Top Five NBA Players of All Time

Kenneth Aldridge, Yahoo! Contributor Network

In the 61 years that the NBA has been is existence there have been several players that have had a major impact on the game. With that being said if you had to choose the top five players to ever lace up a pair of sneakers and step on the hardwood who would it be? What would you base your decision on. As Dwyane Wade and Charles Barkley would put who is in your five.

There are several factors one can use to evaluate this. Some of them include how each player made players around them better. Were they a lone ranger player or did they turn subpar performers into superb contributors? How many Championships Trophies did they hold up throughout their careers? Were they one dimensional players or did they excel in several areas of the game? Lastly did they play the game on both ends or preserve all they had in order to score as many points as the could.

With all of that in mind I believe I have devised a pretty accurate list of the five greatest players to ever play the game. Please pardon me for not allowing Kobe Bryant to be highlighted on this page. At this point he has not had a great impact on the players around him. Sure he has scored over 80 points in a game but he also has not moved pass the first round since Shaquille O'neal was traded to Miami. With that being said here is my list of the top five players

Michael Jordan-Although this list is not in chronological order he has to be regarded as the best to ever walk on the hardwood. There was no facet of the game that he did not totally dominate. Most would say in his earlier years that he was not able to shoot well but he defied all of his critics in that area during the time he won 6 NBA Titles. He combined an grace to shoot, make his team better and cause us to believe that in certain situations an human being can actually fly. Not to mention the fact that he won several Defensive Player of the Year awards in that he had the ability to lock down the opposing guard that was playing against him. When the game was on the line everyone knew he would get the ball but everyone also knew that he would win the game. Without a doubt he was the greatest athlete in any sport.

Larry Bird-Who can forget the time he raised his hand in victory during the Three-Point Shooting Contest before the ball went in the hoop. He was one of the best clutch performers to ever play and a dead eye shooter. He put fear in the hearts of opponents as was known for doing phenomenal things in and out of the Boston Garden. A true all around player who dominated the game with minimal athletic ability.

Bill Russell-His ability to impact the game on the defensive end sets him apart from the rest. Russell won the most Championships by any North American athlete. He was the first African American Superstar in the game of basketball. He once had 51 boards in a single game and posted 49 in another. Along with his championships he was a 5 time MVP and a 10 Time All Star.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar-One of the most agile big men to play the game. He was the All Time Leading Scorer in the history of the league. Most known by a shot which has been ignored by modern day athletes which was the sky hook. At the time he retired no player had more points or had blocked more shots than he had. Played the game until he was 42 years of age.

Earvin Johnson-No other superlative could describe the antics that he performed on the court but magic. From the showtime no look passes to James Worthy on the wing for slam dunks to the baby hook shot that beat the Boston Celtics in a championship series he displayed an huge arsenal of skills. He at 6"9 revolutionalized the point guard position. Even Larry Bird referred to him as the greatest player to ever play.