The Jump Manual Brings you The Best NBA Basketball Players
All the NBA basketball players mentioned in this article were, at some point of their career, applying the very principals taught by The Jump Manual.
A great fan of Basketball always finds inspiration in looking up to the legends and players who have made their mark in the history of The NBA. By the best performance, by competition, by sustaining a career regardless of the mishaps, downfalls, injuries and criticism.
A very few make it to the all time World and The NBA favorites and when they do they are known as the Best at The NBA.
The Jump Manual Presents a short description of The 10 Best in the NBA
The following has been quoted from the: “Bleacherreport.com”
1. Michael Jordan
MJ is the greatest basketball player this world has ever seen. He refused to lose, a trait possessed by few in the era
Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan 1997 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
of high-paid NBA players afraid to get dunked on today. He won six championships against John Stockton, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, and other Hall-of-Fame.While most players suffer from the effects of achy bones and bruises as the years go on, Jordan simply adjusted his game and got better. He was the ultimate leader, the ultimate scorer, and the ultimate defender.If Larry Bird and Magic Johnson brought the NBA out of the doldrums of sports irrelevance, Michael Jordan took it straight to the forefront of American culture. Every aspiring basketball player of the 90s donned his signature jersey and shoes, and the Chicago Bulls became the iconic team of basketball.From now until the end of time, Jordan’s impact will be felt throughout the basketball world. Perhaps someday there will be a player considered better, but there will never be another Jordan. His hunger and love for the game make him a one-of-a-kind sensation, a step above the “superstar” title given to the others on this list.
2. Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt is the most dominant basketball player to ever play the game. At some point, you have to throw out the “he played in a much worse era” argument, because Wilt was so far above everyone else he played against. He scored 100 points in a game, averaged 50 for a season, and even led the league in assists when he decided to pass more.Russell was a better winner, but Wilt has achieved a legendary status that no other player besides Michael Jordan could brag about. The picture of Chamberlain with a piece of paper that simply read “100” has become one of the enduring images of basketball. It is the insurmountable peak of the tallest mountaintop that only Kobe Bryant has gotten close to touching.Stick Wilt into today’s NBA and I still think he’s one of the best players around. He was that good, that unstoppable, and the best big man of all time.
3. Magic Johnson
Los Angeles Lakers Magic Johnson (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Magic was the only player who one-upped Larry Bird during the 80s. He’s LeBron James plus four inches and a whole bunch of championships, which is why James has lots of work to do if he wants to be included in a top 10 conversation.Johnson’s passing ability was simply surreal. No 6’10″ player should be able to play point guard with such grace and skill, yet Magic broke that unwritten rule. When his team needed a center during the Finals, Magic filled in and delivered a championship. Only the third greatest player of all time could do something so monumental.
4. Tim Duncan
Duncan is the most under appreciated player basketball has ever seen. His fundamental offensive moves were supposed to work in the 1960s, not the 2000s, yet he’s been a career 20 points per game player. In an era that should’ve been completely dominated by Shaq, Kobe, and LeBron, Duncan won four championships with his best teammates being Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.Duncan was and still is, a once-in-a-lifetime defender and leader. His stat line in a game against the Nets during the Finals (21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, 8 blocks) remains the epitome of a fantasy basketball owner’s dream, and he achieved that on the highest stage in the world, not a meaningless regular season game against the Clippers.Timmy is by far the greatest power forward in the history of basketball, and hopefully, his greatness will truly be appreciated when he decides to call it quits.
5. Karrem Abdul Jabbar
Kareem played for a ridiculous 20 years, which is no easy task for a big man (just ask Yao Ming, who is struggling to make it through one full season). His name is synonymous with the sky hook, a shot attempted by youngsters across the globe along with NBA centers today, and his six MVPs only bolster an already impressive resume.Abdul-Jabbar is also the league’s all-time leading scorer, ahead of Wilt and Michael Jordan. He won six NBA championships, serving as Magic Johnson’s go-to man in the 80s. Out of every center the NBA has ever seen, he’s the second best. Not too shabby.
6. Larry Bird
Larry reinvigorated the Celtics franchise and led them to three championships during the 80s. He averaged a cool 24 points and 10 rebounds in 13 seasons, and helped put the NBA on the national television map with his rivalry against Magic Johnson.Bird was also one of the most entertaining and confident players to suit up in the 80s, with his three-point contest guarantee (which he upheld by winning), along with his multiple acrobatic game-winning shots. Larry Legend will forever live on as a legend in the Boston area, which is no easy task.
7. Kobe Bryant
Bryant is the closest thing the NBA has seen to Michael Jordan since MJ’s retirement. Similar to Michael, Kobe has adapted his game as age slowly catches up to him. Formerly a high-flying dunker, Bryant is now a prolific jump shooter and phenomenal defender.His four championships put him at No. 7, but with three to four more years of high-level basketball left, Kobe could easily advance up this list. If he finishes his already illustrious career with seven rings (which is unlikely but not out of the realm of possibility), perhaps we’ll be waiting for the next Kobe instead of the next Jordan in the future.
8. Shaquille O’Neal
During Shaq’s prime, there wasn’t anything on earth that could slow him down—except that darn free throw line. O’Neal is a four-time champion, and could likely add ring No. 5 by season’s end in Cleveland.There was literally
Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal 12/20/1999 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
no answer for him in the paint in the early 2000s, and his defensive ability made him just as lethal on both sides of the ball.Some point to Kobe Bryant as the reason O’Neal won three championships in Los Angeles, but virtually no champion lacked at least two superstars on the same team (except for Duncan and Olajuwon). Shaq was a guy you could build a team around and win 60 games. Today, he’s still a worthy competitor on any finals contender.
9. Bill Russell
On the list of honorable mentions I listed Havlicek as one of the greatest winners ever. Russell is the greatest winner ever. You can’t argue with 11 championships in 13 seasons—that’s a mark that will never, ever be broken.Russell isn’t just the greatest winner, he’s also on the shortlist of best defenders to play the game. He would more than likely own the record for blocks (not a category during his career), and was rewarded for his efforts with five MVP awards. So why isn’t he higher on this list?It’s simple: the era he played in. Just like the “Big O,” we don’t know how Russell would have done in a 30-team, much more competitive league. He also averaged less than 16 points per game for his career, so at the end of games, Bill wasn’t a guy you could turn to for big shots.
10. Hakeem Olajuwon
The smoothest big man the league has ever seen. Olajuwon could do absolutely anything he wanted on the offensive end, and blocked shots at a high rate to boot. In a Jordan-less league, he would very likely be ranked much higher on this list, as evidenced by his two championship wins when MJ was busy playing baseball.Nowadays, chiseled big men like Dwight Howard are the ideal, but I’d take Hakeem’s freakish athletic ability over that any day of the week.
Other Basketball Players who have recognition in The NBA:
Jerry West—West would probably be in most hoops fans’ top 10, but I can’t put a guy who lost eight championships on this list.
John Havlicek—One of the greatest “winners” of all time. He and Scottie Pippen are the two best sidekicks to ever play the game.
Moses Malone—The best rebounder of all time.
Elgin Baylor—Ranks as one of the most gifted scorers to ever play the game, but lost eight championships and won none.
Scottie Pippen—If Michael Jordan was this generation’s Batman, Pippen was certainly Robin.
Oscar Robertson—It’s hard to keep the human triple-double off this list, but someone who played in a far-less competitive era has to be looked at objectively. For all we know, Robertson would average 10 and five on an NBA team today. Fair or not, players from the NBA’s inception will always be penalized in the big picture.
Still, Robertson transcended the game with his ability to find teammates and score at will. He was an NBA champion and will be linked with Bob Cousy as one of the first truly great point guards to play the game.
The NBA Top 10 Active Players based on Career Achievements:
The NBA recognizes it’s players on different levels and basis and here are the Top 10 Active Players who are placed for their Career Achievements:
10 Ray Allen (Boston Celtics)
Being the all-time leader in three-pointers made has to count for something! There is no lack of respect for how good a player Ray Allen has been over his career. Some of his national popularity and championship opportunities took a hit while he was with the Bucks, but he finally got a well-deserved ring in Boston.
9 Dwayne Wade (Miami Heat)
The Heat guard is one of the most electrifying players in the NBA. In just the first half of his career, Wade has made the All-NBA team six times, and he will make his eighth All-Star appearance this season. If he can continue this run, and add to his one championship ring, Wade will go down as one of the top guards in history.
8 Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs)
Lost between the big assist point guards and the 25+ point scoring guys, Parker is the only active point guard with three rings since 2003. Tony Parker has quietly put together a stellar career and is only 29 years old. The question will be if he can continue to win and play great once Duncan and Ginobili move on.
7 Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns)
Steve Nash not only won two straight MVPs in the same league as Kobe, Shaq, Garnett and Duncan, but he also managed to be the greatest Canadian player in history! No kidding though, Nash is one of the top point guards ever and is the reason why Parker doesn’t appear in any more All-Star games. He is still missing the ring, but when it’s all said and done, his statistics will speak for themselves.
6 Lebron James (Miami Heat)
The first pick in the 2003 draft, the savior of Cleveland, the most marketable player since Jordan. LeBron is still ridiculously young, but already in his ninth season in the NBA. He also is not lacking in criticism, especially after his move to Miami, but for this list his two MVPs, five-time first-team All-NBA and two championship appearances make him one of the best.
5 Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks)
How long has Jason Kidd been playing? Well, he was a Maverick before Dirk showed up, and now he is back in Dallas with a veteran Dirk and a championship. Kidd never won an MVP, but his consistency has put him forever in the record books. He currently sits number two all-time in assists and number three all-time in both steals and three-pointers.
4 Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks)
One of the greatest foreign players in NBA history, Dirk is also top 50 in most statistical categories all-time. Helping his ranking is the Mavs’ recent championship victory, where he received MVP honors and defeated the Miami Heat “Dream Team.” Nowitzki also has four first-team All-NBA selections on his resume.
3 Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics)
KG had to leave Minnesota in order to finally win something—actually, anything—after years of first round exits. Those years were not wasted, however, as Garnett is now top 25 overall in points and rebounds, and he has racked up eight first-team All-NBA Defense selections and an MVP.
2 Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)
Duncan is arguably the best power forward in NBA history, and he has the hardware to prove it. His awards include 13 All-Star games, nine first-team All-NBA, eight first-team Defensive All-NBA, four NBA Championships, three final’s MVPs and two NBA MVPs. His quiet leadership has created a dynasty in San Antonio that will not soon be forgotten.
1 Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
Kobe is first on this list mainly for the fact that his five rings are the most for any active player, except Derek Fisher, and he is about five times the player that Fisher is. Along with his one MVP he has been stuck on the All-NBA first team and All-NBA Defensive first team for the length of his career. That’s not a bad spot to be.
The NBA Top 10 Breakout Players of 2012:
Here are the Top 10 Players of the current year 2012 in The NBA and a few of them might well make it to Top 10 Players of All Times too. It takes much effort and sustained career record to be the deserving one at The NBA.
10. Mario Chalmers: Point Guard, Miami Heat
Rank: 57
11 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1.4 steals
Mario Chalmers has flourished in his fourth season with the Miami Heat, increasing his scoring average by nearly five points from 2011.
With LeBron James and Dwyane Wade facing constant double-teams, Chalmers is often the recipient of wide open looks from behind the arc.
He’s taking full advantage of those opportunities, to the tune of 1.8 threes per game—good for 19th in the league.
9. Kyrie Irving: Point Guard, Cleveland Cavaliers
Rank: 51
17.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists
The first pick of the 2011 NBA draft has somehow managed to exceed they sky-high expectations he inherited from the moment he stepped foot onto the campus of Duke University just over a year ago.
At just 19 years of age, Kyrie Irving has wasted no time showing the rest of the NBA that he is already one of the best point guards in the world.
8. Jeff Teague: Point Guard, Atlanta Hawks
Rank: 50
13 points, 5.2 assists, 2.1 rebounds, 2.1 steals
Jeff Teague had his coming out party in the 2011 NBA playoffs and is doing his best job to prove that he’s no one-hit wonder.
After averaging four points in 12 minutes per game during his first two seasons, Teague is now playing nearly 34 minutes per contest and already has five games with at least 20 points.
7. Jarrett Jack: Point Guard, New Orleans Hornets
Rank: 45
16.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.8 assists
The departure of Chris Paul to the Clippers opened the door for Jarrett Jack to run the show in New Orleans and he hasn’t looked back since.
Jack’s numbers have more than doubled across the board from his 2011 averages and he already has seven games with at least 20 points on the season.
6. Ricky Rubio: Point Guard, Minnesota Timberwolves
Rank: 34
11.4 points, 8.9 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 steals
The numbers don’t do him justice folks, Ricky Rubio is even better than advertised.
Since being inserted into the starting lineup, Rubio is averaging 12.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 9.7 assists per game.
Rubio is only beginning to scratch the surface in terms of what he’s able to do on the basketball court, all we have to do is just sit back and enjoy the ride for the next 15 years.
5. Greg Monroe: Center, Detroit Pistons
Rank: 26
15.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists
Wait a minute, Greg Monroe isn’t a point guard!
The run of five straight point guards on the list comes to a grinding halt as the second-year big man out of Georgetown cracks the top five on our list of breakout fantasy players.
Monroe (6’11″, 253 lbs) is the leading scorer and rebounder for the Detroit Pistons—a trend we should probably expect to continue for many years to come.
4. Marcin Gortat: Center, Phoenix Suns
Rank: 24
15 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks
Question: How many guys in the NBA are averaging at least 15 points and 10 rebounds per game?
Answer: Six (Dwight Howard, Andrew Bynum, Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, David Lee and Marcin Gortat)
3. Kyle Lowry: Point Guard, Houston Rockets
Rank: 15
14.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals
That’s right, Kyle Lowry is the 15th-ranked fantasy basketball player in the world as of this second.
He’s the only player in the NBA averaging at least 14 points, six rebounds, eight assists and two steals.
Wow.
2. Ryan Anderson: Forward, Orlando Magic
Rank: 11
16.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.9 threes
Did you know that Ryan Anderson (6’10″, 240 lbs) leads the NBA with 2.9 threes per game?
Neither did I. Well, actually, yes I did, but I bet you did not.
The departure of Brandon Bass to the Boston Celtics has allowed Anderson to play nearly 30 minutes per night and he’s taking full advantage of this golden opportunity in Orlando.
1. Danilo Gallinari: Small Forward, Denver Nuggets
Rank: 6
17.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.4 threes
Danilo Gallinari is showing everyone why the New York Knicks drafted him sixth overall in the 2008 NBA draft.
Gallinari is leading the Denver Nuggets in scoring while shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 88.4 percent form the free-throw line.
At 6’10″ and 225 lbs, Gallinari is a do-it-all small forward in the mold of a young Dirk Nowitzki.
The players are the pride of The NBA and the pride of the Nation.
There will always be some of the best players making places in the top lists of The NBA, the ones who show the best performance, who compete, who struggle, who deserve, who win; not only for their teams and home but above all for themselves. The best of The NBA are indeed the pride of the nation.
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