Mike, Mamba and Magic: Top 50 Players in NBA History Part V

Steven Almazan
10 Min Read

4. Bill Russell

Championships. If the number of championships defines who the greatest NBA player of all-time is, then Bill Russell would clearly be named the number one player.

Russell reached the NBA Finals in 13 separate seasons and won 11 out of those 13 trips, essentially allowing each of his fingers and a toe to possess a championship ring. Unfortunately, the success of a player in basketball is defined much more than championships, but Russell was able to demonstrate his excellence in those other areas as well.

Russell was an 15-time NBA All-Star and 5-time NBA Most Valuable Player, which is obviously unheard of and will most likely never be reached in this era of basketball.

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWFsL4Y8RVA

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Mr. Abdul-Jabbar has scored more points than any other player in league history, won six NBA championships and a record six regular season MVP Awards.

In college at UCLA, he played on three championship teams, and his high school team won 71 consecutive games.

Kareem  is the NBA’s all-time leader in points scored, games played, minutes played, field goals made, field goal attempts, blocked shots, defensive rebounds, and personal fouls. Let’s not forget about that smooth sky hook.

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1yVfJs6OcI

Next: Magic Man & Air Jordan

I was born and raised in Boyle Heights, CA. I am a junior at the University of Southern California with a double major in Psychology and Communication. Follow me on Twitter @scalmazan or connect with me on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenalmazan