GOAT Rank · 216

Greatest Basketball Players from United States

This ranking is led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Diana Taurasi and Wilt Chamberlain. GOAT Rank currently ranks 216 eligible Basketball players from United States using verified career records across dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.

Quick answer

According to GOAT Rank's current model, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ranks #1 on this list with a GOAT Score of 95.2.

How the GOAT Score is calculated →

#AthleteGOAT Score

K.C. Jones

85.8

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1958–1988
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 78.0
Honours: 94.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: K.C. Jones

Marques Haynes

85.7

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1946–1992
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 94.0

Athlete: Marques Haynes

Swin Cash

85.7

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2002–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Swin Cash

Charles Barkley

85.6

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1984–2000
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Charles Barkley

Scottie Pippen

85.6

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1987–2004
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 87.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Scottie Pippen

Dennis Johnson

85.6

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1976–1990
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Dennis Johnson

Spencer Haywood

85.6

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1969–1983
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Spencer Haywood

Bob McAdoo

85.6

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1972–1986
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Bob McAdoo

Chris Paul

85.4

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2005–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Chris Paul

Tom Heinsohn

85.4

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1956–1965
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Tom Heinsohn

Anne Donovan

85.4

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1979–1989
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Anne Donovan

Dwyane Wade

85.3

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2003–2019
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Dwyane Wade

Elgin Baylor

85.3

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1958–1972
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Elgin Baylor

Tina Thompson

85.2

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1997–2013
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Tina Thompson

Katie Smith

85.2

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1996–2013
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Katie Smith

Louie Dampier

85.2

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1967–1979
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Louie Dampier

Earl Monroe

85.2

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1967–1980
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Earl Monroe

Bob Kurland

85.1

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1942–1952
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: Bob Kurland

Chris Mullin

85.1

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1985–2001
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Chris Mullin

A'ja Wilson

85.0

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2018–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: A'ja Wilson

Candace Parker

85.0

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2008–2023
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Candace Parker

Bob Pettit

85.0

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1954–1965
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Bob Pettit

Bennie Borgmann

85.0

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1919–1942
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Bennie Borgmann

Seimone Augustus

84.9

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2006–2020
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Seimone Augustus

Bob Cousy

84.8

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1950–1970
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Bob Cousy

Tracy McGrady

84.8

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1997–2013
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Tracy McGrady

Dwight Howard

84.6

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2004–2022
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Dwight Howard

Dave Cowens

84.6

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1970–1983
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Dave Cowens

Maurice Cheeks

84.6

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1978–1993
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Maurice Cheeks

100

Buddy Jeannette

84.6

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1938–1950
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Buddy Jeannette

101

Robert Parish

84.5

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1976–1997
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 84.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 96.0

Athlete: Robert Parish

102

Billy Cunningham

84.5

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1965–1976
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: Billy Cunningham

103

Denise Curry

84.5

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1977–1990
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Denise Curry

104

Chamique Holdsclaw

84.4

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1995–2010
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Chamique Holdsclaw

106

Bobby McDermott

84.3

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1933–1950
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Bobby McDermott

107

Isiah Thomas

84.2

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1981–1994
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Isiah Thomas

108

Connie Hawkins

84.2

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1961–1976
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Connie Hawkins

109

Wes Unseld

84.1

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1968–1981
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Wes Unseld

110

Lindsay Whalen

84.1

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2004–2018
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Lindsay Whalen

111

Pop Gates

84.1

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1938–1955
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Pop Gates

112

Al Cervi

84.1

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1937–1953
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Al Cervi

113

Mel Daniels

84.1

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1967–1977
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Mel Daniels

114

Yolanda Griffith

84.0

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1997–2009
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Yolanda Griffith

115

Joe Dumars

84.0

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1985–1999
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Joe Dumars

116

Gail Goodrich

83.9

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1965–1979
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Gail Goodrich

117

Dave DeBusschere

83.9

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1962–1974
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Dave DeBusschere

118

Nat Holman

83.9

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1916–1933
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 80.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Nat Holman

119

Tim Hardaway

83.9

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1989–2003
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Tim Hardaway

120

James Harden

83.8

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2009–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 76.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: James Harden

121

Walt Bellamy

83.8

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1961–1975
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Walt Bellamy

#	Athlete	Sport	Country	Career	GOAT Score
68	K.C. Jones	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1958–1988	85.8
69	Marques Haynes	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1946–1992	85.7
70	Swin Cash	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2002–2016	85.7
71	Charles Barkley	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1984–2000	85.6
72	Scottie Pippen	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1987–2004	85.6
73	Dennis Johnson	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1976–1990	85.6
74	Spencer Haywood	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1969–1983	85.6
75	Bob McAdoo	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1972–1986	85.6
76	Chris Paul	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2005–active	85.4
78	Tom Heinsohn	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1956–1965	85.4
79	Anne Donovan	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1979–1989	85.4
80	Dwyane Wade	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2003–2019	85.3
81	Elgin Baylor	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1958–1972	85.3
82	Tina Thompson	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1997–2013	85.2
83	Katie Smith	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1996–2013	85.2
84	Louie Dampier	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1967–1979	85.2
85	Earl Monroe	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1967–1980	85.2
86	Bob Kurland	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1942–1952	85.1
87	Chris Mullin	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1985–2001	85.1
88	A'ja Wilson	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2018–active	85.0
89	Candace Parker	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2008–2023	85.0
90	Bob Pettit	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1954–1965	85.0
91	Bennie Borgmann	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1919–1942	85.0
93	Seimone Augustus	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2006–2020	84.9
94	Bob Cousy	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1950–1970	84.8
95	Tracy McGrady	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1997–2013	84.8
97	Dwight Howard	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2004–2022	84.6
98	Dave Cowens	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1970–1983	84.6
99	Maurice Cheeks	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1978–1993	84.6
100	Buddy Jeannette	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1938–1950	84.6
101	Robert Parish	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1976–1997	84.5
102	Billy Cunningham	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1965–1976	84.5
103	Denise Curry	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1977–1990	84.5
104	Chamique Holdsclaw	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1995–2010	84.4
106	Bobby McDermott	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1933–1950	84.3
107	Isiah Thomas	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1981–1994	84.2
108	Connie Hawkins	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1961–1976	84.2
109	Wes Unseld	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1968–1981	84.1
110	Lindsay Whalen	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2004–2018	84.1
111	Pop Gates	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1938–1955	84.1
112	Al Cervi	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1937–1953	84.1
113	Mel Daniels	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1967–1977	84.1
114	Yolanda Griffith	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1997–2009	84.0
115	Joe Dumars	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1985–1999	84.0
116	Gail Goodrich	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1965–1979	83.9
117	Dave DeBusschere	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1962–1974	83.9
118	Nat Holman	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1916–1933	83.9
119	Tim Hardaway	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1989–2003	83.9
120	James Harden	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2009–active	83.8
121	Walt Bellamy	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1961–1975	83.8

Compare the leaders

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vs Diana Taurasi

Read the full methodology

Sport lists use the raw In-Sport GOAT Score. Cross-sport lists use the official competition-depth adjustment. No scores are recalculated for this page.

Read the full methodology

Frequently asked questions

How is this ranking calculated?

Five verified components are weighted consistently: dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.

Who is included?

According to GOAT Rank's current data model, only verified athletes with sufficient career history, metrics, honours and independent sources are eligible. Rank and score are read live.

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