- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1979–1996
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 93.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
GOAT Rank · 38
Greatest Basketball athletes of the 1970s
This ranking uses verified career records and GOAT Rank's published model. Every listed athlete clears the data eligibility threshold.
#AthleteGOAT Score
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1979–1992
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 93.0
- Statistics
- 93.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1979–1994
- Country
- 🇬🇷 Greece
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1971–1991
- Country
- 🇷🇸 Serbia
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1974–1995
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1971–2001
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1972–1986
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1970–1984
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1971–1987
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 91.0
- Dominance
- 87.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1975–2019
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1971–1988
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1976–1991
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1973–2016
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1976–1991
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1970–1985
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1976–1990
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1972–1986
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1979–1989
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1974–2005
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1970–1983
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1978–1993
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1976–1997
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 96.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1977–1990
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1971–1982
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1970–1984
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1970–1983
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1976–1997
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1977–1993
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 76.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1974–1980
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 68.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1970–1980
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 68.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1974–1980
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 60.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1979–1991
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1974–1982
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 64.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1979–1993
- Country
- 🇭🇷 Croatia
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 62.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1975–1988
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 72.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1974–1982
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 62.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1975–1984
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 60.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1977–1989
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 76.0
- Longevity
- 72.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Magic Johnson | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1979–1996 | 91.9 |
| 10 | Larry Bird | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1979–1992 | 91.2 |
| 21 | Nikos Galis | Basketball | 🇬🇷 Greece | 1979–1994 | 90.2 |
| 22 | Dražen Dalipagić | Basketball | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 1971–1991 | 90.2 |
| 35 | Moses Malone | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1974–1995 | 88.5 |
| 36 | Denny Crum | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1971–2001 | 88.5 |
| 37 | George Gervin | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1972–1986 | 88.5 |
| 44 | Nate Archibald | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1970–1984 | 88.2 |
| 48 | Julius Erving | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1971–1987 | 88 |
| 50 | Sylvia Hatchell | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1975–2019 | 88 |
| 51 | Artis Gilmore | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1971–1988 | 88 |
| 55 | Alex English | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1976–1991 | 87.5 |
| 60 | George Karl | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1973–2016 | 87.2 |
| 61 | Adrian Dantley | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1976–1991 | 87.1 |
| 72 | Dan Issel | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1970–1985 | 86.2 |
| 84 | Dennis Johnson | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1976–1990 | 85.6 |
| 86 | Bob McAdoo | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1972–1986 | 85.6 |
| 90 | Anne Donovan | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1979–1989 | 85.4 |
| 99 | Gene Keady | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1974–2005 | 85.1 |
| 112 | Dave Cowens | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1970–1983 | 84.6 |
| 113 | Maurice Cheeks | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1978–1993 | 84.6 |
| 115 | Robert Parish | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1976–1997 | 84.5 |
| 117 | Denise Curry | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1977–1990 | 84.5 |
| 157 | George McGinnis | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1971–1982 | 83 |
| 158 | Bob Lanier | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1970–1984 | 83 |
| 160 | Calvin Murphy | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1970–1983 | 82.9 |
| 168 | Nancy Lieberman | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1976–1997 | 82.5 |
| 175 | Bernard King | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1977–1993 | 82.2 |
| 183 | Ann Meyers | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1974–1980 | 81.8 |
| 193 | Pete Maravich | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1970–1980 | 81.5 |
| 196 | Lusia Harris | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1974–1980 | 81.4 |
| 204 | Sidney Moncrief | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1979–1991 | 81.2 |
| 224 | Carol Blazejowski | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1974–1982 | 80.3 |
| 228 | Dražen Petrović | Basketball | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 1979–1993 | 80.1 |
| 229 | World B. Free | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1975–1988 | 79.9 |
| 235 | Ann Meyers Drysdale | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1974–1982 | 79.4 |
| 242 | David Thompson | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1975–1984 | 78.9 |
| 251 | Marques Johnson | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1977–1989 | 78.1 |
Compare the leaders
Magic Johnson vs Larry BirdRead 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 methodologyFrequently asked questions
How is this ranking calculated?
Five verified components are weighted consistently: dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.
Who is included?
Only verified athletes with sufficient career history, metrics, honours and independent sources are eligible.
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