Through 2021-22.
This list supersedes all prior lists.
The inputs for this list (1) WS, regular season, playoff, ABA all included (2) VORP, same inclusions; there are projections/adjustments made for era; the primary distinction between this and prior lists is a greater adjustment made for post-season value. The Total Value number is a mash up of per game (rate) and career value.The floor for consideration is 75 regular season WS (NBA+ABA) through the 2021-22 season that means the pool contains 198 players. Note, because a rate stat is part of the TV, it is possible for a player's TV to fall in post-peak seasons.
75th Anniversary team members who did not make list
Tiny Archibald (182nd, through 2021-22)
Dave Bing (68.8 regular season Win Shares)
Billy Cunningham (169th through 2021-22)
Dave DeBusschere (60.8 regular season Win Shares)
Pete Maravich (46.7 regular season Win Shares)
Nate Thurmond (179th through 2021-22)
Bill Walton (39.3 regular season Win Shares)
Through 2021-22, here's where active players who are nearing the WS cut off stand:
Serge Ibaka 72.76
Kyrie Irving 72
Brook Lopez 71.48
George Hill 69.12
Thaddeus Young 68.88
Andre Drummond 67.69
Jonas Valanciunas 67.39
Karl Anthony Towns 66.08
Lou Williams 65.75
Through 2021-22 there are 193 players with TV of 200+. Here are the last 10 out:
(Teams playes/positions played are those for which the player had 5 yrs tenure)
151. Earl Monroe SG 1968-80 Knicks/Bullets 243.1
152. Harry Gallatin PF 1949-48 Knicks 243
153. Rod Strickland PG 1989-05 Blazers/Wizards 242.2
154. Lamar Odom PF 2000-13 Lakers/Clips 240.5
155. Michael Finley SF 1996-10 Mavs/Spurs 240.5
156. Otis Thorpe PF 1985-01 Rockets/Kings 240.4
157. Tyson Chandler C 2002-20 Bulls 239.6
158. Carlos Boozer PF 2003-15 Jazz 239.5
159. Glen Rice SF 1990-04 Heat 235.8
160. Bernard King SF 1978-93 Bullets/Knicks 233.9
150. ANDRE MILLER PG 2000-16 Nuggets 244.1
149. DEREK HARPER PG 1984-89 Mavs 245.7
148. MARCUS CAMBY C 1997-13 Nuggets/Knicks 246.1
147. SHAWN KEMP PF 1990-03 Sonics 246.4
146. DENNIS JOHNSON PG/SG 1977-90 Celtics 246.7
145. DAVID WEST PF 2004-18 Hornets 247.3
144. SAM CASSELL PG 1994-08 Bucks 249.9
Here are the players in the 240s, note the last half dozen guys to miss the list are also in the 240s, so if you liked Earl Monroe more than Sam Cassell, for ex., that wouldn't hurt my feelings. Per game, the best player here is Camby, the most valuable post season performer is DJ.
143. NEIL JOHNSTON C 1952-59 Warriors 250.6
142. DeANDRE JORDAN C 2009- Clippers 251.4
141. CLIFF HAGAN SF 1957-70 Hawks 251.5
140. STEVE SMITH SG 1992-05 Hawks/Heat 251.5
139. LENNY WILKENS PG 1961-75 Hawks 253.1
138. DAN MAJERLE SG/SF 1989-02 Suns/Heat 253.7
137. JOE DUMARS SG 1986-99 Pistons 255.3
136. MARK JACKSON PG 1988-04 Knicks/Pacers 255.4
135. CEDRIC MAXWELL SF 1978-88 Celtics 255.7
134. DERON WILLIAMS PG 2006-17 Jazz/Nets 255.8
133. ANTHONY MASON PF 1990-03 Knicks 257.2
The first (through 2021-22) active player on the list is Jordan, you should expect he will drop a little bit in Total Value given the per game component. We also get the first players from the 50s - we also see a wide disparity in games played - Williams was a substantially better player game for game than Jackson, but Jackson played in nearly 500 more NBA games, regular season+postseason. Combine those things and they're virtually identical in TV. Williams/Maxwell are the best per game players in this group, Hagan has the most postseason value.
132. PAUL MILLSAP PF 2007-22 Jazz 261.9
131. DENNIS RODMAN PF/SF 1987-00 Pistons 262
130. JASON TERRY SG/PG 2000-18 Mavs/Hawks 263.1
129. RASHARD LEWIS SF/PF 1999-14 Sonics 263.4
128. PEJA STOJAKOVIC SF 1999-11 Kings/Hornets 263.7
127. BOB DANDRIDGE SF 1970-82 Bucks 265.3
126. BOB McADOO C/PF 1973-86 Braves 268.5
125. SAM PERKINS PF 1985-01 Mavs 269.8
Peja is the best game for game player in the 260s (and the first one as good as Gallatin, who just missed the list) Rodman's the most valuable postseason player (DJ is the most valuable postseason player we've seen so far - and none of the players with 200 TV not in the top 150 match him). Per game, Terry has the least value of anyone on the list since Miller. Terry played in over 1500 NBA games - there's value in longevity; balancing career with per game - balancing regular season and postseason, looking to consider a players entire career, that's the premise of the Total Value number computed for each player; there's no storyline here - no "let's group X next to Y" - it's math.
124. MIKE CONLEY PG 2008- Grizzlies 271.7
123. ANDREI KIRILENKO SF 2002-15 Jazz 272.1
122. BUCK WILLIAMS PF 1982-98 Nets/Blazers 272.3
121. AMAR'E STOUDEMIRE PF/C 2003-17 Suns/Knicks 275
120. BILL SHARMAN SG 1951-61 Celtics 275.4
119. HERSEY HAWKINS SG 1989-01 Sixers 276.1
118. VERN MIKKELSEN PF 1950-59 Lakers 276.8
117. TIM HARDAWAY PG 1990-03 Warriors/Heat 276.9
116. VLADE DIVAC C 1990-05 Lakers/Kings 277.1
115. ALEX ENGLISH SF 1977-91 Nuggets 277.7
114. TERRY PORTER PG 1986-02 Blazers 278.4
113. CARMELO ANTHONY SF/PF 2004-22 Nuggets/Knicks 278.8
Another active player, Conley moving up should be expected. The best per game player on the list is now Bill Sharman and he's also has the most postseason value in the 270s.
112. ALONZO MOURNING C 1993-08 Heat 280.2
111. CHRIS MULLIN SF 1986-01 Warriors 281.3
110. DETLEF SCHREMPF SF/PF 1986-01 Sonics/Pacers 283.5
109. JAMES WORTHY SF 1983-94 Lakers 283.5
108. BOB COUSY PG 1951-70 Celtics 284.3
107. WILLIS REED C 1965-75 Knicks 284.7
106. HAL GREER SG 1959-73 Sixers 286.1
105. ZELMO BEATY C 1963-75 Hawks 288.3
T was in the last group, C is in this one (M did not make it). Willis Reed becomes the top per game player on the list; his entire NBA career was less than 600 games, less than half of Hal Greer's. The new top playoff performer is James Worthy.
104. BLAKE GRIFFIN PF 2011- Clips 290
103. TONY PARKER PG 2002-19 Spurs 290.1
102. KEVIN LOVE PF 2009 - Cavs/Wolves 290.6
101. GRANT HILL SF 1995-13 Pistons 291.5
100. ANDRE IGUODALA SF 2005 - Sixers/Warriors 294.7
99. BILL LAIMBEER C 1981-94 Pistons 294.8
98. MARC GASOL C 2009-21 Grizzlies 296.1
97. CHRIS WEBBER PF 1994-08 Kings 296.3
96. JERRY LUCAS PF 1964-74 Royals 296.7
95. SAM JONES SG 1958-69 Celtics 297.2
94. ISIAH THOMAS PG 1982-94 Pistons 298.8
93. ELTON BRAND PF/C 2000-16 Clips/Sixers 299.7
92. MARQUES JOHNSON SF 1978-90 Bucks 299.9
Presumbly, Iguodala is unaware he is jeopardizing his top 100 ranking by coming back to play for another season. Griffin also is likely to be bumped back into the 280s following the 2022-23 season. Johnson is the best per game player in this section, still behind Reed in the overall list - and Sam Jones moves past Worthy to become the top playoff performer. Lot of Pistons here in the 290s.
91 players with Total Value of 300 +.
91. BAILEY HOWELL PF 1959-71 Pistons 303.2
90. LaMARCUS ALDRIDGE PF/C 2007-22 Blazers/Spurs 303.4
89. BEN WALLACE C/PF 1997-12 Pistons 304
88. DAVE COWENS C 1971-83 Celtics 304.1
87. JACK SIKMA C 1978-91 Sonics 306.5
86. SIDNEY MONCRIEF SG 1980-91 Bucks 308.5
85. DIKEMBE MUTOMBO C 1992-09 Nuggets/Hawks/Rockets 309.5
Moncrief's the best per game player here, still trailing Reed - and Ben Wallace is now the top playoff performer on the list.
84. PAUL GEORGE SF 2011 - Pacers 310.1
83. KYLE LOWRY PG 2007 - Raptors 312.8
82. EDDIE JONES SG 1995-08 Heat/Lakers 317.1
Super small group here including 2 players likely to keep accumulating value. George both best per game and in postseason here, Reed/Wallace still tops overall.
81. RASHEED WALLACE PF/C 1996-13 Blazers/Pistons 320.6
80. CHRIS BOSH C 2004-14 Raptors/Heat 320.9
79. BOBBY JONES PF 1975-86 Sixers 322
78. ELVIN HAYES PF 1969-84 Bullets/Rockets 322.1
77. ED MACAULEY C 1950-59 Celtics 322.2
76. MAURICE CHEEKS PG 1979-93 Sixers 323.4
75. RUDY GOBERT C 2014 - Jazz 323.5
74. CHET WALKER SF 1963-75 Sixers 325
73. VINCE CARTER SG/SF 1999-20 Raptors/Nets 326.1
Gobert's the top per game player on the list to date and likely to keep adding overall value; Rasheed has the most postseason value here and trails just Ben at the top of that list - Wallace/Wallace, the top postseason players of all time, with just 72 remaining to be heard from.
72. AL HORFORD C 2008 - Hawks 333.9
71. TRACY McGRADY SF/SF 1998-12 Rockets 334
70. DOMINIQUE WILKINS SF 1983-99 Hawks 334.8
69. KEVIN JOHNSON PG 1988-00 Suns 337
68. JEFF HORNACEK SG 1987-00 Jazz/Suns 339
67. GEORGE GERVIN SG/SF 1972-86 Spurs 339
66. ALLEN IVERSON PG/SG 1997-10 Sixers 339.7
Al Horford's way up here, one of the top 75 players of all time and likely to climb. KJ has the most per game value here, Gobert still leads that group - Horford's got the postseason value for this group, he's behind the Wallaces, but that may not be the case in a year.
65. LARRY NANCE PF 1982-94 Suns/Cavs 344.1
64. HORACE GRANT PF 1988-04 Bulls/Magic 346.1
63. SHAWN MARION SF/PF 2000-15 Suns/Mavs 347.5
62. ROBERT PARISH C 1977-97 Celtics 348.6
61. WALT BELLAMY C 1962-75 Hawks/Bullets 348.9
Nance is the top per game player here, still behind Gobert - the two new top playoff performers on the list are the Chief - and then right ahead of the Chief is Horace Grant.
60. DAMIAN LILLARD PG 2013 - Blazers 351.2
59. RICK BARRY SF 1966-80 Warriors 352.5
58. ELGIN BAYLOR SF 1959-72 Lakers 354
57. PAUL ARIZIN SF 1951-62 Warriors 355.6
56. RUSSELL WESTBROOK PG 2009 - Thunder 358.2
2 active point guards are in the 350s, Lillard's headed up - Westbrook probably moving the other way. Paul Arizin's now the best per game player on the list (we get the two Warriors small forwards here, we also get Baylor next to Barry, and generally think of them together historically; as do I Worthy and Mullin, who we saw near each other earlier in the list). Baylor's the best postseason player in this group, but still solidly behind Horace Grant (everyone so far is solidly behind Horace Grant).
55. DAN ISSEL C 1971-85 Nuggets/Colonels 361.8
54. STEVE NASH PG 1977-2014 Suns/Mavs 362.3
53. KEVIN McHALE PF 1981-93 Celtics 368.5
52. DWIGHT HOWARD C 2005-22 Magic 369.1
Nearing the top 50; McHale is both the top per game and the top playoff performer in this block - Arizin remains the best per game player on the list - but McHale takes over as the most valuable in the postseason.
51. BOB LANIER C 1971-84 Pistons/Bucks 370.8
50. PATRICK EWING C 1986-02 Knicks 371.4
49. WES UNSELD C 1969-81 Bullets 372.5
48. DOLPH SCHAYES PF 1950-64 Nationals 374.4
47. GEORGE MIKAN C 1949-56 Lakers 375.7
46. JIMMY BUTLER SF/SG 2012 - Bulls 376.8
45. GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO 2014 - Bucks 379.4
Bigs and actives fill the 370s. Giannis is now the top per game player we've seen on the list; Mikan's the top postseason player in this block, McHale retains the overall lead. We will see Giannis and Butler continue to climb.
44. MANU GINOBLI SG 2003 - 18 Spurs 385
43. WALT FRAZIER PG 1968-80 Knicks 385.8
42. ANTHONY DAVIS PF 2013 - Pelicans 385.8
41. ADRIAN DANTLEY SF 1977-91 Jazz 393
40. GARY PAYTON PG 1991-07 Sonics 393.5
39. NIKOLA JOKIC C 2016 - Nuggets 393.6
38. CHAUNCEY BILLUPS PG/SG 1998-2014 Pistons/Nuggets 394
Davis goes by Giannis for per game value and then Jokic goes by both of them - Jokic is worth 1/4 of a win in every NBA game he's ever played in. Billups has the top postseason value here - or would, except here's Ginobli, who goes right by him and goes by McHale to become the top playoff performer.
And now - the 37 players with 400+ Total Value.
37. JOHN HAVLICEK SF 1963-78 Celtics 400.3
Hondo is the only guy in the 400s, We're getting into some deep water. 36 guys left.
36. JASON KIDD PG 1995-13 Mavs/Nets/Suns 412.8
35. RAY ALLEN SG 1997-14 Bucks/Celtics/Sonics 414.6
34. PAU GASOL C/PF 2002-19 Grizzlies/Lakers 416
33. ARTIS GILMORE C 1972-88 Bulls/Spurs/Colonels 417.3
The most underrated basketball player who ever lived is probably Artis Gilmore, one of the 10 best centers of all time. Gasol is the top per game here; Allen the best in the playoffs - for the overall list, it's still Jokic/Ginobli.
32. MOSES MALONE C 1975-95 Rockets/Sixers 422
31. PAUL PIERCE SF 1999-17 Celtics 425.2
30. SCOTTIE PIPPEN SF 1988-04 Bulls 429.7
Pippen's the top per game player in the group - and the top playoff performer we've seen so far.
29. DWYANE WADE SG 2004-19 Heat 433
28. KAWHI LEONARD SF SF 2012 - Spurs 434.9
27. BOB PETTIT PF 1955-65 Hawks 436.4
Kawhi's got more to go - right now he's the top per game player so far; he's also the top playoff performer in this group, trailing Pippen overall.
26. CLYDE DREXLER SG 1984-98 Blazers 448.5
The only member of this group - and no one is in the 450s or the 460s.
The top 25 players in NBA history.
25. STEPH CURRY PG 2010 - Warriors 476.1
24. REGGIE MILLER SG 1988-05 Pacers 478.7
Steph's got the per game and the playoff advantage here - he's near the top overall in both lists - but Kawhi/Pippen continue their leads.
We've hit the 23 players with 500+ TV.
23. HAKEEM OLAJUWON C 1985-02 Rockets 508.1
The Dream falls just a tick behind Pippen for the most valuable postseason player.
22. JULIUS ERVING SF 1972-87 Sixers 518.2
Erving and Olajuwon are identical per game and nearly so in the playoffs; Erving's got more games played and it helps him slip by.
21. JAMES HARDEN SG/PG 2010 - Rockets 521
Harden's got 30 more regular season WS than Curry - the list isn't about who changed the game or who won more titles, it's just performance on the floor for every minute of your career.
Top 20.
20. KOBE BRYANT SG 1997-2016 Lakers 533.6
19. KEVIN GARNETT PF 1996-16 TWolves/Celtics 536.2
Contemporaries - Kobe rolls into the top postseason player spot. It's still Kawhi who is the top per game player.
18. DIRK NOWITZKI PF 1999-19 Mavs 558.1
17. JERRY WEST PG 1961-71 Lakers 559
16. OSCAR ROBERTSON PG 1961-74 Royals 559
15. LARRY BIRD SF 1980-92 Celtics 559
14. BILL RUSSELL C 1957-69 Celtics 559.6
Super elite here and that is the company that Nowitzki keeps. The 4 new top per game players are here, Bird, then West, then a tie with Oscar and Russell. Russell is second in the postseason, just behind Kobe. Dirk's the first guy we've seen with 200 regular season Win Shares.
13. CHARLES BARKLEY PF 1985-99 Sixers 562.8
12. KEVIN DURANT SF 2008 - Thunder 567.1
11. SHAQUILLE O'NEAL C 1993-11 Lakers 569.1
You should expect KD to retire inside the top 10. He matches Bird at the top of the per game value list, and Shaq passes Kobe as the top playoff performer.
The Top 10.
10. DAVID ROBINSON C 1990-03 Spurs 578.3
The Admiral is now the top per game player on the list.
9. JOHN STOCKTON PG 1985-03 Jazz 588.9
Stockton has 200+ WS and is the first player we've seen with 100+ VORP. That total 200/100 group in NBA history is 4 guys.
8 players left in the 600+ Total Value club.
8. MAGIC JOHNSON PG 1980-96 Lakers 610
7. CHRIS PAUL PG 2006 - Hornets/Clips 613.1
Magic is now top of both lists we've been tracking - the top per game player and the the top player in the postseason. CP3 has already played in 200+ more NBA games than Magic; he'll cross 200 WS this season and will eventually hit the 100 VORP mark as well.
6. KARL MALONE PF 1986-04 Jazz 626.7
5. TIM DUNCAN PF 1998-16 Spurs 629.7
Duncan roars into the top postseason player spot.
In every single version of this list, regardless of inputs, weights, over several years - the top 4 players have been, in some order, the top 4 players.
4. KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR C 1970-89 Lakers/Bucks 729.4
Kareem's got the most regular season win shares in history and, to this point in the list, trails just Duncan for playoff value.
3. WILT CHAMBERLAIN C 1960-73 Warriors/Lakers 741.3
The Dipper is now the top per game player on the list and second in WS.
2. MICHAEL JORDAN SG 1985-03 Bulls 781.4
Jordan's the best game for game player in NBA history; Wilt finishes second. To this point in the list, Jordan's also the top playoff performer ever and top in VORP.
There's one guy in the 800 Total Value club. He's the best basketball player who ever lived.
1. LEBRON JAMES SF 2004 - Cavs/Lakers 865.9
LeBron's got the most postseason value, he's third per game, first in VORP, second in regular season Win Shares - he's played in nearly 400 more NBA games than Jordan; nearly 600 more than Magic or Bird. And it continues. The King is the King. There is no denying it.
