What is a power forward in the NBA? It's an answer that has changed a lot throughout basketball and the NBA history. Whether they functioned like a second center or as a fourth shooter spreading the floor, the power forward is incredibly versatile. Many people on this list weren't playing anything near the same type of game as the person next to them. But that is the nature and beauty of the game and its evolution. Here are the 25 greatest power forwards in NBA history.
*Disclaimer* Karl Malone will not appear on this list. Despite being very good at basketball, Malone does not deserve the current attention or praise he gets from the league. My list my rules.
25. Pascal Siakam
One of a handful of current players who may move up on this list as time passes, Siakam was drafted by the Toronto Raptors back in 2016. His advancement as a player and the acquisition of Kawhi Leonard helped propel the Raptors to their 2019 title. Siakam has been the guy in Toronto since, leading the league in minutes for a couple of years for the Raptors, and still has the back half of his prime to continue to make his mark on the league.
24. Larry Nance
A lonely light in a long dark tunnel for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the pre-LeBron days, Larry Nance was a high-flying scorer with elite defense for the Phoenix Suns and Cavs across the 1980s and 1990s. Nance was a very good player on very good two-way teams. He made three trips to the All-Star Game and All-Defense teams across his career. He had the misfortune of running up against the Showtime Lakers and Jordan Bulls when his teams made it to the postseason, however.
23. LaMarcus Aldridge
Across the 2010s, LaMarcus Aldridge quietly put in the work to become one of the premier players in the NBA. Especially one of the best power forwards in the league. Across his time in Portland and San Antonio, Aldridge perfected his mid-range game. He was a bit of a victim of his time as the game evolved into exaggerated spacing, stretch bigs, and the three-point revolution. But Aldridge is one of the most underrated and efficient scorers of his time and across the history of the league.
22. Horace Grant
The idea that Michael Jordan was simply God who carried a bunch of randos to the top of the NBA world is perhaps no more apparent than when looking at Horace Grant. Grant was one of many All-Defense players on the 1990s Bulls teams and played a key role in four titles. Grant filled the proto-Draymond Green role, providing excellent defense and rebounding, adding a dash of scoring when absolutely necessary.
21. Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns is the prototypical modern NBA player. In a way that people use to both praise and criticize him. Towns has played center for most of his career, but thanks to his unique size and shooting combo ability, he's transitioned to more of a power-forward role since the arrival of Rudy Gobert. And despite questions about his toughness, ability to carry a team, and to play old-school bully ball when it's required, Towns has made good use of his talent. He's been an efficient scorer his entire career, and his size and mobility are an effective rim deterrent, too.
20. Shawn Kemp
One of the most electrifying players of his time, Shawn Kemp, is a Seattle Supersonics legend. The big man was a six-time NBA All-Star and a three-time All-NBA player. Kemp was a high flyer and could attack the basket from nearly anywhere at any time. He and Gary Payton formed a formidable duo on the early 1990s Supersonics teams. Kemp could score, rebound, and run the floor along with anyone else in the league and was just one of numerous stars who brought a ton of eyes and money into the NBA.
19. Rasheed Wallace
Rasheed Wallace was never the best at any one skill, but he was always very good at a handful of different things. What he could do, was argue with the refs and play winning basketball. Sheed was a four-time All-Star and helped lead the 2004 Detroit Pistons to the NBA Championship. While Wallace may be most known for his ejection record (29 times!) he was an efficient, effective scorer who played well on both sides of the ball and shaped the early 2000s NBA.
18. Amar'e Stoudemire
Amar'e Stoudemire was one of the great pick-and-roll players and finishers of all time. Stoudemire, Steve Nash, and Mike D'Antoni combined to create one of the league's most exciting offenses in Phoenix in the early to mid-2000s. The Seven Seconds or Less Suns pushed the pace of the game to its most extreme, with devastatingly effective results. And Stoudemire was the perfect fit. Elite scoring and mobility made him an excellent fit. Like many other great power forwards, he also struggled with injuries and could've made a very interesting pairing in New York with Carmelo Anthony. And despite that, he still has a resume that stacks up with the best of them.
17. Bobby Jones
Bobby Jones played at the tail end of the ABA and the dawn of the post-merger NBA. This was slightly unfortunate for his place in the history books, as that's not a particularly celebrated time in NBA history. Despite that, Jones was an incredible player. He was one of the most efficient scorers in the league and routinely one of its best defenders. Jones was an All-Star five times and an All-Defensive player 11 times. He was an All-ABA player in just his second year in the league and helped the 76ers to their 1983 title. Jones was one of the great players of a forgotten era.
16. Chris Webber
Chris Webber was destined for greatness as a member of Michigan's legendary Fab Five. And he was quite the NBA player as well. Five-time All-Star and All-NBA, rebounding champ, and Rookie of the Year are just some of his accolades. Webber was an incredible player, well-rounded, and destined for more years playing at the highest level before knee injuries slowed him down and eventually cut his career short. Despite that, his legacy and skill will not be forgotten.
15. Dolph Schayes
Who is Dolph Schayes, you ask? Only a certified early NBA legend. Schayes is an NBA 75th Anniversary Team member, 12-time All-Star and All-NBA, and played in the first-ever NBA All-Star Game. Schayes was an elite scorer and rebounder for the Syracuse Nationals and then for one more year after they became the Philadelphia 76ers. And Schayes' excellent play was a huge part of the Natoinals' title-winning 1954-55 campaign.
14. Kevin Love
Kevin Love is just one man in a long line of power forwards who have chosen to sacrifice their individual statistics and success for the good of their team's success. Love is one of the clearest examples of this phenomenon, Love joined LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in Cleveland after being the man in Minnesota for a long time. And on the way to their many battles (and one win!) against the Golden State Warriors, love was invaluable. He provided spacing and shooting on a team that really needed it to allow Irving and James to thrive. Love was even able to switch reasonably effectively to slow down the Warriors' offense whenever the Cavs had their most success. He will always be a Cleveland hero.
13. Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh will forever be underrated due to his decision to join Dwayne Wade and LeBron James in Miami and to take a tertiary role to their superstar status. When you play with two transcendent talents, it's hard to get the respect you deserve, especially when the opportunity to prove yourself on your own is stripped from you. Despite that, he was an All-Star 11 years in a row. Every year of his career after his sophomore season. Bosh, like many great big men, was an elite two-way player, able to fit a variety of different roles on any team he played for. His skills were incredibly complementary and helped the Heatles win two titles and earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame.
12. Pau Gasol
Without Pau Gasol, would Kobe Bryant ever have won an NBA title without being the running mate to Shaquille O'Neal? It's very possible Bryant's legacy would be remarkably different without Gasol making his way to the Lakers. Gasol burst onto the scene in the 2001-02 season with the Memphis Grizzlies, winning Rookie of the Year. Gasol was a do-it-all Swiss army knife on offense and defense, able to be efficient and effective when that was exactly what someone running the show with Bryant needed to be. He had his best years with the 2008-2010 Lakers, earning an All-Star selection three years in a row and helping LA to another NBA title.
11. Draymond Green
Draymond Green is the epitome of what a power forward can do. While he is often maligned for his “triple-single” stat lines, Green impacts all phases of the game at an elite level. He is an elite creator on the offensive end, creating space and shots for teammates with his screening and passing ability. Green is an all-time great defender with incredible basketball IQ and motor. He is the glue that holds the greatest modern NBA dynasty together. Yes, he has acquired a reputation as a bit of a nasty player and instigator. In addition to his viral moment involving him punching then-teammate Jordan Poole. But as the Warriors know, often as Green goes, the team goes, which is why he's still around and Poole is in Washington.
10. Bob Pettit
Bob Pettit was the king of the early NBA. The only knock you can attach to his greatness is who he played against. He came into the league in 1954 and played 11 years. During those 11 years, he was an All-Star and All-NBA selection every single season. He won 1954-55 Rookie of the Year, two MVP awards, led the league in rebounding one year, won the 1958 NBA Championship, the scoring title twice, and even the All-Star Game MVP Award four separate times. Pettit was a man amongst boys during his time in the NBA.
9. Kevin McHale
It was hard for anyone in the 1980s to get the attention and level of respect that Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did. Even if they were teammates. But Kevin McHale was perhaps the guy most overshadowed by his teammate Bird. McHale was a critical part of those elite Celtics teams back in the 1980s and an elite running mate to the legendary Larry Bird. He was a seven-time All-Star, two-time Sixth Man of the Year, six-time All-Defense, and a three-time NBA champion. McHale was unstoppable in the low post and an incredible scorer. He scored a then-franchise-record 56 points back in 1985.
8. Elvin Hayes
Elvin Hayes is one of the best examples of the kind of player lost to the NBA history books in the modern focus on the last 30 years of NBA basketball. Hayes was the number one overall pick in the 1968 draft and led the league in scoring his rookie year. Across 16 years in the league, he was an All-Star 12 times, All-NBA six, and All-Defense twice. The Hall of Famer led the Washington Bullets to the only title in Bullets/Wizards franchise history and owns a spot on the NBA 75th anniversary team.
7. Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis' journey is what every star on a bad team dreams of. Davis entered the league as the biggest sure thing since LeBron. And New Orleans was the lucky franchise to earn the number one spot to select him in the 2012 NBA draft. And Davis was transcendent, but the Pelicans were terrible. So Davis had a messy exit, won a ring in LA, and is doing his thing out west. The knock on Davis has always been his consistency. He can't always play up to the two-way dominance he showcases, but in fairness, very few people ever have. He is still in the inner circle all-time for power forwards easily.
6. Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman played the game with a relentlessness that no one else in the league has before or since. Like fellow all-time great Draymond Green, Rodman was known for moving to the beat of his own drum. And while the intricacies of that may never be fully known to the public despite us learning more in The Last Dance, Rodman contributed to winning basketball wherever he went. Rodman helped star on five different NBA title-winning seasons across two different franchises. He led the league in rebounds seven times and was All-Defense eight times. Rodman is an all-time hustler, defensive weapon, and X factor on numerous championship teams.
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the present and the future of NBA basketball. The Greek Freak has emerged as one of the faces of the league, no small feat given that LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant are all still playing basketball at a high level. Additionally, it's impressive considering how raw a prospect Antetokounmpo was entering the league. He was very unrefined, and the Milwaukee Bucks took a chance on a kid who didn't have a ton of high-level experience, and he only went and delivered the franchise's first title in half a century. Antetokounmpo is a two-time MVP, seven-time All-Star and All-NBA player, a DPoY winner, and even won the Most Improved Player award on his rise to greatness as well. Who knows where he'll choose to play out the rest of his prime? But wherever he is playing basketball, he will singlehandedly create a contender.
4. Kevin Garnett
Like many great power forwards, Kevin Garnett has found himself criminally underrated. Many younger fans only see him as a character on his podcast or as one of the obstacles in LeBron's way that was swept aside. And partially, that is a result of Garnett's prime overlapping with generational talents in Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. In his prime as a solo act in Minnesota, Garnett was a monster scorer and rebounder. He led the league in rebounding four years in a row and was a 15-time All-Star, 12-time All-Defense, and nine-time All-NBA selection. He owns an MVP award and a DPoY award and helped lead the Boston Celtics over the hated Los Angeles Lakers in that epic 2008 seven-game NBA Finals in 2008.
3. Dirk Nowitzki
Few players have reached cult hero status like Dirk Nowitzki did in Dallas. While most known for leading the Mavericks past the Heatles, Nowitzki's impact goes much further than the championship he won. Nowitzki was on the cutting edge of the Stretch Four revolution. The big man who could shoot was a novelty when he first entered the league, and now it's a necessity. He helped pave the way for this new generation of international stars coming to the United States. Now, players like Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounpo, and Nikola Jokic run the league. And in large part, that's thanks to his impact and stardom.
2. Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley has been a TV personality for too long. Not enough people remember him for the dominant scorer that he was. Despite his prime overlapping with Micahel Jordan's, Barkley was consistently pushing for the title of best player in the league throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. While undersized for playing at the four, “The Round Mound of Rebound” consistently around the top of rebounding and scoring leaderboards. Arguably, his lack of size helped his mobility as a scorer, as Barkley was very mobile and an efficient shooter. He led the league in two-point field goal percentage routinely and was just an incredibly well-rounded player.
1. Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan was the core of the greatest modern NBA dynasty. “The Big Fundamental” epitomized the classic power forward. Duncan was elite in the low post, elite from the mid-range, and an incredible defender. Duncan's accolades are longer than almost anyone else's in the game's history. Five NBA titles, 15 all-star, all-NBA, and all-defense, 1998 ROY, two-time MVP, and three-time finals MVP is a resume that few can match. Duncan was the heart and soul of the San Antonio Spurs for nearly two decades. And while Duncan didn't play with the flash that his fellow stars Kobe Bryant or even LeBron James did, but Duncan was dominant for just as long.
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