The Top NBA Forwards of All Time

by SeanBingham · March 6, 2016

Rounding out the best all-time players in NBA history with the help of NBA experts. Bird vs. LeBron, Wilt vs. Shaq vs. Hakeem vs. Kareem vs. Russell. Who’s the best? Have a listen below while you read and check us out on iTunes here: Simply The Best Sports Podcast (please subscribe and rate).

Most people are gonna take LeBron at Small Forward, and I don’t blame them. Give it two more years and I probably will as well, but for now I’m taking Larry Bird. The Legend himself. Those McDonald’s commercial alone where he plays H-O-R-S-E against MJ is reason enough for me. Haha… Just kidding, those were cool commercials though. Bird was a winner! Killer instinct and great all around skills. LeBron is right on his heels and I’m taking Scottie Pippen no. 3. Pippen is one of the best defenders the league has ever seen–and for sure the best defensive Small Forward ever.

Check out these stats and compare them all side by side. I’ve listed them in the order I rank them.

Blue = 1st among the group shown, Yellow = 2nd, Purple = 3rd.

Power Forwards is more straight forward. Duncan and Malone top my list, with Barkley coming in third. Had either The Mailman or Sir Charles gotten a couple Titles, it would have been much more fun of a debate, but they both bageled in the most important category, while the Big Fundamental pulled down the 5-spot (and counting). Have a look at their careers here, again in the order that I rank them: