Basketball

All-Time Greatest Black Pro Basketball Players

NBA legends ranked by position — the definitive list

Rankings by Position

The greatest Black players in NBA history, ranked by position

Showing 23 of 23 players

Point Guard

5 players

Magic Johnson

Lakers · NBA

5× NBA champion, 3× MVP

Oscar Robertson

Royals/Bucks · NBA

The Big O, averaged triple-double for a season

Isiah Thomas

Pistons · NBA

2× NBA champion, Finals MVP

Allen Iverson

76ers · NBA

2001 MVP, 11× All-Star

Stephen Curry

Warriors · NBA

4× NBA champion, 2× MVP

Shooting Guard

4 players

Michael Jordan

Bulls · NBA

6× NBA champion, 6× Finals MVP, 5× MVP

Kobe Bryant

Lakers · NBA

5× NBA champion, 2× Finals MVP

Dwyane Wade

Heat · NBA

3× NBA champion, 2006 Finals MVP

Clyde Drexler

Blazers/Rockets · NBA

Hall of Famer, NBA champion

Small Forward

5 players

LeBron James

Cavaliers/Heat/Lakers · NBA

4× NBA champion, 4× MVP, all-time scoring leader

Julius Erving

76ers · NBA

Dr. J, ABA and NBA champion

Scottie Pippen

Bulls · NBA

6× NBA champion, top-5 defender ever

Elgin Baylor

Lakers · NBA

Hall of Famer, 11× All-NBA

Kevin Durant

Warriors/Nets · NBA

2× NBA champion, 2× Finals MVP

Power Forward

4 players

Tim Duncan

Spurs · NBA

5× NBA champion, 3× Finals MVP, 2× MVP

Charles Barkley

76ers/Suns · NBA

1993 MVP, Hall of Famer

Karl Malone

Jazz · NBA

2× MVP, Hall of Famer

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Bucks · NBA

2× MVP, 2021 NBA champion, Finals MVP

Center

5 players

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Bucks/Lakers · NBA

6× NBA champion, 6× MVP

Wilt Chamberlain

Warriors/76ers · NBA

100-point game, 2× NBA champion

Bill Russell

Celtics · NBA

11× NBA champion, 5× MVP

Shaquille O'Neal

Lakers/Heat · NBA

4× NBA champion, 3× Finals MVP

Hakeem Olajuwon

Rockets · NBA

2× NBA champion, 2× Finals MVP, DPOY