Check out the previous entries in ClutchPoints' 100 greatest NBA players of all time series based on Josh Eberley's E-Rank: 100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31
We are getting close to the mountaintop with only 30 names left. This grouping boasts a modern player leading the pack, a recent Hall of Fame inductee, a trio of Finals MVP winners, and two of the best to ever do it without winning a ring.
E-Rank Insight: Managing how much of a bonus to give to players who had incredible longevity and therefore punishing great players with shorter careers may have been the toughest part of making the formula.
A question for you the reader: Knowing longevity was rewarded and that it played a significant factor in the shaping of this list, is there a point where longevity stops mattering to the discussion? Are career numbers and achievements accumulated after prime years as important to you?
Check out the gallery for players 30-21 on the list.
30. Charles Barkley 603.6 (75th Anniversary Team)
The Round Mound of Rebound may be mostly full of hypocrisy and hot air these days, but he is rightly remembered as a legend. While he didn’t win a title, his MVP came in Michael Jordan’s golden years. Charles Barkley's ability to stretch the floor as a three-level scorer at his position was damn near unprecedented. Only 20 other players in history made both 11 All-Star Games and 11 All-NBA Teams.
29. Bob Pettit 609.4 (75th Anniversary Team)
Eight top-five MVP finishes, two awards, and the last championship anybody won before Bill Russell and the boys ripped off eight straight. When Bob Pettit retired, he was the league’s all-time leading scorer. If his resume was accrued in the modern era, we may have had top-15 discussions.
28. James Harden 624.65 (75th Anniversary Team)
One of the most controversial players of the modern era. A statistical behemoth who reshaped the game through equal parts strength and shenanigans. At the peak of his powers, James Harden's numbers were so gaudy, many pondered aloud if we were watching the second-greatest shooting guard of all time. And yet, on the other side of the coin, we have seen him stumble time after time in the playoffs when his regular-season play style didn’t translate at an equivalent level in the postseason. What will the last chapter of this three-time scoring champion and former MVP hold?
27. John Stockton 626.45 (75th Anniversary Team)
Why was the critical look at longevity needed? Enter the Utah Jazz. John Stockton’s career was amazing; he played 19 seasons, he was designated All-NBA 11 different times, and his all-time assists record might be harder to surpass than LeBron James’ scoring record. And yet, he didn’t win a title (that Michael Jordan guy again) and never finished in the top five on an MVP ballot. In summation, Stockton is this high for being consistently excellent.
26. Kawhi Leonard 628.84 (75th Anniversary Team)
Kawhi Leonard offers a deep contrast to the prior two names. He has missed so much time over the course of his career, he really could've planted a million trees. His regular-season totals pale in comparison to players who didn’t even make the top-100 list. But he has been incredibly successful. He has won in multiple locker rooms, bested the absolute best the game has to offer, and his advanced stats speak to a player who had best in the world talent.
25. Dwyane Wade 631.15 (75th Anniversary Team)
In 2006, Dwyane Wade put his name on the map, exploding all over the Dallas Mavericks to steal the championship. In 2009, he reached levels in the regular season that many MVP winners have not even seen. As a member of the Heatles, he cemented his legacy as the No. 2 option on two more title teams. After that, he did in fact play in Chicago and Cleveland. People don’t forget. Injuries robbed him of an even higher resting place on this list.
24. Moses Malone 653.05 (75th Anniversary Team)
Moses Malone's 1983 Sixers aren’t mentioned enough in the GOAT team discussions. Maybe the best rebounder ever and a three-time MVP, Malone's career greatness stretched so long that he probably could’ve got into the Hall of Fame on either side of his prime. In many ways, Malone helped bridge the transition from the ABA to the NBA.
23. Chris Paul 657.8 (75th Anniversary Team)
The Point God is one of the greatest to ever do it. IQ and control have always been his weapons, with his size never holding him back. The way Chris Paul ran the offense in his prime was a thing of beauty, and he's still an effective player even at 40 years old. A tenacious defender and perhaps the most competitive player of his era, there really is no shortage of compliments he could be awarded. Making the Hall of Fame as an active player for his exploits on 2008's Redeem Team truly is an incredible feat.
22. Oscar Robertson 664.45 (75th Anniversary Team)
Before triple-doubles were part of the everyday box-score hunt, Oscar Robertson made them his calling card. Averaging a triple-double across the entire 1961-62 season, The Big O was a force of nature. A physical and versatile guard who could score, rebound, and distribute, he was a one-man offensive system. The championship alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Milwaukee validated his career legacy, but even without it, his revolutionary skill set made him one of the most complete guards the game has ever seen.
21. Nikola Jokic 670.35
Nikola Jokic has redefined assumed roles in the NBA. His style and skill set are so unique and his statistical dominance is so absurd, in real time it’s often hard to comprehend. A three-time MVP, a Finals MVP, and an NBA champion, Joker's blend of passing, scoring, and efficiency makes him one of the most analytically dominant players in history. Still in his prime, he’s already a legend; the fact that he wasn’t named to the 75th Anniversary Team is as embarrassing as it is comical.
