 pick in 2003. He has averaged as many as 29 points per contest and took the Denver Nuggets to their first conference finals in franchise history in 2009 after only winning 17 games in the year before Anthony was drafted.

Even with the possible clash on offense between himself and Stoudemire, Anthony played well in the 26 games he spent with the Knicks last season. He averaged 26 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game while connecting on a career-high 42 percent of his three-pointers.

With great offense comes great responsibility, and that leaves the pressure to hit the big shot on Anthony. Luckily for the Knicks, Anthony loves the spotlight of taking the last shot and has hit a number of game winners with arguably his best coming against the Chicago Bulls when he hit a contested jumper from 20 feet out for the game winner.

Honorable mention: Anthony steals and slams on Paul Millsap

8. Dirk Nowitzki

Fresh off of his first championship, Dirk Nowitzki has finally garnered the respect that he has deserved for so long after a decade's worth of postseason failures.

All those years of disappointment can now be forgotten as Nowitzki came up more than huge during the Dallas Mavericks' championship run. The myth of the German-born phenom not being able to show up in the clutch is now a thing of the past after witnessing just how well he played in late-game pressure situations.

Whether he was leading the Mavs back for three comebacks against the Oklahoma City Thunder or nailing clutch jumpers and layups against the Miami Heat, Nowitzki was the sole reason why the Mavs were able to take home their first championship in franchise history this past season.

It came as a surprise too since Nowitzki's numbers were at their lowest since the 2003-04 season. The 34 minutes was the lowest he's averaged in a game since his rookie season in 1998. Even with the low minutes, Nowitzki still managed to average 23 points on a career high 52 percent from the field to go along with seven rebounds and three assists per game.

There are a number of moments just from this year's postseason that you can put as his top highlight, but we'll go with his game-winning layup in Game 2 of the NBA Finals where he led the team back from a 15-point deficit in the final eight minutes to avoid a 2-0 hole.

Honorable mention: Nowitzki stuns the Utah Jazz with a game-winner

7. Kevin Durant

Does anybody remember that time when the Oklahoma City Thunder were the laughingstock of the NBA losing 29 of their first 32 games in their first season in their new location?

It was only in 2008 when that occurred and Kevin Durant has already made me forget about that. I couldn't imagine the Thunder winning fewer than 50 games in a season with the way they've played over the past two seasons.

With 22-year-old Durant leading the way, the Thunder made it to their first conference finals since they were the Seattle Sonics in 1996. The team finished with 55 wins with Durant winning his second consecutive scoring crown by averaging 28 points per game after leading the league in scoring the previous season with a 30-point average.

Durant is now considered one of the league's most prolific scorers after only four years and is supported by a jump shot that has range as far out as 30 feet. His three-point shooting was at its best this season as he netted a career-high two three-pointers per game on 35 percent shooting. While his unlimited range is a key asset, he also possesses the capability to drive thanks to his athleticism and length.

Don't judge Durant on his ability to hit big shots by the conference finals; the pressure was a little immense for him to handle, because he can hit the big shot when called upon. Take for instance his ridiculous game winner against the New York Knicks when he hit a fadeaway, contested three-pointer for the win.

Honorable mention: Durant throws one down over Brendan Haywood

6. Derrick Rose

After an MVP season, Derrick Rose rightfully gets a spot this high on the list for a number of good reasons.

Not only did he become the youngest player to take home an MVP at 22 years old, he also led the Chicago Bulls to the NBA's top record at 62-20, their first No. 1 seed since Michael Jordan's last season with the team, as well as their first trip to the conference finals since 1998. Rose was the reason for all of this success and will be the reason for any sort of future success that his team amounts to.

In only his third season at the NBA level, Rose averaged 25 points, eight assists and four boards per game. He's one of the league's most prolific point guards, as well as players, as he contains the ability to explode whenever given the chance. Even if there is resistance, Rose takes it to the basket as if it's just another highlight-reel-worthy play in the making.

He attacks the basket with finesse and power at the same time with no fear, a quality that any slasher should wish to possess.

He has also attempted to integrate a mid-range and three-point shot into his game as well. It shows a great deal of maturity from Rose to attempt to improve his game at such a young age and with such little experience under his belt. He did show improvement by hitting nearly two three-pointers per game, but he relied on it too heavily at times and it greatly hurt his team during the conference finals when Rose was reduced to a jump shooter.

As you will see from Rose's No. 1 highlight, you'll witness just how much athleticism a player of his height possesses as he shrugs off a hit from former Phoenix Suns point guard Goran Dragic to finish the slam.

Honorable mention: Rose dunks it hard on the top of Joel Anthony

5. Chris Paul

After 80 regular-season games of disappointment and underwhelming play, it only took us six postseason games to come back to our senses and realize that Chris Paul was still the best point guard in the league as well as a Top 5-caliber player.

Prior to suffering an injury that made him sit out half of the 2009-10 season, Paul produced some of the best stats seen by a point guard in years as he finished as high as second in MVP voting in only his third season after averaging 21 points, 12 assists and three steals per game. The assists and the steals averages were both league highs.

However, Paul recently struggled by only averaging 16 points, 10 assists and two steals per game this past season, his first full season in two years. He was supported by the unbelievable postseason performance where he averaged 22 points, 12 assists and seven boards per contest that was capped off by a very impressive triple-double in one of the New Orleans Hornets' few wins.

It was wrong for any of us to doubt that Paul still had it in him. He proved that he's still the same player that was nearly an MVP at 22 years old after only three seasons and he showed to us that he's still completely capable of carrying a team to victory if he had to by taking the Hornets to six games against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Paul is one of the most creative point guards in the game and his highlight play comes as a result of that. During one of his fast breaks, Paul decided to leave Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry in the dust by putting the ball through his legs and then dishing off to teammate David West for the easy slam to finish the break.

Honorable mention: Paul surprises us with a slam over Dwight Howard

4. Dwight Howard

One of the best pure centers to step on a court since Shaquille O'Neal in his prime, Dwight Howard still reigns supreme as arguably the most intimidating player in the game today due to his freakish athleticism and unmitigated strength.

To make things worse for the other 29 teams in the league, he's starting to learn how to play offense with some consistency too. Rather than just powering in the lane and throwing down a dunk over you, he can also score a running hook and a 10-foot bank shot for his points as well.

Howard is coming off of a career year with the Magic after going to Hakeem Olajuwon for some help to refine his offense. He responded by averaging a career-high 23 points on 59 percent shooting, while averaging the standard 14 rebounds and two blocks per game. He came within a few percentage points of winning his fourth consecutive rebounding crown as well as his third consecutive attempt at leading in blocks.

Dwight did manage to take home a third consecutive Defensive Player of the Year as a consolation prize, however.

He also had an unbelievable postseason despite playing in only six games and being upset by the division-rival Atlanta Hawks. Howard averaged 27 points and 16 boards per game in the few games the Magic played and proved to be the sole reason for not only the Magic's postseason, but for their success all season long.

Supported by his athleticism, Howard has made a career out of making some of the more impressive jams in the NBA since being drafted in 2004. His top play comes by way of an alley-oop game-winner over Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs.

Honorable mention: Howard goes full extension on the alley-oop against Boston

3. Kobe Bryant

Doubting Kobe Bryant is one of the last things you ever want to do. He leads the league in dreams crushed, hearts broken and franchises killed over his 15-year career and probably has no problem in leading the NBA in those categories for a few more seasons.

Even at 32 years old, playing the fewest amount of minutes since his sophomore season, and getting swept in the semifinals, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar still boasts some of the best late-game play as he continues to hit pressure shots better than any other player.

Bryant had a statistically low season last year after averaging only 25 points, five boards and a little under five assists per game. He was hampered by the finger injury that has ailed him for the past two seasons, but it didn't seem to affect his performance in the slightest as he still managed to shoot 45 percent while playing a full 82 games as well as 10 postseason contests.

Coupled with a lethal jump shot and a still-impressive slashing game, Bryant remains as one of the league's most feared players for his ability to explode at any given moment. He has the tendency to make opposing teams look foolish for having hope as well as stunning clubs with his knack for hitting shots at the worst possible time.

Case in point his No. 1 highlight. With his Lakers down 107-105 to the Miami Heat, Bryant caught the inbound pass, took it to the top of the perimeter, flung the ball—still running sideways mind you—and hit the three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Lakers the improbable win.

Honorable mention: Bryant hits the game winner against the Phoenix Suns

2. LeBron James

Why is LeBron James the most feared athlete in the game today? Because he's basically the same size as Dwight Howard, but rather than being restricted in the post, he can actually drive, slash and make jump shots from just about anywhere if he's feeling it.

Take the strongest player and give him all the physical attributes of the NBA's top center and you have James. A player that can sometimes be impossible to defend at times as well as one of the most prolific players on both sides of the ball.

Despite suffering more criticism than any athlete this side of Tiger Woods, James still performed well in his first outing as a member of the Miami Heat. His numbers dropped as expected, but they were still impressive as he led the team in scoring with nearly 27 per game as well as averaging eight rebounds and seven assists. James shared the spotlight for the first time in his career and adjusted well after appearing to struggle at the beginning of the season in finding his niche.

James also came as close as he's ever been to an NBA title by falling in six games at the hands of the champion Dallas Mavericks. LeBron struggled immensely in the finals after playing the best postseason of his career with clutch shots in all three series during the team's run in the Eastern Conference. It was an uncharacteristic performance from James who has been criticized throughout the duration of his career for not stepping up when his team needed him most.

Powered by speed, athleticism and strength, James is one of the league's most prolific finishers. His top highlight is finishing a dunk on the top of former Chicago Bulls forward James Johnson's head during the 2010 postseason.

Honorable mention: James hits the game-winner over the Orlando Magic

1. Dwyane Wade

It's a toss-up for who the top player is between the top four honestly. Others would argue Dwight Howard's influence on the Magic, Kobe Bryant's ability to hit the big shot and lead a team, or LeBron James' unquestioned athleticism would be contributing factors for each of those players to be placed at No. 1, but there aren't many players that can triumph over Dwyane Wade, who possesses all three of those attributes.

He has been carrying the Miami Heat since being drafted by them in 2003 as the fifth pick, can come up clutch better than most of the game's top players and is also supported by a surprising deal of athleticism, speed and power that you won't find in the body of every 6'4" shooting guard that's only a few seasons removed from possibly losing his career to a myriad of injuries.

Since playing consecutive 51 game seasons between 2006 and 2008, Wade has played at a level that not many players have come across in their careers. He won the scoring crown in the 2008-09 season averaging 30 points per game, and recently had another impressive season after sharing the spotlight with Chris Bosh and LeBron James. Wade averaged 26 points, six boards and a little under five assists per game with the reduced role.

Dwyane also came two games short of winning his second title and possibly his second NBA Finals MVP. With James struggling, however, the pressure put on Wade was overwhelming as he was forced to play a team that was too determined and too motivated to defeat by himself and Chris Bosh at times. Wade still averaged 25 points and seven boards per game during the team's postseason run.

As stated before, Wade can be just as deadly as any other player in the league when it comes to performing in the final minutes. His best highlight comes as a result of one of those clutch moments when he gave the Heat a 130-127 victory after a steal and an unbelievable game winner after racing down court to beat the clock.

Honorable mention: Dwyane Wade dunks all over Anderson Varejao and the Cleveland Cavaliers