Greatest NBA Players of All Time: 101-149

This is part four in a list of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. I recommend that you begin with 1-29, 30-65, and 66-100 if you haven't read those already.

Note: all stats and evaluations are through the NBA's 2024-25 season (Thunder over Pacers).

Borderline Top 100

The further we go in the rankings, the harder it becomes to confidently rank players. The difference between #1 and #50 is much larger than the difference between #101 and #150. This group will get us almost to 150, but most of these players have a reasonable case to sneak into the top 100. I've divided this tier in two, but they should all be considered pretty close to equal.

Let's do this by position.

Top 150: Point Guards, part one

Already on the list: Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Steph Curry, Chris Paul, Jerry West, John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Gary Payton, Russell Westbrook, Walt Frazier, Damian Lillard, Isiah Thomas, Bob Cousy, Luka Doncic, Chauncey Billups, Tony Parker, Tiny Archibald, Kevin Johnson, Maurice Cheeks, Tim Hardaway.

Lenny Wilkens
St. Louis Hawks, 1960-68; Seattle SuperSonics, 1968-72; Cleveland Cavaliers, 1972-74; Portland Trail Blazers, 1974-75
Point guard
17,772 points (16.5); 5,030 rebounds (4.7); 7,211 assists (6.7)
43.2% 2P, 77.4% FT, 51.1% TS
96 Wins Shares, .120 WS/48, WSHM 106.4

NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Nine-time All-Star, but never All-NBA. Two-time NBA assists leader, top 20 all-time in assists. Third-most free throws of any point guard in history. MVP runner-up in 1968.

Kyle Lowry
Memphis Grizzlies, 2007-09; Houston Rockets, 2009-12; Toronto Raptors, 2012-21; Miami Heat, 2022-24; Philadelphia 76ers, 2024-25
Point guard
16,356 points (13.9); 4,961 rebounds (4.2); 7,099 assists (6.1)
47.6% 2P, 36.8% 3P, 81.5% FT, 56.9% TS
113 Wins Shares, .147 WS/48, WSHM 127.6

Six-time All-Star, All-NBA in 2016. Starting point guard for the NBA champion Raptors in 2019. Top 20 all-time in assists.

Jrue Holiday
Philadelphia 76ers, 2009-13; New Orleans Pelicans, 2013-20; Milwaukee Bucks, 2020-23; Boston Celtics, 2023-25
Point guard
16,422 points (15.8); 4,340 rebounds (4.2); 6,440 assists (6.2)
50.3% 2P, 37.0% 3P, 78.8% FT, 54.6% TS
75 Wins Shares, .105 WS/48, WSHM 87.1

Won NBA championships with the Bucks and Celtics, and two-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. national team. Excellent defensive player, 6-time All-Defensive selection. Also renowned as a great team player: 3-time Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year. Two-time All-Star.

Kyrie Irving
Cleveland Cavaliers, 2011-17; Boston Celtics, 2017-19; Brooklyn Nets, 2019-23; Dallas Mavericks, 2023-25
Point guard
18,433 points (23.7); 3,173 rebounds (4.1); 4,364 assists (5.6)
51.4% 2P, 39.4% 3P, 88.8% FT, 58.4% TS
91 Wins Shares, .163 WS/48, WSHM 116.7

Rookie of the Year, nine-time All-Star, three times All-NBA. Starting point guard for the NBA champion Cavs in 2016.

Irving is often ranked in the top 100 at this point. He has some dazzling skills, but a pretty short career so far (779 games), only four seasons with more than 60 games. He has never been first-team All-NBA or received an MVP vote. If you're going to make the all-time top 100 and you don't have an MVP-caliber peak — not necessarily that you've won an MVP, but at least that you're a candidate — you need some serious longevity, which Kyrie doesn't have.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Oklahoma City Thunder, 2018-25
Point guard
11,294 points (24.4); 2,211 rebounds (4.8); 2,362 assists (5.1)
54.2% 2P, 35.5% 3P, 86.2% FT, 60.7% TS
60 Wins Shares, .189 WS/48, WSHM 91.5

Three seasons first-team All-NBA. 2025 NBA MVP and Finals MVP. He should probably be in the top 100 already, but as mentioned previously, I try to rank active players conservatively. I'd rather be a year or two late than get ahead of these things.

Top 150: Shooting Guards, part one

Already on the list: Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Dwyane Wade, Clyde Drexler, George Gervin, Reggie Miller, Ray Allen, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Manu Ginobili, Sidney Moncrief, Allen Iverson.

Bill Sharman
Washington Capitals, 1950-51; Boston Celtics, 1951-61
Shooting guard
12,665 points (17.8); 2,779 rebounds (3.9); 2,101 assists (3.0)
42.6% 2P, 88.3% FT, 49.7% TS
83 Wins Shares, .178 WS/48, WSHM 113.0

NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Sharman was the premier shooting guard of the 1950s. He was a good player throughout the decade, but the first truly great guards, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West, debuted in Sharman's final season. Sharman was a 42.6% shooter with mediocre rebound and assist numbers. When he retired, the Celtics improved by three games and won the next five NBA championships. Eight-time All-Star and seven years All-NBA, including four first-team selections.

Sam Jones
Boston Celtics, 1957-69
Shooting guard
15,411 points (17.7); 4,305 rebounds (4.9); 2,209 assists (2.5)
45.6% 2P, 80.3% FT, 50.3% TS
92 Wins Shares, .182 WS/48, WSHM 122.6

NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Five-time All-Star, three years All-NBA — though never first-team. Those stats do not compare well to contemporary SG Hal Greer (see below), but Jones is commonly ranked among the top 75 because he was part of 10 championship-winning teams as a member of the Bill Russell Celtics. Top-five in MVP voting twice.

Hal Greer
Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers, 1958-73
Shooting guard
21,586 points (19.2); 5,665 rebounds (5.0); 4,540 assists (4.0)
45.2% 2P, 80.1% FT, 50.6% TS
103 Wins Shares, .124 WS/48, WSHM 112.3

NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Ten-time All-Star, seven years All-NBA — though never first-team. Only received MVP votes once. Leading scorer in 76ers history.

Top 150: Small forwards, part one

Already on the list: LeBron James, Larry Bird, Kevin Durant, Julius Erving, Elgin Baylor, Rick Barry, Scottie Pippen, John Havlicek, Kawhi Leonard, Paul Pierce, Dominique Wilkins, Paul Arizin, Jimmy Butler, Paul George, Alex English, Grant Hill, Shawn Marion, Connie Hawkins, James Worthy, Billy Cunningham.

Cliff Hagan
St. Louis Hawks, 1956-66; Dallas Chaparrals, 1967-70
Small forward
14,870 points (17.7); 5,555 rebounds (6.6); 2,646 assists (3.2)
45.4% 2P, 0.0% 3P, 79.9% FT, 51.2% TS
85 Wins Shares, .170 WS/48, WSHM 113.6

Five-time All-Star, received MVP votes in four seasons. Played in four NBA Finals with the Hawks, winning a title in 1958. Remained a good player through most of the '60s.

Adrian Dantley
Buffalo Braves, 1976-77; Indiana Pacers, 1977; Los Angeles Lakers, 1977-79; Utah Jazz, 1979-86; Detroit Pistons, 1986-89; Dallas Mavericks, 1989-90; Milwaukee Bucks, 1990-91
Small forward
23,177 points (24.3); 5,455 rebounds (5.7); 2,830 assists (3.0)
54.1% 2P, 17.1% 3P, 81.8% FT, 61.7% TS
134 Wins Shares, .189 WS/48, WSHM 156.9

Six-time All-Star. Two-time NBA scoring leader. Drew a ton of fouls and led the NBA in free throws five times. Excellent box stats, but widely criticized for selfish offense and poor defense.

Chris Mullin
Golden State Warriors, 1985-97, 2000-01; Indiana Pacers, 1997-2000
Small forward
17,911 points (18.2); 4,034 rebounds (4.1); 3,450 assists (3.5)
53.3% 2P, 38.4% 3P, 86.5% FT, 59.4% TS
93 Wins Shares, .139 WS/48, WSHM 111.5

One of the best shooters of his era, led the league once in free throw percentage, another year in true shooting percentage. Injury-prone and struggled with addiction late in his career, but an iron man on the front end, twice led the league in minutes played. Member of the Dream Team, four times All-NBA.

Carmelo Anthony
Denver Nuggets, 2003-11; New York Knicks, 2011-17; Oklahoma City Thunder, 2017-18; Houston Rockets, 2018-19; Portland Trail Blazers, 2019-21; Los Angeles Lakers, 2021-22
Small forward
28,289 points (22.5); 7,808 rebounds (6.2); 3,422 assists (2.7)
47.2% 2P, 35.5% 3P, 81.4% FT, 54.3% TS
109 Wins Shares, .120 WS/48, WSHM 114.0

NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Ten-time All-Star, six years All-NBA. Third in MVP voting in 2013. Twelfth all-time in scoring. In his 19-year career, his teams won a total of four playoff series. No first-team All-NBA selections.

Top 150: Power forwards, part one

Already on the list: Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Karl Malone, Dirk Nowitzki, Charles Barkley, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bob Pettit, Dolph Schayes, Elvin Hayes, Pau Gasol, Kevin McHale, Jerry Lucas, Draymond Green, Dennis Rodman, Bobby Jones, Larry Nance, Dave DeBusschere.