You could make an argument for Bird or Magic, part of the best individual rivalry the sport has ever seen. Or you could make a case for Wilt Chamberlain, with the greatest individual statistics that the sport has ever seen. Or maybe you can make a case for Bill Russell, who has all of those championship rings.
But in my opinion, any list like this starts with one name: Michael Jordan.
We know the numbers. His 30.1 PPG average is the best all-time. He was a solid rebounder for a guard, and though he put up a lot of shots, he was a good passer and averaged more than 5 assists per game. But that doesn't tell much of the story of his career.
He was also a great defensive player. Nine times in his career he was on the NBA All-Defense First Team. For his career he averaged 2.3 steals per game, which is 5th all-time. He was quick, in the right position at all times, and made the plays.
As I wrote many months ago, Jordan shot nearly 50% from the field, which is a good number for someone that took as many shots as he did. He was never a great 3-point shooter, but he was solid. Best of all, he shot over 80% from the FT line over his career, and he got there more than most people that have ever played the game.
And the titles, 6 of them to be exact (to go along with the 6 Finals MVP Awards). He always played better in the playoffs, which is evident in the stats. All of his numbers went up in the postseason, especially the scoring, where he averaged over 33 points a game. And when it came down to the end of the game, well, I'm not sure there was anyone better ever than Michael Jordan.
For all of these reasons and more, I believe MJ is the best player to ever play in the NBA.
I'll leave with one of my favorite videos, Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Jazz, with MJ nailing the final shot, which, at the time, was thought to be the final shot of his career.
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