The NBA is the ultimate level of basketball competition, and as a result has seen it's fair share of great players - and of course, the not so great players. This article will be ranking the top 25 players ever to play in the NBA. Some results may surprise you, some may not. Without any further ado, let the rankings begin.

Honourable Mentions: Moses Malone, LeBron James, Artis Gilmore, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Kevin McHale, Isiah Thomas, Elvin Hayes

25. Walt Frazier

Career: 18.9 PPG - 5.9 RPG - 6.1 APG
4x All NBA First Team
2x NBA Champion

Walt "Clyde Frazier" is one of the greatest perimeter defenders of all time, and one of the best at stealing the ball. He was known to make surprise steals when the offensive player was least expecting it, and managed 1.9 SPG for his career (A stat that was only recorded in the second half of his career). He retired the Knicks all-time leader in most statistical categories, including; Points, Assists, Games Played, Minutes Played and Field Goals made - he still holds the record for assists. Frazier also won 2 NBA titles with the Knicks during the early 70s - and had one of the greatest clutch performances in NBA Finals history with his 36 Point, 19 Assist and 7 Rebound effort in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals.

24. Gary Payton

Career: 16.3 PPG - 3.9 RPG - 6.7 APG

2x All NBA First Team

1x NBA Champion

1x NBA Defensive Player of The Year

Gary Payton was nicknamed 'The Glove' for his tenacious defense. The only Point Guard to win the Defensive Player of The Year Award, Payton was named to an NBA Record 9 All-Defensive First Teams, did a fantastic job on Michael Jordan during the 1996 Finals and was reffered to as "Probably as complete a guard as there was" by Gail Goodrich. Payton's career stats reflect this high praise, as he's the only player in NBA History to reach 20,000 Points, 5,000 Rebounds, 8,000 Assists and 2,000 Steals. Also one of the toughest players of all-time, Payton only missed 25 games - most of them due to suspensions. He finally won a championship in 2006 with the Miami Heat, in a season where he was counted upon to make a lot of clutch shots.

23. John Stockton

Career: 13.1 PPG - 2.7 RPG - 10.5 APG

2x All NBA First Team

The NBA's all-time leader in assists and steals, John Stockton was a great shooter, a tough nosed defensive player and is widely regarded as one of the best pure passers of all time. Stockton made up one half of the famous Stockton-Malone duo that made the Utah Jazz such a dominant team during the 1990s, and he is one of the greatest NBA players to never win a ring. He was also consistent throughout his career, still averaging 13 Points and 8 Assists with 2 Steals per game and shooting 52% at age 39. Stockton averaged an NBA-best 14.5 APG in 1990, and has had over 1000 Assists in a season 7 times. Stockton only missed 22 games in his career, 18 of them all coming in the same season. Perhaps the only flaw in Stockton's game was his dress sense.

22. Nate Thurmond

Career: 15.0 PPG - 15.0 RPG - 2.7 APG

Nate "The Great" Thurmond is easily the best player never to be named to an All-NBA Team - mainly due to the competitiveness of the era he played in, and also due to the fact there was no All-NBA Third Team when he played. Thurmond was named to the All Defensive First Team twice, and was a great defensive player who could did a strong job on marquee centers such as Wilt Chamberlain - he averaged 2.1 BPG in his career, despite the fact they didn't start recording blocks until he was 32 years old. Thurmond was also a fantastic passer and could set up his teammates aswell, averaging a career high 4.2 APG in 1968. Thurmond was also a great rebounder, averaging a spectacular 15 RPG for his career and had 22 RPG in 1968.

21. Patrick Ewing

Career: 21.0 PPG - 9.8 RPG - 1.9 APG

1x All NBA First Team

Although Patrick Ewing never managed to win a title, he still made the Knicks contenders and even lead them to The Finals once. His best season in 1990 when he averaged 29 PPG, 11 RPG and 4 BPG - named to the All-NBA First Team. Ewing was a fantastic post player and one of the greatest bigmen shooters of all-time. Ewing was also a great defensive player, averaging 2.4 BPG for his career and atleast 3 BPG 5 times in his career, and he also holds the records for the most blocks in a 7 game NBA Finals series with 30 (5 BPG). Ewing leads the Knicks in Rebounds, and also broke Clyde Frazier's records for Games Played, Minutes Played and Points.

20. Scottie Pippen

Career: 16.1 PPG - 6.4 RPG - 5.2 APG

3x All NBA First Team

6x NBA Champion

Scottie Pippen is known for being Jordan's sidekick, but he was a complete player and a star in his own right. Pippen was one of the greatest perimeter defenders the NBA has ever seen, and was named to the All Defensive First Team 8 times. He was known as one of the most versatile and complete players of all-time; he was an excellent facilitator, very athletic, a strong clutch performer, a triple double machine and developed a reliable 3 point shot towards the end of his career. After Jordan's first retirement in 1994, Pippen averaged 22 PPG, 9 RPG and 6 APG, lead the Bulls to 55 Wins and finished 3rd in MVP Voting.

19. Charles Barkley

Career: 22.1 PPG - 11.7 RPG - 3.9 APG

5x All NBA First Team

1x NBA Most Valuable Player

Charles Barkley is probably the most unique NBA player of all time. Stood at 6"6 (Barely) and weighing 252 lbs, Barkley was shorter than all of his competition, but used his wide frame, extreme desire and athleticism to become one of the greatest rebounders in NBA History. Barkley was also a good facilitator, and could run an offense well - averaging 3.9 APG for his career and had a career high 5.1 APG in 1993. Another all-time great who never won a ring, he lead the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals in 1993, however they fell to the Chicago Bulls in 6 games. Barkley was a colourful character however very few have matched his passion for the game, which was part of what made him so great.

18. David Robinson

Career: 21.1 PPG - 10.6 RPG - 2.5 APG

4x All NBA First Team

1x NBA Most Valuable Player

1x NBA Defensive Player of The Year

2x NBA Champion

David Robinson made an immediate impact in the NBA, helping San Antonio to a 35 game improvement from the year before and winning Rookie of the Year with one of the greatest rookie seasons in recent memory. David Robinson was an great offensive player, shooting 52% for his career and even having a 71 point game in 1994. He was also an underrated passer. On defense he was just as good, averaging 3 Blocks per Game for his career, and using his tremendous athleticism to have a season with 2.3 SPG and 4.5 BPG - defensive stats that are typically unheard of. While Robinson did have a fairly short prime (Probably his biggest fault), in the twilight of his career he teamed up with Tim Duncan and helped lead the Spurs to 2 NBA titles and finished his great career gracefully.

17. John Havlicek

Career: 20.8 PPG - 6.3 RPG - 4.8 APG

4x All NBA First Team

8x NBA Champion

John Havlicek is often forgotten when talking about the greatest NBA players, but no doubt he is up there. 'Hondo' was probably one of the best conditioned athletes in NBA History, he had extreme stamina and never stopped moving, making it nearly impossible for opponents to keep up with him. He's one of the winningest players in the history of the NBA too, winning 8 titles and being named Finals MVP in 1974. Hondo was a very complete player; he could rebound, defend, shoot, and he was one of the very first swingmen who could run an offense, averaging just under 5 assists for his career. One of his strong points was also his longevity, he played 16 years in the NBA and was a consistent threat throughout.

16. Kevin Garnett

Career: 19.5 PPG - 10.7 RPG - 4.1 APG

4x All NBA First Team

1x NBA Most Valuable Player

1x Defensive Player of the Year

1x NBA Champion

One of most passionate players in the history of the NBA, The Big Ticket is always fired up for every game, and that energy translates on to the court. He was the face of the Timberwolves franchise for nearly a decade, and was a very versatile player. With a sweet mid-range jumpshot, exceptional athletic ability, high IQ and good instincts, Garnett could run an offense and anchor a defense. After a long career with the Minnesota Timberwolves in which he experienced little success, he was traded to the Boston Celtics and immediately changed the indentity of the franchise. They became the hard-nosed defensive minded team we know today, and he was arguably their most valuable player during the 2008 season they won the title.

15. Julius Erving

Career: 22.0 PPG - 6.7 RPG - 3.9 APG

5x All NBA First Team

1x NBA Most Valuable Player

1x NBA Champion

Dr. J took the NBA by storm in 1977, with his incredible athleticism and flashy play. Most well known for his dunks, The Doctor was more than just a high flyer; he was a capabale defender, a strong rebounder and a good playmaker. He was also a very efficient player, shooting 51% for his career. He often carried his teams deep into the playoffs, regularly making the Conference Finals and had 2 appearances in The Finals. He lost the first one, however and he was finally rewarded with a championship ring in 1983. Julius Erving was the main ambassador for the NBA during the 1970s, his confidence both on and off the court made him the perfect player to advertise the NBA, a role he excelled in. Johnny Kerr said it best; "A young Julius Erving was like Thomas Edison, he was always inventing something new every night"

14. Karl Malone

Career: 25.0 PPG - 10.1 RPG - 3.6 APG

11x All NBA First Team

2x NBA Most Valuable Player

If you look up 'Consistency' in a dictionary, chances are there won't be a picture of Karl Malone - but in a perfect world, there would be. 11 All NBA First Teams is incredible. He was still dominant at age 40. 'The Mailman' is arguably the greatest Power Forward of all time, and teamed up with John Stockton to make the Jazz contenders throughout the 90s. They ran the pick and roll to perfection, but there was much more to Malone's game than that. He was a very good passer, a skilled post-player, could hit mid-range shots, and was built like a house. Malone may have never won a ring, but his career was a great success in every other aspect, and that's why he's ranked so highly on this list.

13. Elgin Baylor

Career: 27.4 PPG - 13.5 RPG - 4.3 APG

10x All NBA First Team

Although he recieved a ring, Elgin Baylor never actually won an NBA Championship, however he is arguably the greatest to never do so. Baylor was one of the first players to ever play the game 'Above the rim', known for his high flying dunks and tremendous athleticism. Baylor holds the NBA record for points in a Finals game with 61, scored 71 points in a regular season game and even had a season averaging 38 PPG. Baylor was more than just a scorer though, he was a great rebounder (Had a career high 19.8 RPG in 1961) and was one of the first ever NBA players to embrace the role of the 'Point Forward' - paving the way for players such as LeBron James and Scottie Pippen. Unfortunately for Baylor, he was bothered by knee troubles later in his career, but in his prime he was truly dominant.

12. Oscar Robertson

Career: 25.7 PPG - 7.5 RPG - 9.5 APG

9x All NBA First Team

1x NBA Most Valuable Player

1x NBA Champion

'The Big O' is the only player to average a triple double in a season - in 1962 he averaged 31/13/11. The 6"5 Oscar Robertson is one of the greatest rebounding Guards in NBA history. He was also a prolific scorer, averaging over 30 PPG 6 times in his career. Although he never excperienced success with Cincinatti, he later was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks and joined up with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, helping lead them to the 1971 NBA Championship. Robertson is arguably the most complete player of all-time, he could score in a number of ways, he was an incredible playmaker - these talents helped him become the first ever NBA player to lead the league in Assists and Points during the same season.

11. Jerry West

Career: 27.0 PPG - 5.8 RPG - 6.7 APG

10x All NBA First Team

1x NBA Champion

One of the greatest shooters in the history of the NBA, Jerry West was a prolific scorer who most likely would've averaged 30 PPG for his career had he played during the 3pt line era. West was also a great rebounder for his size, and towards the end of his career his assist numbers skyrocketed. West was also very athletic, and a phenomenal defensive player. "Mr. Clutch" was renowned for his clutch baskets - most famously his halfcourt game tying buzzer beater in the 1970 NBA Finals, and has the "honour" of being the only player in NBA history to win the Finals MVP award on the losing team. West very nearly cracked the top 10, however despite his fantastic career, I couldn't give him the nod over these next 10 players

10. Kobe Bryant

Career: 25.3 PPG - 5.3 RPG - 4.7 APG

9x All NBA First Team

1x NBA Most Valuable Player

5x NBA Champion

Kobe Bryant is 'one of those guys', Looking at stats he doesn't measure up to many of these guys, however he has a lot of them beat in the rings category. While Kobe has been a lock for 25/5/5 every year for the past decade, you have to watch this guy play to truly appreciate his game. He's one of the greatest scorers of all time, and has very few flaws in his game. In his prime he was very athletic and a lockdown defender, as he got older he refined his footwork and became unstoppable from anywhere on the court. He's been consistenly clutch throughout his career. Kobe won his first 3 rings teamed up with Shaquille O'Neal in the early part of the 2000s, then finished off the 2000s with back-to-back titles and back-to-back Finals MVPs. He has certainly done enough to warrant this spot.

9. Tim Duncan

Career: 20.6 PPG - 11.4 RPG - 3.1 APG

9x All NBA First Team

2x NBA Most Valuable Player

4x NBA Champion

While the new players in the NBA were busy focusing on jumping high and shooting 3s, Tim Duncan was mastering the fundamentals of basketball - and looking back on his career, I think everybody's glad he did. Duncan was a fantastic post player on both offense and defense, came up big in clutch moments, and is best known for his automatic bank shot. Duncan is the only player in NBA History to be named to an All NBA and All Defensive team every year of his 13 year career, a testament to his greatness. He teamed up with Robinson to lead the Spurs to 2 NBA titles, and lead them to two more after Robinson retired and Duncan took on the role of the lone leader. Bill Russell said Tim Duncan was "One of the most efficient players of his generation" That's high praise, but praise he deserves

8. Bill Russell

Career: 15.1 PPG - 22.5 RPG - 4.3 APG

3x All NBA First Team

5x NBA Most Valuable Player

11x NBA Champion

All NBA players are competitive, some NBA players are very competitive, but only one NBA player wass Bill Russell. His "Neurotic need to win" helped him lead his Celtics to 11 NBA titles in 13 years - an NBA Record. Arguably the greatest defensive player ever, Russell revolutionised the way NBA players defended the inside. His shotblocking and rebounding are unmatched, and the man anchored the Celtics defense and was vital for that team - evidenced by his 5 MVPs and his team's abysmal record in games Russell missed. Russell was also an underated offensive player, he could score when he needed to, and he was a quality playmaker, he regularly averaged 4 APG and his outlet passes were the catalyst for the Celtics high tempo offense

7. Shaquille O'Neal

Career: 23.7 PPG - 10.9 RPG - 2.5 APG

8x All NBA First Team

1x NBA Most Valuable Player

4x NBA Champion

"The Big Diesel" is probably the most dominant player ever to play in the NBA. Standing at 7"1, weighing in at 325 lbs, Shaq was a monster. He was unstoppable in his prime, winning 2 scoring titles and leading the Lakers to 3 championships in a row during the early 2000s, and when he was traded to Miami he immediately made them competitors aswell. Shaq always had a habit of turning it up during the playoffs - his numbers increase all across the board during the post season. Shaq was also a very athletic player during his prime, and has been a great passing bigman throughout his career - perhaps the most underrated aspect of his game.

6. Hakeem Olajuwon

Career: 21.8 PPG - 11.1 RPG - 2.5 APG

6x All NBA First Team

2x NBA Defensive Player of The Year

1x NBA Most Valuable Player

2x NBA Champion

Hakeem over Shaq is a very tough decision, but I think it's the right one. Hakeem is arguably the most skilled post player ever to play in the NBA, his footwork and instincts were unmatched by any of his peers. Hakeem is the only player in NBA History to win the MVP, Defensive Player of The Year and Finals MVP awards in the same season - which he did in 1994. Hakeem's defensive abilities were also unmatched - he is the only center to rank in the top 10 for steals, and is the only player ever to record 200 steals and 200 blocks in the same season (a feat he achieved in 1989) Hakeem's signature move was his trademark 'dream shake' - a series of fakes and spin moves that were practically impossible to stop. He could also score from the offensive glass, and he had a nice face up jumpshot aswell. Hakeem Olajuwon is as complete an offensive player as we've ever seen in the NBA

5. Larry Bird

Career: 24.3 PPG - 10.0 RPG - 6.3 APG

9x All NBA First Team

3x NBA Most Valuable Player

3x NBA Champion

The top 5 is opened with Larry Legend - the greatest Small Forward and greatest Celtic in NBA History. Bird was a triple double machine, even came close to averaging in a triple double in the 1986 Finals (If you want to round up then he did average a triple double). Bird was also a strong defensive player, but his most well known trait was his shooting ability - he won the 3 point shootout 3 times and had 2 seasons shooting 50% from the field, 40% from the arc and 90% from the free throw line, and he is always mentioned with the greatest shooters in NBA History. If your team was good enough to keep up with the Celtics all game then chances are Bird would put you away in the final minutes, he was one of the most clutch players of all time. His rivalry with the next player on this list kept the NBA alive during the 80s, and was one of the main reasons for the NBA being as popular as it is today.

4. Magic Johnson

Career: 19.5 PPG - 7.2 RPG - 11.2 APG

9x All NBA First Team

3x NBA Most Valuable Player

5x NBA Champion

Earvin Magic Johnson was a one of a kind player. A "6"9 Point Guard who smiles while he humiliates you."- Magic Johnson was an efficient scorer, arguably the greatest passer in NBA history, a capable defender, a great clutch player and an NBA Champion. In his rookie season, the Point Guard started at Center during Game 7 of the NBA Finals and lead his team to victory with 42 Points, 15 Rebounds, 7 Assists and 3 Steals - one of the greatest clutch performances ever. His career was cut short due to his battle with HIV, but not before he helped lead the Lakers to 5 NBA titles, win 3 MVP Awards, revolutionise the Point Guard position, dramatically increase the overall popularity of the NBA and have one of the greatest careers in the history of the league.

3. Wilt Chamberlain

Career: 30.1 PPG - 22.9 RPG - 4.4 APG

7x All NBA First Team

4x NBA Most Valuable Player

2x NBA Champion

When you're talking about Wilt Chamberlain, there are 2 types of people. People who think he's borderline top 10 because of his ego problems and the fact he dominated during the 60s, and people who think he's easily top 3 and never gets the respect he deserves. I fit into the last group. The man was one of the most skilled low-post players of all time, he had an automatic bank shot, a great hook shot, a deadly finger roll and is probably the most athletic player we've ever seen in the NBA (Although an argument can be made for LeBron James). Wilt Chamberlain was a deadly scorer, he has the NBA record for PPG with 50.4 and once scored 100 points in a game - more than most teams can manage nowadays. Chamberlain was also a great passer (The only center to lead the league in assists) a great defender, a great rebounder, and other than his personality he had no flaws in his game.

2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Career: 24.6 PPG - 11.2 RPG - 3.6 APG

10x All NBA First Team

6x NBA Most Valuable Player

6x NBA Champion

The NBA's all time leading scorer - if Karl Malone defines consistency, then Kareem Abdul-Jabbar should define longevity. The guy took the league by storm in 1970 averaging 29/15/4 and dominated his competition at every level, winning an NBA record 6 MVP awards. Kareem's signature sky hook was virtually unblockable, and he could hit it from just about anywhere on the court at a high right (55.9% career shooter) making him all the more deadly. He was also a formidable defender, averaging 2.6 Blocks per Game for his NBA career, and had a career high 4.1 in 1976. Towards the end of his career, Kareem made the transition from Franchise Player to #2 guy, and finally he became a role player during the end of the 80s, but he remained a key piece throughout his career as evidenced by his 19 All Star Game appearances

1. Michael Jordan

Career: 30.1 PPG - 6.2 RPG - 5.2 APG

10x All NBA First Team

1x NBA Defensive Player of The Year

5x NBA Most Valuable Player

6x NBA Champion

As if there was any doubt, His Airness tops the list. There won't ever be a perfect NBA player, but Jordan is as close as we will probably ever see. Jordan was a dominant scorer, averaging 30 PPG and shooting just under 50% for his career, he could get to the rim at will, had an amazing post game, was a great mid range shooter, was unstoppable in the clutch and added a strong 3 point shot to his arsenal in the middle of his career. Jordan was also an all time great perimeter defender, he holds the honour of being named to an NBA record 9 All Defensive First teams, and won Defensive Player of the year in 1988 by averaging 3.2 SPG and 1.6 BPG. Jordan completely dominated the 90s, leading his Chicago Bulls to a title for every year he played, except one. Air Jordan was (and still is) the global icon for the NBA, and all with good reason. There are several strong candidates, but nobody can top Jordan who has rightfully earned the #1 spot on this list.

There we have it, that concludes my top 25 players. You may not agree with them, but that's your fault. I hope you had more fun reading it than I did writing it.