wh was/is the best basketball player to ever play?
601725
Well, it has to be Michael Jordan.  Six championships, numerous MVP awards, and he made all of his teammates on the Bulls better.  However, LeBron James is probably going to replace MJ as the best ever some day.  At 21 he is almost as good as Jordan was in his prime.  We are all witnesses ...
22431
Wilt Chamberlain:\n\nscored 100 points in a single game\nscored over seventy points on five occasions\naveraged more points per game in his career than jordan\naveraged fifty points per game one season\naveraged over 25 rebounds per game in five seasons\nlead the league in assists one season\n\nTrue Jordan was probably a better team player and he did win many more championships (which may arguably be the best indicator of a great player; but if this is true then it could be Bill Russell won eight championships) but I believe that Wilt Chamberlain is the single best, most dominant player to ever play NBA basketball.
899664
No mistake there play smart basketball win or lose still challeged the best guy right how would you know hes the best if you've never played against him do ur thing man
442675
The best ("bestest" isn't a word) basketball player is Michael Jordan.
1129122
you guys dont know your basketball..\nkobe bryant is the best basketball player ever\nthat isnt an opinion\n\nif the question is "who is the best player in the nba?" its kobe bryant without a doubt\n\ni think he overcame more than anyone in this league and loves this sport more than anyone\n\nhe practices far more than a normal human should and i think that shows\n\nstat wise .. "oh hes a ball hogger" haha .. or the fact that he wont get a mvp award \n\nis because of his team\ndont even start with me\n\nkobe bryant overcame jordans accomplishments \n\nkobe is a better player than micheal \nwanna argue? i dare you\n\nkobe is #1\n\nlebron doesnt know a thing about defensive switches and weak offensive help\nhe isnt #1 now he is way too young \nbeing #1 doesnt look upon their stats .. rookies..\n\nwade is going to hurt himself he is skillful in SOME ways but in others he is ignorant and immature \nhe'll get hurt in no time as a.i experienced\nquote me on that\n\noverall\nkobe is #1 as of now\n\ndirk nowitski is getting there\n\n#1 - kobe bryant\n#2 - steve nash\n#3 - dirk nowitski
740250
It's silly to make such comparisons anyway. If you argue that Wilt Chamberlain was the best, I'd argue that the game wasn't as developed and the league was less athletic. Also, he commonly played against much smaller centers, including Bill Russell who was only 6-9 and about 215 lbs!\n\nThe game is just different in every era.  But, if I'm going to make an argument about why I think Jordan may be the best, I suppose I'd have to start with his 6 championship rings in 8 or so years during the 90s.  Of course, you'll say something like without Pippen and Phil Jackson he never won a title, in which case i'll list his incredible stats over the years and point out that he was typically a better-than-fifty percent shooter from the field to go along with his million ppg, but then you'll point out how Chamberlain averaged over 50 ppg during one season alone!\n\nThere's really no point because it's all about context.  Jordan did things that no one else had done and he revolutionized the game.  Is he the greatest? It's an irrelevant discussion that people tend to take overboard in my opinion.
1119721
Tim Duncan\n\nHe is one of the most steady players in the league. He always plays solid defense. He is a guy to give the ball to in the clutch. He is just so fundamental in every facet of his game except for freethrow shooting.\n\nBut the thing that seals the deal for him being the #7 player is that he has three championship rings and he was the star on the Spurs for those three wins so you pretty much have to go with him here. I am shocked that he wasn't higher... but I guess he is getting a little old just like Shaq. Shaq would be my 8th choice eventhough he has been terrible in these NBA finals.\n\nWho will the Washington Wizards take with the 18th pick of the Unofficial Yahoo Answers NBA Mock Draft?\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvtMn1SDCfKJCaB.okG49__sy6IX?qid=20060611195758AAWvwGd
1130230
No way. its too soon to compare him to Micheal Jordan. People were doing the same thing to Kobe (people still are). The same thing to every cuacasian guy and larry bird.\n\nAlso there's no way to say who is the best basketball player of all time.
137737
To answer the question I go from the standpoint of who would I draft if I had either Pick 1,2,3,4,5 in a fantasy draft of all players...\n\n1.  Magic Johnson - No one else offers the combination of guard play with rebounding and scoring and leadership\n\n2.  Wilt Chamberlain - Greatest Center to Play the Game - Center is a premimum position.  Changed the game because of his ability.\n\n3.  Michael Jordan - Leadership and Scoring.  I would not consider him the greatest since he competed in era of diluted talent\n\n4.  Kareem Abdul Jabbar - All time leading scorer\n\n5.  Larry Bird - Clutch Player, Amazing Scorer, Made Everyone around him better
20171
Wilton Chamberlain.\nWilt was the most dominating player of all-times. I don't think no one will ever score 100 points in a single game again. He was without a doubt the most talented tall man in the game. He played guard with the Harlem Globetrotters before he became an NBA superstar. They widen the free throw lane in hopes of diminishes his impact on offense and defense. The modern day tall players are considered outstanding if they can block shots and dunk the basketball.
880379
lamar odom.  I've always liked him since the day he came into the league.  He's in my opinion one of the top 3 most complete players in the game today.  He can literally do everything on the basketball court. shoot, rebound, dribble, pass, post up, shoot the 3, block shots, and play solid D.
184346
Wilt Chamberlain is the greatest player ever to play the game. Chamberlain set many records, including 100 points scored in a game (1962, against the New York Knicks) and 23,924 career rebounds. Dominating the game as few players in any sport ever have, Chamberlain seemed capable of scoring and rebounding at will, despite the double- and triple-teams and constant fouling tactics that opposing teams used to try to shut him down
367589
I have to agree with GISMCIERI.  Each decade has its player-of-all-time, but it's pretty hard to argue against Jordan.
593139
LeBron is the best. he is the future for the NBA. unlike all the other players that have been player for a long time. he is young and new to the NBA. he will get better and better as the years go by. He will always be #1 for the rest of his career!
170998
depends what type of player best fits into your team.are you trying to win nba or just want best player on your team.for me,it would be steve nash. guts,game and desire. he sets a model for the rest of the team.
502484
The most skilled player in the history of the NBA has to be Michael Jordan.  However the most dominant I would have to say would be the Diesel, Shaquille O'Neal.  During his prime all you had to do was throw him the ball and there was no stopping it.  He changed the way the NBA looked at the big man and generally when you talk about domination you talk about big men.  If only he learned how to shoot a free throw....
180905
michael jordan of course! he had 6 championship rings in like 8 years! as soon as he left, his team struggled. he is the perfect role model of young children as well. he did not take drugs of anything like that. whoever his high school coach was must be real pissed off right now for cutting MJ from the team. MJ came from being cut from his high school team to becoming the greatest basketball player of all time. no player in the next century of so will ever be as great a player as Michael Jordan. His vision, creativity, desire, grace, strength, will, and heart showed it all. anyone who does not at least put the Michael Jordan in the top 2 for the best basketball player to ever play the game is a disgrace to mankind!