Who is the greatest Basketball Athlete of all time?

LeBron James leads Basketball with a verified GOAT Score of 95.6/100.

How is the Basketball GOAT ranking calculated?

Five verified categories are weighted against 804 reference records. Only eligible profiles receive a score.

How many Basketball players are ranked?

369 eligible Basketball athletes currently have a published GOAT Score, from 804 reference records.

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Basketball: the greatest of all time

GOAT Rank's data-driven ranking

Rings, MVPs and box-score dominance normalised across pace and era. Each players below is scored on verified career data and normalised against the full Basketball reference cohort — no shortlists, no unverified provisional numbers.

Quick answer

According to GOAT Rank's current model, LeBron James is the highest-ranked of the players in Basketball, with an in-sport GOAT Score of 95.6. Next are Michael Jordan (95.3), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (95.2).

How the GOAT Score is calculated →

435 records fall below the data threshold and are excluded from this ranking. Eligibility rules →

Showing 369 of 369 ranked players# = official in-sport rank

Category

PositionCountryEraStatusSort

#	Athlete	Era	NBA titles	Finals MVP	Regular season MVP	Career points	Points per game	GOAT
1	🇺🇸LeBron JamesActive	2003–present	4	4	4	41,000	27.1	95.6
2	🇺🇸Michael JordanRetired	1984–2003	6	6	5	—	30.1	95.3
3	🇺🇸Kareem Abdul-JabbarRetired	1969–1989	6	2	—	38,387	—	95.2
4	🇺🇸Diana TaurasiRetired	2004–2025	—	1	—	—	—	94.2
5	🇺🇸Wilt ChamberlainRetired	1959–1973	2	—	—	31,419	—	93.0
6	🇺🇸Bill RussellRetired	1956–1969	11	—	—	—	—	92.5
7	🇪🇸Pau GasolRetired	1998–2021	—	—	—	—	—	92.1
8	🇺🇸Magic JohnsonRetired	1979–1996	5	3	—	—	—	91.9
9	🇺🇸Sue BirdRetired	2002–2022	—	—	—	—	—	91.2
10	🇺🇸Larry BirdRetired	1979–1992	3	2	—	21,791	—	91.2
11	🇺🇸Ray AllenRetired	1996–2014	—	—	—	24,505	—	91.1
12	🇺🇸Teresa EdwardsRetired	1984–2004	—	—	—	—	—	90.8
13	🇦🇷Manu GinóbiliRetired	1995–2018	—	—	—	—	—	90.6
14	🇺🇸Rick BarryRetired	1965–1980	—	—	—	—	—	90.6
15	🇺🇸Kobe BryantRetired	1996–2016	5	2	1	—	25	90.5
16	🇻🇮Tim DuncanRetired	1997–2016	5	3	—	26,496	—	90.5
17	🇺🇸John HavlicekRetired	1962–1978	8	—	—	26,395	—	90.5
18	🇷🇺Sergei BelovRetired	1964–1980	—	—	—	—	—	90.4
19	🇬🇷Nikos GalisRetired	1979–1994	—	—	—	—	—	90.2
20	🇷🇸Dražen DalipagićRetired	1971–1991	—	—	—	—	—	90.2
21	🇺🇸Stephen CurryActive	2009–present	4	1	—	—	—	90.0
22	🇺🇸Oscar RobertsonRetired	1960–1974	1	—	—	—	25.7	89.8
23	🇺🇸Shaquille O'NealRetired	1992–2011	4	3	—	28,596	—	89.7
24	🇺🇸Sam JonesRetired	1957–1969	—	—	—	15,411	—	89.4
25	🇺🇸Walt FrazierRetired	1967–1980	—	—	—	—	—	89.4
26	🇺🇸Karl MaloneRetired	1985–2004	—	—	—	36,928	—	89.2
27	🇺🇸Jason KiddRetired	1994–2013	1	—	—	—	—	89.2
28	🇺🇸Cynthia Cooper-DykeRetired	1986–2003	—	—	—	—	—	89.1
29	🇺🇸Kevin DurantActive	2007–present	2	2	—	—	—	88.8
30	🇮🇹Dino MeneghinRetired	1966–1994	—	—	—	—	—	88.7
31	🇺🇸Reggie MillerRetired	1987–2005	—	—	—	25,279	—	88.7
32	🇺🇸Moses MaloneRetired	1974–1995	1	1	—	29,580	—	88.5
33	🇺🇸George GervinRetired	1972–1986	—	—	—	26,595	26	88.5
34	🇺🇸Elvin HayesRetired	1968–1984	1	—	—	27,313	—	88.4
35	🇨🇩Dikembe MutomboRetired	1991–2009	—	—	—	—	—	88.4
36	🇺🇸Hal GreerRetired	1958–1973	—	—	—	21,586	—	88.4
37	🇳🇬Hakeem OlajuwonRetired	1984–2002	2	2	—	26,946	—	88.3
38	🇺🇸Jerry WestRetired	1960–1974	1	1	—	25,192	27	88.2
39	🇺🇸John StocktonRetired	1984–2003	—	—	—	—	—	88.2
40	🇺🇸Nate ArchibaldRetired	1970–1984	—	—	—	—	—	88.2
41	🇩🇪Dirk NowitzkiRetired	1998–2019	1	1	—	31,560	—	88.1
42	🇺🇸George MikanRetired	1946–1956	5	—	—	—	—	88.1
43	🇧🇷Hortência MarcariRetired	1980–1996	—	—	—	—	—	88.1
44	🇺🇸Julius ErvingRetired	1971–1987	1	—	—	30,026	24.2	88.0
45	🇺🇸Sylvia FowlesRetired	2008–2022	—	—	—	—	—	88.0
46	🇺🇸Artis GilmoreRetired	1971–1988	—	—	—	24,941	—	88.0
47	🇺🇸Kevin GarnettRetired	1995–2016	1	—	—	26,071	—	87.5
48	🇺🇸Alex EnglishRetired	1976–1991	—	—	—	25,613	—	87.5
49	🇺🇸Kevin McHaleRetired	1980–1993	—	—	—	17,335	—	87.5
50	🇭🇷Krešimir ĆosićRetired	1968–1983	—	—	—	—	—	87.5

1–50 of 369 athletes

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Compare top two: LeBron vs Jordan

Coaches

Coaching career — listed separately from the player ranking.

Top 10 Basketball players of all time

The ten highest verified GOAT Scores across every era.

1🇺🇸LeBron James2003–present95.6
2🇺🇸Michael Jordan1984–200395.3
3🇺🇸Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1969–198995.2
4🇺🇸Diana Taurasi2004–202594.2
5🇺🇸Wilt Chamberlain1959–197393.0
6🇺🇸Bill Russell1956–196992.5
7🇪🇸Pau Gasol1998–202192.1
8🇺🇸Magic Johnson1979–199691.9
9🇺🇸Sue Bird2002–202291.2
10🇺🇸Larry Bird1979–199291.2

By position

Forward

1🇺🇸LeBron James2003–present95.6
2🇺🇸Larry Bird1979–199291.2
3🇺🇸John Havlicek1962–197890.5
4🇷🇸Dražen Dalipagić1971–199190.2
5🇺🇸Kevin Durant2007–present88.8

Guard

1🇺🇸Michael Jordan1984–200395.3
2🇺🇸Diana Taurasi2004–202594.2
3🇺🇸Teresa Edwards1984–200490.8
4🇺🇸Kobe Bryant1996–201690.5
5🇷🇺Sergei Belov1964–198090.4

Center

1🇺🇸Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1969–198995.2
2🇺🇸Wilt Chamberlain1959–197393.0
3🇺🇸Bill Russell1956–196992.5
4🇺🇸Shaquille O'Neal1992–201189.7
5🇺🇸Moses Malone1974–199588.5

Power forward

1🇪🇸Pau Gasol1998–202192.1
2🇻🇮Tim Duncan1997–201690.5
3🇺🇸Karl Malone1985–200489.2
4🇩🇪Dirk Nowitzki1998–201988.1
5🇺🇸Kevin Garnett1995–201687.5

Point guard

1🇺🇸Magic Johnson1979–199691.9
2🇺🇸Sue Bird2002–202291.2
3🇺🇸Stephen Curry2009–present90.0
4🇺🇸Walt Frazier1967–198089.4
5🇺🇸Jason Kidd1994–201389.2

Shooting guard

1🇺🇸Ray Allen1996–201491.1
2🇦🇷Manu Ginóbili1995–201890.6
3🇺🇸Reggie Miller1987–200588.7
4🇺🇸George Gervin1972–198688.5
5🇺🇸Clyde Drexler1983–199887.3

Small forward

1🇺🇸Rick Barry1965–198090.6
2🇺🇸Adrian Dantley1976–199187.1
3🇺🇸Grant Hill1994–201386.8
4🇺🇸Chris Mullin1985–200185.1
5🇺🇸Bill Bradley1967–197783.0

Centre

1🇮🇹Dino Meneghin1966–199488.7
2🇨🇩Dikembe Mutombo1991–200988.4
3🇺🇸George Mikan1946–195688.1
4🇺🇸Sylvia Fowles2008–202288.0
5🇭🇷Krešimir Ćosić1968–198387.5

By country

USA

1🇺🇸LeBron James2003–present95.6
2🇺🇸Michael Jordan1984–200395.3
3🇺🇸Kobe Bryant1996–201690.5

United States

1🇺🇸Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1969–198995.2
2🇺🇸Diana Taurasi2004–202594.2
3🇺🇸Wilt Chamberlain1959–197393.0
4🇺🇸Bill Russell1956–196992.5
5🇺🇸Magic Johnson1979–199691.9

Spain

1🇪🇸Pau Gasol1998–202192.1
2🇪🇸Ricky Rubio2005–202481.7

Argentina

1🇦🇷Manu Ginóbili1995–201890.6
2🇦🇷Andrés Nocioni1997–201780.2
3🇦🇷Fabricio Oberto1993–201178.3

Greece

1🇬🇷Nikos Galis1979–199490.2
2🇬🇷Giannis Antetokounmpo2013–present85.9

Serbia

1🇷🇸Dražen Dalipagić1971–199190.2
2🇷🇸Nikola Jokić2015–present86.2
3🇷🇸Vlade Divac1986–200585.4
4🇷🇸Radivoj Korać1958–196983.6
5🇷🇸Peja Stojaković1993–201180.6

Brazil

1🇧🇷Hortência Marcari1980–199688.1
2🇧🇷Janeth Arcain1990–200582.3

Croatia

1🇭🇷Krešimir Ćosić1968–198387.5
2🇭🇷Toni Kukoč1985–200683.4
3🇭🇷Dražen Petrović1979–199380.1

By era

1910s

1🇺🇸Dutch Dehnert1917–193986.7
2🇺🇸Bennie Borgmann1919–194285.0
3🇺🇸Nat Holman1916–193383.9
4🇺🇸John Beckman1910–193283.3

1930s

1🇺🇸Buddy Jeannette1938–195084.6
2🇺🇸Bobby McDermott1933–195084.3
3🇺🇸Pop Gates1938–195584.1
4🇺🇸Al Cervi1937–195384.1
5🇺🇸Jack McCracken1930–194683.7

1940s

1🇺🇸George Mikan1946–195688.1
2🇺🇸Marques Haynes1946–199285.7
3🇺🇸Bob Kurland1942–195285.1
4🇺🇸Slater Martin1949–196082.8
5🇺🇸Vern Mikkelsen1949–195981.9

1950s

1🇺🇸Wilt Chamberlain1959–197393.0
2🇺🇸Bill Russell1956–196992.5
3🇺🇸Sam Jones1957–196989.4
4🇺🇸Hal Greer1958–197388.4
5🇺🇸Paul Arizin1950–196286.9

1960s

1🇺🇸Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1969–198995.2
2🇺🇸Rick Barry1965–198090.6
3🇺🇸John Havlicek1962–197890.5
4🇷🇺Sergei Belov1964–198090.4
5🇺🇸Oscar Robertson1960–197489.8

1970s

1🇺🇸Magic Johnson1979–199691.9
2🇺🇸Larry Bird1979–199291.2
3🇬🇷Nikos Galis1979–199490.2
4🇷🇸Dražen Dalipagić1971–199190.2
5🇺🇸Moses Malone1974–199588.5

1980s

1🇺🇸Michael Jordan1984–200395.3
2🇺🇸Teresa Edwards1984–200490.8
3🇺🇸Karl Malone1985–200489.2
4🇺🇸Cynthia Cooper-Dyke1986–200389.1
5🇺🇸Reggie Miller1987–200588.7

1990s

1🇪🇸Pau Gasol1998–202192.1
2🇺🇸Ray Allen1996–201491.1
3🇦🇷Manu Ginóbili1995–201890.6
4🇺🇸Kobe Bryant1996–201690.5
5🇻🇮Tim Duncan1997–201690.5

2000s

1🇺🇸LeBron James2003–present95.6
2🇺🇸Diana Taurasi2004–202594.2
3🇺🇸Sue Bird2002–202291.2
4🇺🇸Stephen Curry2009–present90.0
5🇺🇸Kevin Durant2007–present88.8

2010s

1🇷🇸Nikola Jokić2015–present86.2
2🇬🇷Giannis Antetokounmpo2013–present85.9
3🇺🇸A'ja Wilson2018–present85.0
4🇺🇸Draymond Green2012–present83.0
5🇨🇦Shai Gilgeous-Alexander2018–present83.0

By country · By position · By era

Basketball GOAT debates

The closest calls in the ranking, with a full side-by-side breakdown.

LeBron vs Jordan· LeBron ranks higher at 95.6 versus Jordan at 95.3, a margin of 0.3 points.Jordan vs Kareem· Jordan ranks higher at 95.3 versus Kareem at 95.2, a margin of 0.1 points.Kareem vs Taurasi· Kareem ranks higher at 95.2 versus Taurasi at 94.2, a margin of 1.0 points.Taurasi vs Wilt· Taurasi ranks higher at 94.2 versus Wilt at 93.0, a margin of 1.2 points.Wilt vs Russell· Wilt ranks higher at 93.0 versus Russell at 92.5, a margin of 0.5 points.

How the Basketball ranking works

Every athlete is scored on five verified components — Dominance (25%), Peak (20%), Longevity (20%), Honours (20%) and Statistics (15%) — normalised against the full Basketball reference cohort rather than a shortlist. A record only receives a published score once it is editorially verified and complete: a season-by-season series, at least three career metrics, documented honours and independent sources. Read the full methodology.

Basketball GOAT — frequently asked

Who is the greatest Basketball Athlete of all time?: LeBron James leads Basketball with a verified GOAT Score of 95.6/100.
How is the Basketball GOAT ranking calculated?: Five verified categories are weighted against 804 reference records. Only eligible profiles receive a score.
How many Basketball players are ranked?: 369 eligible Basketball athletes currently have a published GOAT Score, from 804 reference records.