Since PurpleHaze listed his top 30 players of all time, I decided to list mine. I also expanded to the top 40 in order to mention some that I think deserve mentioniing. My list pertains only to the NBA, and feel free to nit pic. The hardest part was putting them in order. I've listed a couple of career offensive stats, but took how well the player played defense into consideration when putting them in order. I also took how well they made those around them better, into consideration. I omitted the blocked shot stat since they didn't keep that stat when some of them played.
1. Oscar Robertson: PG, 6'5". Played 14 seasons. 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG. Oscar was also a very good defender. Wasn't much he couldn't do.
2. Wilt Chamberlain: C, 7'1". Played 14 seasons. 30.1 PPG, 22.9 RPG, 4.4 APG. Wilt led the league in assists one year. He averaged 50 PPG one year.
3. Michael Jordan: SG, 6'6". Played 15 seasons. 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG. Jordan refused to lose. One of the most clutch players I've ever seen.
4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: C, 7'2". Played 20 seasons. 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG. His sky hook was virtually unstoppable. All time points leader.
5. Jerry West: PG, 6'2". Played 14 seasons. 27.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 6.7 APG. Just a great all around player who could do it all.
6. Kobe Bryant: SG, 6'6". Played 18 seasons. 25.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.8 APG. If Kobe had been a bit more of a total team player, he'd be higher.
7. Elgin Baylor: SF/SG, 6'5". Played 14 seasons. 27.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 4.3 APG. Great player! Great rebounder for his size.
8. Hakeem Olajuwon: C, 6'10". Played 18 seasons. 21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.5 APG. Great offensive player. Even greater defensive player.
9. Bill Russell: C, 6'10". Played 13 seasons. 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG. May be greatest defensive player of all time. Terrific shotblocker.
10. Magic Johnson: PG, 6'8". Played 13 seasons. 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG. The word magic says it all. He had eye's in the back of his head.
11. Larry Bird: PF, 6'9". Played 13 seasons. 24.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 6.8 APG. Great passer, great shooter, and underrated defender.
12. LeBron James: SF, 6'8", Played 11 seasons. 27.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 6.9 APG. Should be higher, and may end up top 3 by the end of his career.
13. Julius Erving: SF, 6'6". Played 11 NBA seasons. 22.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.9 APG. Played his first 5 , and best seasons in the ABA. Not included here.
14. George Gervin: SG/SF, 6'7". Played 10 seasons. 26.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG. He was known as the Ice Man. Had a great baseline fall away.
15. Bob Pettit: PF, 6'9". Played 10 seasons. 26.4 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 3.0 APG. Tenacious rebounder. Best turn around jump shot I ever saw.
16. Pete Maravich: SG, 6'5". Played 10 seasons. 24.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.4 APG. Was Magic before Magic. Nothing he couldn't do with the ball.
17. Charles Barkley: PF, 6'5". Played 16 seasons. 22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG. Despite being undersized, he was unstoppable. Terrific rebounder.
18. Rick Barry: SF, 6'7". Played 10 NBA seasons. 23.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.1 APG. Terrific passer and shooter. Underrated defender.
19. Clyde Drexler: SF/SG, 6'7". Played 15 seasons. 20.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.6 APG. Known as Clyde the Glide. He made it look easy.
20. David Robinson: C, 7'1". Played 14 seasons. 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.5 APG. Known as the Admiral. One of the best defenders of all time.
21. Tim Duncan: PF, 6'11". Played 17 seasons. 19.9 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 3.1 APG. Mr. Fundamental. Could be the best PF of all time.
22. John Havlicek: SF, 6'6". Played 16 seasons. 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG. He was the heart and soul of those great Celtic teams.
23. Shaquille O'Neal: C, 7'2". Played 19 seasons. 23.7 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.5 APG. Great player, but he could have been better.
24. Karl Malone: PF, 6'10". Played 19 seasons. 25.0 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.6 APG. Also in running as the greatest PF of all time. Sadly, no championships.
25. Alex English: SF, 6.7". Played 15 seasons. 21.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.6 APG. Very smooth player who made the game look easy. He was a quiet scorer.
26. Bob Lanier: C, 6'11". Played 14 seasons. 20.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.1 APG. Good passer for a big man. Great physical low post player.
27. Andrian Dantley: PF/SF, 6'6". Played 15 seasons. 24.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.0 APG. Another undersized player that was unstoppable at the basket.
28. John Stockton: PG, 6'1". Played 19 seasons. 13.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 10.5 APG. All time assists leader. One of the toughest PG's to ever play the game.
29. Dominique Wilkins: SF, 6'7". Played 15 seasons. 24.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.5 APG. Great athlete! Some thought he could fly.
30. Kevin Garnett: PF, 6'11". Played 19 seasons. 18.6 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 3.9 APG. Fiery player who didn't tip my son when he delivered his Pizza.
31. Walt Bellamy: C, 6'11". Played 14 seasons. 20.1 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 2.4 APG. Another great low post player. Great rebounder and defender.
32. Walt Frazier: SG, 6'4". Played 13 seasons. 18.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.1 APG. Terrific passer and scorer. Better player than a announcer.
33. Isiah Thomas: PG, 6'1". Played 13 seasons. 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG. Great playmaker. He could get anywhere he wanted on the floor.
34. Dave Cowens: C, 6'9". Played 11 seasons. 17.6 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG. Very physical player who could bang with the best. Great rebounder.
35. Bob Cousy: PG, 6'1". Played 14 seasons. 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5 APG. He defined the position of PG. He was Magic before Magic. Great shooter.
36. Steve Nash: PG, 6'3". Played 18 seasons. 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG. Will go down as one of the greatest PG's of all time. Underrated scorer.
37. Elvin Hayes: PF, 6'9". Played 16 seasons. 21.0 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.8 APG. If a better passer, he would have been ranked higher
38. Bob McAdoo: PF, 6'9". Played 14 seasons. 22.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.3 APG. Good all around player. Never quite a superstar, but close.
39. Moses Malone: C, 6'10". Played 19 seasons. 20.1 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.4 APG. Should probably be ranked higher. But was never a good passer.
40.Kevin Durant: SF, 6'10". Played 7 seasons. 27.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.5 APG. Will probably end up top ten by career's end. On his way up.
So there's my top 40. There were quite a few that I struggled with that didn't make the list, and I'm sure some of you would have included them. Such as Dirk Nowitzki, Willis Reed, Patrick Ewing, Tiny Archibald, or perhaps Scottie Pippen. It was all I could do to keep myself from including Lenny Wilkins, who played for my St. Louis Hawks, and is one of the great PG's of all time.