The greatest offensive players in NBA history are among some of the best athletes of all time as well as some of the best basketball players of all time. These elite basketball players are best known for putting points on the board as well as putting amazing plays on sports highlights reels.
Some of these players, like Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, are obvious entries onto this list of the best offensive players ever in the NBA, but others are just now coming into their own like Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki. Whether the player you're voting for as top offensive player in NBA history is a current NBA player or already an NBA legend, this is the list to determine who the best offensive player ever really is.
What makes the best offensive players in NBA History? Who is the top offensive player in NBA history? Who are the best NBA offensive players ever? There's no slam dunk of an answer here, but this list of the NBA's best offensive players ever seeks to bring some clarity to the top offensive player debate. This is by no means a list of all the best offensive players in the NBA (since there are more that could be added every year) so make sure to add your favorite NBA offensive player to the list if he's not on there. That way, other fans can vote for your top NBA offensive player to move up the list of the greatest offensive players and into the #1 spot as the best offensive player in NBA history.
If this isn't enough NBA action for you, check out the best basketball dunk fails for a glimpse at the other side of basketball.1
3,9011,047Larry Bird
Small forwardAge: 64
Birthplace: West Baden Springs, French Lick Township, Indiana, United States of America
Number: 33
Teams: Boston Celtics
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3,2441,689Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
CenterAge: 73
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States of America
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks
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3,2531,846Wilt Chamberlain
CenterAge: Dec. at 63 (1936-1999)
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Teams: Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia Warriors, San Francisco Warriors
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4,0892,362Michael Jordan
Shooting guardAge: 57
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States of America
Teams: Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards
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2,5091,368Kevin Durant
Small forwardAge: 32
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States of America
Number: 35
Teams: Brooklyn Nets
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3,2851,876LeBron James
Power forwardAge: 36
Birthplace: Akron, Ohio, United States of America
Number: 23
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers
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2,0011,067Allen Iverson
Point guardAge: 45
Birthplace: Hampton, Virginia, United States of America
Number: 1
Teams: Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons
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3,7542,171Kobe Bryant
Point guard, Shooting guardAge: 42
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Number: 24
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers
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2,4391,073Stephen Curry
Point guardAge: 32
Birthplace: Akron, Ohio, United States of America
Number: 30
Teams: Golden State Warriors
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1,9921,133Shaquille O'Neal
CenterAge: 48
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States of America
Number: 33
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics
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1,287721Hakeem Olajuwon
CenterAge: 57
Birthplace: Lagos, Nigeria
Teams: Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors
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1,155664Karl Malone
Power forwardAge: 56
Birthplace: Summerfield, Louisiana, United States of America
Teams: Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers
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1,3071,198Oscar Robertson
Point guardAge: 82
Birthplace: Charlotte, Tennessee, United States of America
Teams: Cincinnati Royals, Milwaukee Bucks
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1,167438James Harden
Shooting guardAge: 31
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
Number: 13
Teams: Brooklyn Nets
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1,7031,029Magic Johnson
Point guardAge: 61
Birthplace: Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
Number: 32
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers
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865577Jerry West
Point GuardAge: 82
Birthplace: Chelyan, West Virginia
Number: 44
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers
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831464Charles Barkley
Power forwardAge: 57
Birthplace: Leeds, Alabama, United States of America
Number: 34
Teams: Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers
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641337Bob Pettit
Power forwardAge: 88
Birthplace: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Number: 9
Teams: Milwaukee Hawks, St. Louis Hawks
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1,0651,384Pete Maravich
Shooting guardAge: Dec. at 41 (1947-1988)
Birthplace: Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Number: 44
Teams: Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, New Orleans Jazz
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2,05443Dražen Petrović
Shooting guardAge: Dec. at 29 (1964-1993)
Birthplace: Šibenik, Croatia
Teams: Portland Trail Blazers, Brooklyn Nets
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6272Lou Hudson
Shooting guard, Small forwardAge: Dec. at 70 (1944-2014)
Birthplace: Greensboro, North Carolina
Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers, St. Louis Hawks
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5251Andrew Wiggins
Small ForwardAge: 25
Birthplace: Markham, Thornhill, Canada
Number: 22
Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves
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129180Larry Nance
Power forward, CenterAge: 60
Birthplace: Anderson, South Carolina
Teams: Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers
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169240Mitch Richmond
Shooting guardAge: 54
Birthplace: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States of America
Teams: Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors
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85117Terry Cummings
Power forwardAge: 59
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
Teams: Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers, Seattle Supersonics, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks
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