List of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-male-basketball-players/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">famous basketball players</a>, with photos, bios, and other information when available. Who are the top basketball players in the world? This includes the most prominent basketball players, living and dead, both in America and abroad. This list of notable basketball players is ordered by their level of prominence, and can be sorted for various bits of information, such as where these historic basketball players were born and what their nationality is. The people on this list are from different countries, but what they all have in common is that they're all renowned basketball players.The list you're viewing contains people like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. From reputable, prominent, and well known basketball players to the lesser known basketball players of today, these are some of the best professionals in the basketball player field. If you want to answer the questions, "Who are the most famous basketball players ever?" and "What are the names of famous basketball players?" then you're in the right place. {#nodes}

List of Famous Basketball Players

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Famous Basketball Players | List of the Top Well-Known Basketball Players

Reference

George Karl

George Matthew Karl (born May 12, 1951) is an American former professional basketball coach and former player. He is one of 9 coaches in NBA history to have won 1,000 NBA games, though he never won a championship.

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Person In Sports

Breaking down the best NBA players by each position, including point guard, center, and forward.

NBA Greats

Basketball

It's no surprise that some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-top-nba-players-of-all-time">best NBA players of all time</a> go on to become some of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-nba-coaches/ranker-nba?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best NBA coaches</a> ever, and this list of the all-time greatest NBA coaches is testament to that fact. These men helm some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-sports-franchises-of-all-time">greatest sports franchises</a> in the sports world and are able to consistently coach the best performances from their players. What makes somebody the greatest NBA coach ever? That's a pretty subjective question to answer. Are the top NBA coaches the ones in charge of the NBA teams with the best defense? Or the NBA teams with the best offense? Are they the ones who can reign in a team of superstar athletes and get them to play nice together? Are the best NBA coaches the coaches with the best win-loss record? Or are the greatest NBA coaches simply the coaches with the most NBA championship rings?Who is the best NBA coach of all time? You decide! Some of the NBA's famous basketball coaches on this list have been around longer than others, but the point of this list of the all-time top NBA coaches is to determine which NBA coach had the best run whether they were in charge of a team for 2 years or 20. If you don't see your favorite NBA coach on this list of the all-time best NBA coaches, make sure to add his name so he can vie for the top spot of the best NBA coach ever.

Rudy Tomjanovich

The All Time Greatest NBA Coaches

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The Absolute Most Hilarious Movies Ever Made

Everything you need to know about the fastest 48 minutes in sports.

Inside the NBA

Coaches

The worst NBA coaches of all time are some of the worst basketball coaches to take the reins of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/favorite-nba-basketball-teams?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">professional basketball teams</a>. They will always be remembered for their contributions to their individual teams but not for the championships and high winning percentages. Plain and simple, these worst National Basketball Association coaches set the bar for how not to coach professional basketball teams.Similar to the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/worst-nhl-coaches-of-all-time/the-round-mound " target="_blank">worst NHL coaches of all time</a>, many of these bad NBA coaches had stellar playing careers but when their playing days were over and they made the leap to coaching, things didn't go so well. Isiah Thomas had that exact experience. He had a record-setting career as a player with the Detroit Pistons but his experience as the President of Basketball Operations with the New York Knicks was far from positive.For other bad NBA coaches, the records they set were for having the worst teams in the history of the league. Sidney Lowe for example tallied a .257 win percentage between his coaching stays with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Grizzlies in both Vancouver and Memphis. Bill Hanzlik was even worst when he won only 11 of 82 games with the Denver Nuggets in the 1997-98 season. Jim Todd however takes the cake with his 4-33 record coaching the Los Angeles Clippers in 1999-2000. So for whatever reason, all of these worst NBA coaches of all time share one thing in common, at one point in their professional basketball coaching careers they absolutely stunk. But like the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/worst-nfl-coaches-of-all-time/arthur-roderick" target="_blank">worst NFL coaches of all time</a>, many have been given a reprieve and have since gone on to see success with other teams and even at other levels. If nothing else, that should show that if you're passionate about something, don't give up on it! It might not go so well in one situation, but that doesn't mean your next attempt will turn out the same way.

Matt Guokas

The Worst NBA Coaches of All Time

Blake Edwards

Here are the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/top-current-nba-players?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best NBA players</a> from Pennsylvania.&nbsp;Featuring Hall of Fame greats, superstars, and active players, this <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-male-basketball-players/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">list of basketball players</a> who were born in Pennsylvania includes NBA players from Philadelphia, like favorite Philly sons&nbsp;Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, and Kyle Lowry. Other Pennsylvania players on an NBA team, from places like Pittsburgh and elsewhere,&nbsp;are Pistol Pete Maravich and Stu Lantz. Who is the greatest NBA player&nbsp;from Pennsylvania?

Vote up the top Pennsylvania NBA players, and add your favorite players if they&#39;re missing from the list.&nbsp;Then head over and check out some more top athletes from Pennsylvania with a list of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-nfl-players-from-pennsylvania/ranker-nfl" target="_blank">best NFL players from Pennsylvania</a>.

The Best NBA Players from Pennsylvania

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The 50+ Greatest NBA Players from Pennsylvania, Ranked By Fans

Ranker NBA

Breaking down the best all time basketball players from all 30 NBA teams.

Best NBA Players of Every Team

Lists that rank the team's greatest players and coaches, now and throughout history. 

San Antonio Spurs

A list of the best San Antonio Spurs of all time. The Spurs are one of the four ABA franchises to successfully transition into the NBA. San Antonio has had one of the greatest runs in modern basketball history. Beginning in 1989 after a few years of misery, the team's first overall pick in 1987, David Robinson, started playing for the team after his two-year naval commitment was completed. From the start, Robinson was one of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-centers-of-all-time">greatest centers in the NBA</a>. The team went on a long successful run with &quot;The Admiral&quot; steering the ship. Along with Sean Elliott, one of the best Spurs ever, San Antonio began its golden era. In 1997, after a down year where Robinson missed nearly the entire season with a knee injury, the Spurs drafted Tim Duncan, one of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/top-10-current-nba-players">best players of his generation</a>. Duncan proved to be exactly what the Spurs needed. The team won four NBA titles with Duncan on the team, which cemented his status as one of the greatest players ever. When Robinson retired, new stars emerged. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are vital cogs to the Spurs engine, and are two of the biggest legends in San Antonio Spurs history. Throughout the team's greatest period, it has been the model franchise in terms of stability and its ability to consistently draft great players. This is how the team drafted Parker, who is one of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-point-guards-in-nba-history?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best point guards</a> in team history.This is a list of the best San Antonio Spurs of all time. If you think someone is missing, feel free to add him to this list. Vote or rerank this list of the greatest San Antonio Spurs of all time how you think it should look.&nbsp;

Robert Horry

The Best San Antonio Spurs of All Time

Best Spurs of All Time | List of Top San Antonio Spurs

The best North Carolina Tar Heels point guards ever have all had a part in making UNC one of the top-tier Division I college programs in the nation. The early days of the&nbsp;college game were dominated by swift passers and smooth shooters, but even as the game has pivoted more toward versatile swingmen, outside shooters are still a major part of NCAA success.

Older players like Phil Ford and Kenny Smith made their mark in the history of North Carolina&#39;s offense with their great performances in the past, as newer players like Ty Lawson and Joel Berry carried on that legacy with tremendous talent and skill. The Tar Heels have had many point guards go on to the NBA, and some even had Hall of Fame-level careers, but it all started with their days starting for North Carolina basketball.

So which of these players from UNC&#39;s long history deserves to rank near the top of the list? Who are the best Tar Heels PGs of all-time? Vote below, and if you see any players missing from the list who should be considered, feel free to add them as well.

The Best North Carolina Tar Heels Point Guards Of All Time

The 20+ Best UNC Tar Heels Point Guards Ever, Ranked By NCAA Fans

Ranker NCAA Basketball

Big fan of San Antonio basketball? Then check out this list of San Antonio Spurs point guards with photos and seasons played with the team.&nbsp;It includes almost every point guard from throughout San Antonio Spurs history, including current point guards and past ones. Featuring some of the&nbsp;greatest <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-point-guards-currently-in-the-nba?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">NBA point guards</a> of all time,&nbsp;the best Spurs&nbsp;PGs include Avery Johnson, John Lucas II, Rod Strickland, and Johnny Moore .In the 2017-18 NBA season, the current San Antonio Spurs starting PGs and backup PGs are Tony Parker, Patty Mills, and Derrick White.&nbsp;Who are the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-point-guards-in-nba-history?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best point guards</a> in San Antonio Spurs history? Here is every player who has ever held the position of San Antonio Spurs&nbsp;point guard.

The Best San Antonio Spurs Point Guards of All Time

The 25+ Best San Antonio Spurs Point Guards of All Time, Ranked

Ranking the Top NBA Coaches

Denver Nuggets

In their time as an NBA franchise, the Denver Nuggets Coaches of All Time have gone through many different head coaches, all with different personalities and coaching styles. With that said, who is the best Denver Nuggets Coaches of All Time coach of all time? We want to hear your thoughts, which is why we created this poll of the top Denver Nuggets Coaches of All Time head coaches. Doug Moe is the Nuggets all-time leader in regular season games won with 432. He also has the most playoff wins with 61.&nbsp;Second to Moe, George Karl has the next most regular season wins with 432. Karl would lead the Nuggets to the Western Conference finals in 2009. If you love basketball and the Denver Nuggets Coaches of All Time, then help us decide who the best Denver Nuggets Coaches of All Time coach is by voting up your top picks. You don't have to vote for the winningest Denver Nuggets Coaches of All Time coach, but it's hard to argue against solid numbers.

Michael Cooper

Best Denver Nuggets Coaches of All Time

Ranking Every Denver Nuggets Coach Best to Worst

Milwaukee Bucks

In their time as an NBA franchise, the Milwaukee Bucks Coaches of All Time have gone through many different head coaches, all with different personalities and coaching styles. With that said, who is the best Milwaukee Bucks Coaches of All Time coach of all time? We want to hear your thoughts, which is why we created this poll of the top Milwaukee Bucks Coaches of All Time head coaches. Larry Costello would coach the franchise to&nbsp;its only NBA championship in the 1971 NBA Finals. Costello was also the first coach in Bucks history. Don Nelson is the franchise's all-time leader most regular season games won, with 540. Nelson has also won the most post season victories of any Bucks head coach (42). If you love basketball and the Milwaukee Bucks Coaches of All Time, then help us decide who the best Milwaukee Bucks Coaches of All Time coach is by voting up your top picks. You don't have to vote for the winningest Milwaukee Bucks Coaches of All Time coach, but it's hard to argue against solid numbers.

Chris Ford

Best Milwaukee Bucks Coaches of All Time

Ranking Every Milwaukee Bucks Coach Best to Worst

Oklahoma City Thunder

In their time as an NBA franchise, the Oklahoma City Thunder Coaches of All Time have gone through many different head coaches, all with different personalities and coaching styles. With that said, who is the best Oklahoma City Thunder Coaches of All Time coach of all time? We want to hear your thoughts, which is why we created this poll of the top Oklahoma City Thunder Coaches of All Time head coaches. Lenny Wilkens is the only coach to lead the organization to an NBA Finals championship. Wilkens won it all for the franchise is 1979. Scott Brooks successfully coached the franchise after it relocated from Seattle to Oklahoma City. Brooks won the 2009-10 <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/nba-2018-coach-of-the-year-predictions/ranker-nba?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">NBA Coach of the Year</a> award. If you love basketball and the Oklahoma City Thunder Coaches of All Time, then help us decide who the best Oklahoma City Thunder Coaches of All Time coach is by voting up your top picks. You don't have to vote for the winningest Oklahoma City Thunder Coaches of All Time coach, but it's hard to argue against solid numbers.

Bob Hopkins

Best Oklahoma City Thunder Coaches of All Time

Ranking Every Oklahoma City Thunder Coach Best to Worst

Sacramento Kings

In their time as an NBA franchise, the Sacramento Kings Coaches of All Time have gone through many different head coaches, all with different personalities and coaching styles. With that said, who is the best Sacramento Kings Coaches of All Time coach of all time? We want to hear your thoughts, which is why we created this poll of the top Sacramento Kings Coaches of All Time head coaches. Lester Harrington, the franchise's first head coach,&nbsp;lead the franchise to its first NBA championship in the 1951 NBA Finals. Harrington was also a co-founder of the organization with his brother Jack Harrison. Phil Johnson was the first Kings head coach to win <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/nba-2018-coach-of-the-year-predictions/ranker-nba?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">NBA Coach of the Year</a>. Johnson would do so in 1975, is second year as head coach of the Kings. &nbsp; If you love basketball and the Sacramento Kings Coaches of All Time, then help us decide who the best Sacramento Kings Coaches of All Time coach is by voting up your top picks. You don't have to vote for the winningest Sacramento Kings Coaches of All Time coach, but it's hard to argue against solid numbers.

Bobby Wanzer

Best Sacramento Kings Coaches of All Time

Ranking Every Sacramento Kings Coach Best to Worst

Golden State Warriors

In their time as an NBA franchise, the Golden State Warriors Coaches of All Time have gone through many different head coaches, all with different personalities and coaching styles. With that said, who is the best Golden State Warriors Coaches of All Time coach of all time? We want to hear your thoughts, which is why we created this poll of the top Golden State Warriors Coaches of All Time head coaches. Edward Gottlieb was the first head coach of the Warriors. In their first season Gottlieb's Warriors won the Basketball Association of America Finals. The first time the Warriors would win a championship in the NBA was under George Senesky. Senesky's Warriors would win it all in 1956. If you love basketball and the Golden State Warriors Coaches of All Time, then help us decide who the best Golden State Warriors Coaches of All Time coach is by voting up your top picks. You don't have to vote for the winningest Golden State Warriors Coaches of All Time coach, but it's hard to argue against solid numbers.

Bob Lanier

Best Golden State Warriors Coaches of All Time

Ranking Every Golden State Warriors Coach Best to Worst

Cleveland Cavaliers

In their time as an NBA franchise, the Cleveland Cavaliers have gone through many different head coaches, all with different personalities and coaching styles. With that said, who is the best Cleveland Cavaliers coach of all time? We want to hear your thoughts, which is why we created this poll of the top Cleveland Cavaliers coaches of all time. Bill Fitch was the Cavaliers first head coach and coached the team for nine seasons. Fitch has won more regular season games, 738, than any other coach in team history.&nbsp;Chuck Daly is widely regarded to be one of the best head coaches of all time. In 2008 NBA.com named Daly one of the ten best coaches in the history of the game (Fitch was also on that list). If you love basketball and the Cleveland Cavaliers, then help us decide who the best Cleveland Cavaliers coach is by voting up your top picks. You don't have to vote for the winningest Cleveland Cavaliers coach, but it's hard to argue against solid numbers.

Brendan Malone

The Best Cleveland Cavaliers Coaches of All Time

Ranking Every Cleveland Cavaliers Coach Best to Worst

Are you the "Sports Guy" on your trivia team? Welcome to your new secret weapons: lists of fascinating facts and obscure info you need to know yesterday.

You Think You Know Athletes?

Athletes

Which athletes fought a battle with cancer and survived? Several <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/top-25-greatest-nfl-players-of-all-time/hardtack?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">famous NFL players</a>, golfers, and Olympians have survived cancer. Some of these athletes were diagnosed with cancer during their professional careers, while others were diagnosed after they retired. One famous Olympian competed in a qualifying meet just one week after being diagnosed with cancer!&nbsp;Who is the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/top-10-most-popular-athletes-/calistylie?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">most famous athlete</a> who survived cancer? Lance Armstrong tops our list. Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with stage three testicular cancer in 1996. The cancer had spread to his brain, lungs and abdomen, but with treatment, Armstrong was declared to be in remission by February of 1997. Martina Navratilova announced that she was being treated for breast cancer in 2010. She had the tumor removed and was also treated with radiation.Eric Shanteau was diagnosed with testicular cancer in July 2008. One week later, he earned himself a spot in the 2008 Summer Olympics where he placed a personal best time. After the Olympics, he had surgery to remove his testicle. He is now cancer free. Shannon Miller announced that she had been diagnosed with germ cell ovarian cancer in 2011. She underwent chemotherapy and by the end of the year, she was cancer free.Are you surprised that so many famous athletes have survived cancer? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

George Karl

George Karl is listed on