The most decorated NBA players have earned a lengthy list of accolades to tack on to their respective resumes—everything from MVPs to All-Star appearances.

Like most sports, various awards are handed out every year to some of the best athletes at their respective positions and in a multitude of categories.

However, not all awards are created the same.

In order to rank NBA players based on the various awards and accolades bestowed upon them, a fair and balanced points system was needed.

So where does Kobe Bryant rank in all of this? Who will rank ahead between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain? How about between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird?

Most importantly, who will top the list? Is it Michael Jordan or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? Can a dark-horse candidate sneak in and claim top honors?

Points System

While I laid the foundation for the points system, I had help balancing it out. Special thanks to the following people for their help: Elliot Pohnl, Tim Coughlin, Ethan Norof, Nathaniel Uy and Michael Cahill.

Every award is multiplied by the corresponding point value assigned to it, with the exception of being a member of the Hall of Fame and having their jersey number retired—having their jersey retired by more than one team didn't factor in.

When factoring in the awards, ABA awards were not part of the equation. However, BAA awards were included since it was renamed the NBA after the 1948-49 season.

Also, All-Rookie First and Second Teams weren't created until the 1988-89 season, so players who made the All-Rookie Team from 1962 to1988 are automatically awarded first-team points.

Regular-season MVP: 10 points

Hall of Fame: 10

Jersey number retired: 9

NBA Finals MVP: 9

NBA champion: 6

All-NBA First Team: 8

All-NBA Second Team: 7

All-NBA Third Team: 4

Rookie of the Year: 6

Most Improved Player of the Year: 3

Sixth Man of the Year: 3

Defensive Player of the Year: 9

All-Defensive First Team: 7

All-Defensive Second Team: 6

Scoring title: 9

Assist title: 8

Rebounding title: 8

Steals title: 6

Blocks title: 6

Three-point title: 3

All-Star Game appearance: 2

All-Star Game MVP: 2

All-Rookie First Team: 2

All-Rookie Second Team: 1

96 to 100

T-96. Jamaal Wilkes

Rating: 50

T-96. Horace Grant

Rating: 50

98. Earl Monroe

Rating: 49

T-99. Lenny Wilkens

Rating: 47

T-99. Ray Allen

Rating: 47

91 to 95

T-90. Maurice Stokes

Rating: 52

T-90. Maurice Lucas

Rating: 52

T-93. James Loscutoff

Rating: 51

T-93. Jo Jo White

Rating: 51

T-93. Chris Webber

Rating: 51

86 to 90

86. Buck Williams

Rating: 56

T-87. Chris Paul

Rating: 54

T-87. Paul Silas

Rating: 54

T-87. Bob Love

Rating: 54

T-90. Chauncey Billups

Rating: 52

81 to 85

81. Mark Eaton

Rating: 62

82. Pete Maravich

Rating: 61

83. Grant Hill

Rating: 58

T-84. Mo Cheeks

Rating: 57

T-84. Amar'e Stoudemire

Rating: 57

T-79. Gus Johnson

Rating: 63

Gus Johnson spent most of his career with the then Baltimore Bullets.

He was named to the NBA All-Star Game five times, the All-NBA Second Team four times and the All-Defensive First Team twice.

His No. 25 jersey is retired by the Washington Wizards organization and he's a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

T-79. Ed MaCauley

Rating: 63

Ed MaCauley played on the St. Louis Bombers, Boston Celtics and St. Louis Hawks throughout this career.

MaCauley was selected to the All-NBA First Team three consecutive years from 1951-1953 and he made seven consecutive NBA All-Star appearances from 1951-1957.

He won a title with the St. Louis Hawks in 1958 to cap off his illustrious career.

78. Alex English

Rating: 65

Alex English was a high-volume scorer throughout the prime of his career—he took home a scoring title in 1983.

English's nightly offensive assaults made him an exciting player to watch.

He was selected to the All-NBA Second Team on three occasions and appeared in eight All-Star Games.

English was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and has his No. 2 jersey retired by the Denver Nuggets.

77. Mitch Richmond

Rating: 66

Mitch Richmond is best known for representing the letter M in the Golden State Warriors exciting trio—made up of Chris Mullin, Tim Hardaway and Richmond—otherwise known as Run TMC.

Richmond's run with the Warriors was short-lived though, and he eventually found himself on the Sacramento Kings.

After his spell with the Kings, he moved onto the Wizards and ultimately landed on the Lakers where he played a small reserve role on their 2002 title team.

Throughout his career, Richmond made six All-Star appearances and was selected to the All-NBA Second Team three times and the All-NBA Third Team twice.

T-75. Alonzo Mourning

Rating: 67

Alonzo Mourning was drafted to the Charlotte Hornets, but would go on to spend the majority of his career with the Miami Heat.

While with the Heat, he took home two consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards. He also made the All-Defensive First Team during that same span and the All-NBA First and Second Team too.

While he was a shell of his former self when he finally won an NBA Championship riding the coattails of Dwyane Wade, his defensive presence played a role in helping the team overcome the Dallas Mavericks.

T-75. Nate Thurmond

Rating: 67

Nate Thurmond is one of the all-time greatest centers in NBA history. He started and played most of his career with the Warriors, but ended his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He was selected to seven All-Star Games, made the All-Defensive First Team two times and the All-Defensive Second Team three times.

T-73. Jerry Lucas

Rating: 68

Jerry Lucas had a storied career. While he spent the majority of his career with the Cincinnati Royals, it wasn't until he joined the New York Knicks that he finally won a title.

Lucas made either the All-NBA First or Second Team every year he played for the Royals, with the exception of his final year with the team.

He had a brief stopover with the San Francisco Warriors before moving on to the Knicks.

T-73. Billy Cunningham

Rating: 68

Billy Cunningham spent his entire NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers, but he had a brief stint in the ABA with the Carolina Cougars from 1972 to 1974.

Cunningham was part of the juggernaut 76ers championship squad from 1967.

While in the NBA, he managed to make five All-Star Games while being selected to the All-NBA First Team three times and the All-NBA Second Team once.

His No. 32 jersey has been retired by the 76ers.

72. Tom Sanders

Rating: 69

Tom "Satch" Sanders played for the Boston Celtics from 1960 to 1973.

Sanders contributed to eight championship runs and managed to be selected to the All-Defensive Second Team in 1969.

His No. 16 jersey number is retired by the Celtics.

71. James Worthy

Rating: 70

James Worthy, the No. 1 overall selection in the 1982 draft, spent every season of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers.

There, he won three titles—including being named NBA Finals MVP during their 1988 title run—and was chosen to seven All-Star Games and two All-NBA Second Teams.

Worthy's No. 42 jersey hangs from the rafters at the Staples Center and he's enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

T-69. Adrian Dantley

Rating: 71

Adrian Dantley spent 15 seasons in the NBA. While he bounced around to several teams, he spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz.

It was in Utah where he garnered all his awards—he was selected to six All-Star Games, two All-NBA Second Teams and he managed to take home two scoring titles.

T-69. Bruce Bowen

Rating: 71

Bruce Bowen made a living pestering perimeter players with his swarming defense.

He wasn't very effective on offense—minus his corner three-ball—but he was one of the very best on defense.

T-66. Norm Van Lier

Rating: 72

Norm Van Lier wasn't a particularly accomplished player, but he did just enough to make the top 100 of this list.

More than anything else, it was his defensive prowess that moved him up the ranks. He was selected to the All-Defensive First Team three times and the All-Defensive Second Team five times.

His lone assist title also gave his stock a boost.

T-66. Robert Davies

Rating: 72

Robert Davies spent his entire NBA career with the Rochester Royals.

In seven seasons with the team, Davies made four All-Star teams and won a championship with the team in 1951.

He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and his jersey number is retired by the franchise he devoted his career to.

T-66. Robert Parish

Rating: 72

Robert Parish's career spanned 21 seasons and a record 1,611 games.

During his lengthy tenure in the NBA, he managed to contribute to four championship teams while being selected to nine All-Star Games.

T-64. Clyde Drexler

Rating: 75

Clyde "The Glide" Drexler was one of the most exciting players of his generation.

Drexler was a slasher by nature due to his freakish athleticism, but developed a strong well-rounded game as his pro career progressed.

He faced some stiff competition for the All-NBA Teams, but was a regular at All-Star Games, making it to the NBA's midseason classic 10 times.

It wasn't until he reunited with his Phi Slama Jama teammate, Hakeem Olajuwon, that he finally won a title.

T-64. Dave Bing

Rating: 75

Dave Bing made his mark on the league as a member of the Detroit Pistons.

This former Rookie of the Year enjoyed a successful career—although he failed to win a title.

Regardless, Bing has plenty of accolades to his name and his jersey number is immortalized in Pistons' lore.

63. Wes Unseld

Rating: 78

Wes Unseld managed to win NBA Rookie of the Year and NBA MVP in the same season—a testament to his greatness upon entering the league.

While Unseld didn't win a title until he was paired with Elvin Hayes, he had an impressive resume nonetheless.

62. Tracy McGrady

Rating: 80

Tracy McGrady is arguably one of the most naturally gifted basketball players of all time—he struck fear into opposing defenses with his vast offensive game.

However, a lack of focus and injury problems kept him from entering the discussion for not only one of the very best players of his generation, but in league history.

McGrady failed to lead each of his teams out of the first round of the playoffs.

61. Neil Johnston

Rating: 84

Neil Johnston spent his entire career with the Philadelphia Warriors from 1951-59.

He won an NBA Championship and three scoring titles with the Warriors. He was also selected to six All-Star Games and made a combined five All-NBA First and Second Teams.

60. Dominique Wilkins

Rating: 85

Dominique Wilkins, perhaps best known as the Human Highlight Film, was a fierce offensive force. He attacked the basket with reckless abandon and is considered one of the greatest dunkers in league history.

Wilkins led a very successful Atlanta Hawks squad—albeit one that failed to make any deep playoff runs—throughout his tenure with the team.

He was a fixture at All-Star Games and made a combined seven All-NBA teams.

59. Paul Arizin

Rating: 87

Paul Arizin spent his entire NBA career playing for the Philadelphia Warriors.

While a member of the Warriors, Arizin won the scoring title twice, was selected to 10 All-Star Games and made the All-NBA First and Second Teams a combined four times

However, his crowning achievement would be leading the Warriors to a title in 1956

58. Slater Martin

Rating: 89

Slater Martin spent the majority of his career with the Minneapolis Lakers.

Playing alongside George Mikan, the Lakers were able to capture four championships during his tenure—Martin would later attain a fifth championship with the St. Louis Hawks.

Martin was also selected to seven All-Star Games and chosen for the All-NBA Second Team five times.

57. Michael Cooper

Rating: 92

Michael Cooper is one of the greatest defensive players of all time, and he played a key role during the Los Angeles Lakers dynasty during the '80s.

He was selected to the All-Defensive First Team five times while making the All-Defensive Second Team three times.

Cooper also won Defensive Player of the Year in 1987.

56. Bob McAdoo

Rating: 92

Bob McAdoo was a bit of a journeyman throughout his career. He jumped around to numerous teams, but had his most memorable seasons with the Buffalo Braves.

He was named NBA MVP, took home three scoring titles, made the All-NBA First and Second Team, and was selected to the All-Star Game five times while a member of the Braves.

However, his two titles came while a role player on the Showtime Lakers.

55. Nate Archibald

Rating: 94

Nate Archibald spent 14 seasons in the NBA, with his longest stays being with the Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics.

It wasn't until he joined the Celtics that he finally won an NBA title.

He has the distinction of being the only player to lead the league in scoring and assists in the same season.

54. Hal Greer

Rating: 96

Hal Greer spent his entire career with the Syracuse Nationals—which eventually became the Philadelphia 76ers.

He teamed up with Wilt Chamberlain to form the powerhouse team that ended the Boston Celtics' championship stranglehold.

Greer is widely respected as one of the greatest guards of his generation.

53. Dave Debusschere

Rating: 98

Dave Debusschere, while undersized for his position, managed to battle against bigger foes out of the power forward position.

He was a defensive stalwart, making the All-Defensive First Team six consecutive years.

While the first seven years of his career were spent with the Detroit Pistons, he's best remembered for his contributions to the New York Knicks' title teams of the early '70s.

T-51. Patrick Ewing

Rating: 100

Patrick Ewing will always get criticized for never bringing a title to the city of New York, but it's hard to blame him when he ran into the likes of Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon.

Despite playing in the shadow of some of the greatest big men to ever play in the league, Ewing managed to lead the Knicks into the postseason year after year.

Ewing never had a true star sidekick to carry the burden and was forced to do all the heavy lifting himself, which makes his accomplishments—both individual and team-based—all the more impressive.

T-51. Sam Jones

Rating: 100

Sam Jones played shooting guard for the legendary Boston Celtics dynasty of the 1950s and 1960s.

He is widely considered one of the greatest of his generation at his position and played a key role during the Celtics' title runs.

Jones' 10 NBA Championships is only exceeded by his teammate, Bill Russell.

50. Dwyane Wade

Rating: 101

Dwyane Wade has had a fantastic career for a player that was once deemed a reach in the 2003 NBA draft.

He has been compared to his childhood idol, Michael Jordan, especially after his dominant finals performance in 2006, and you certainly can't get higher praise than that.

While Wade has played in the shadow of Kobe Bryant at the shooting guard position, he's the only player even remotely capable of challenging Bryant for the very best at the position.

49. Dwight Howard

Rating: 102

Dwight Howard is only 25 and he already has three Defensive Player of the Year awards on his resume. At this rate, he can easily break the record of four Defensive Player of the Year awards.

Howard is currently, without question, the best center in the league.

His domination on both ends of the court solidifies his place among the best.

At the rate he's collecting awards, Howard should be able to crack the top 25 on this list.

48. Joe Dumars

Rating: 103

Joe Dumars was a fixture in the Detroit Pistons lineup during the "Bad Boy" days, and he spent his entire career with the same team.

Dumars was a defensive ace, consistently tasked with guarding the opposing team's best perimeter player—he has six All-Defensive First Team awards as proof of this.

T-45. Isiah Thomas

Rating: 105

Isiah Thomas’ career and legacy has been tainted by his disastrous stint in the NY Knicks front office.

However, he should be best known for leading the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons to two NBA titles.

While he is the second- or third-—depending on who you ask—greatest point guard of his generation, his accomplishments cannot be overlooked—even if you're a Knicks fan.

T-45. Bill Sharman

Rating: 105

Bill Sharman was part of the Boston Celtics dominant dynasty.

While he joined the team in the latter stages of their championship dominance, his place is forever cemented in both league and team history.

T-45. Dave Cowens

Rating: 105

Dave Cowens' all-around game and intense nature made him one of the most feared players at his position.

Cowens had a remarkable career with the Boston Celtics—he helped capture two titles during his tenure in Boston and he won the NBA MVP award in 1973.

44. Kevin McHale

Rating: 106

Kevin McHale is one of the greatest low-post players to ever grace the court.

He played a pivotal role during the Boston Celtics dynasty in the 1980s, helping them take home three titles.

McHale is also the first back-to-back Sixth Man of the Year award winner.

43. Sidney Moncrief

Rating: 107

Sidney Moncrief is one of the greatest defensive guards in league history.

He was the first recipient of the Defensive Player of the Year award—an award he won for two straight years—and made the All-Defensive First Team four times and the Second Team once.

Moncrief spent nearly his entire career with the Milwaukee Bucks and his jersey number is hanging in the rafters.

42. Dikembe Mutumbo

Rating: 108

Dikembe Mutumbo is one of the most domineering defensive forces in NBA history.

He was awarded Defensive Player of the Year four times throughout his career, along with three selections to the All-NBA First and Second Team.

T-40. Rick Barry

Rating: 113

Rick Barry started his career in the NBA, but took a brief detour to the ABA for four seasons after a dispute with Franklin Mieuli, the owner of the then-San Francisco Warriors.

However, the greatest moments of his career came with the franchise he is most often tied to—the Golden State Warriors.

He led the Warriors to an NBA title, taking home NBA Finals MVP honors along the way.

T-40. Tommy Heinsohn

Rating: 113

While Tommy Heinsohn is better known these days as the biggest homer in the broadcast booth, he had a storied career as a member of the Boston Celtics.

He was part of the greatest dynasty in American sports, helping the Celtics take home eight NBA Championships.

39. Julius Erving

Rating: 115

Julius Erving spent the first five years of his professional basketball career playing in the ABA. While his best years were debatably spent during his tenure in the ABA, he managed to continue his legendary career after the merger.

Erving took home regular-season MVP and a title with the Philadelphia 76ers and was a perpetual selection to the NBA All-Star Game.

He also made the All-NBA First and Second Team seven times.

T-37. Steve Nash

Rating: 120

A late bloomer, Steve Nash didn’t fully realize his talents until his second stint with the Phoenix Suns.

Nash is perhaps the only underrated regular-season MVP in league history. Despite his back-to-back MVP awards, he is constantly criticized for his flaws.

While he’s been on the cusp of reaching the promised land on two separate occasions, he’s failed to bring his team all the way.

Regardless, the accolades he’s racked up on the back end of his career are quite impressive to say the least.

T-37. Dirk Nowitzki

Rating: 120

Dirk Nowitzki has been one of the most consistent and dominant players at his position over the course of his career.

While he’s had plenty of success during the regular season, his postseason achievements have paled in comparison.

Nowitzki’s first trip to the finals was also a colossal disappointment as the Dallas Mavericks gave up a commanding 2-0 lead and ended up losing in six.

His regular-season MVP award was spoiled in the opening round of the playoffs as the heavily favored Mavericks were upset by the underdog Golden State Warriors.

However, he finally put his demons to bed by leading the Mavericks to victory over the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals. By getting over the hump, it helped validate his hard work.

36. George Mikan

Rating: 125

George Mikan was the league's very first superstar.

He led the league in scoring for three consecutive years and delivered a total of five championships during his playing days.

If more awards were handed out during his playing days, he would easily have more awards to pad out his already impressive resume.

35. Willis Reed

Rating: 126

Willis Reed made a living playing a physical and intense style—an approach he took to both sides of the ball.

Among the greatest players in Knicks history—and also one of the greatest centers—Reed’s impact on the game is immeasurable.

Reed led the Knicks to two NBA Championships, taking home NBA Finals MVP in both series.

34. George Gervin

Rating: 128

George Gervin, otherwise known as the “Iceman," is one of the smoothest and most dominant scorers in the history of the game—he has four scoring titles to back up that claim.

He failed to win a title during his tenure in the NBA, but he was regularly ranked among the best at his position.

33. Elgin Baylor

Rating: 129

Elgin Baylor’s storied career was only missing a championship ring to go along with all his other accomplishments.

He was one of the most prolific scorers and rebounders during his era, and it’s a surprise he never took home a regular-season MVP award or a title during his tenure.

32. Dolph Schayes

Rating: 130

Dolph Schayes played his entire 16-year career with one organization—the Syracuse Nationals, now known as the Philadelphia 76ers.

He led the franchise to the playoffs 15 times, but only managed to take home one title during the 1954-55 season.

Schayes was a dominant rebounder, but not the most proficient scorer. Despite his inefficiency on offense, he managed to make the All-NBA First and Second Teams six times apiece.

31. Dennis Johnson

Rating: 131

Dennis Johnson had a slow start to his career, but eventually blossomed into a Hall of Fame talent with the accolades to back him up.

While Johnson started his career as a shooting guard, he eventually moved over to the point guard position, where he helped bring two titles to the Boston Celtics.

However, his greatest asset would be his defensive expertise—he was selected to nine consecutive All-Defense First and Second Teams.

T-29. LeBron James

Rating: 135

LeBron James may only be 26 years old and seven years into his NBA career, but he’s quickly climbing the ranks and could very well break into the top 10 when his career comes to a close.

While plenty of people hate on LeBron, his talent is undeniable.

The two-time regular-season NBA MVP is already one of the most complete players in league history and he should continue to notch new awards to his belt over the remainder of his career.

LeBron may be criticized for having failed to deliver a championship, but the young superstar will have plenty of opportunities to do so.

T-29. Elvin Hayes

Rating: 135

Elvin Hayes entered the NBA a dominant force, leading the league in scoring.

However, it wasn’t until Hayes was traded to the Washington Bullets that his career started to blossom and his resume started to fill out with awards.

Hayes teamed up with Wes Unseld on the Bullets to make one of the most dominant frontcourts in the league. The Bullets made the NBA Finals three times—although they only managed to win it once.

28. Ben Wallace

Rating: 136

Ben Wallace may have the most shocking point value and ranking of all the players on this list.

While Wallace was inept offensively, particularly from the charity stripe, he was a defensive force to be reckoned with—four Defensive Player of the Year awards only help to solidify the argument.

27. Charles Barkley

Rating: 142

If awards were given out for nicknames, Charles Barkley would surely see his stock go up—particularly for the name the “Round Mound of Rebound.”

Sir Charles was selected to 11 All-NBA teams and consistently dominated in the scoring department and on the boards.

While he never took home a title, he can at least rest easy knowing that he does have a regular-season MVP award on his list of accomplishments.

26. Walt Frazier

Rating: 144

Walt Frazier could probably rack up enough “cool” points to make this list—which was sadly excluded from the final points system—but luckily, he has enough awards to get him listed.

While Willis Reed catches all the attention for the Knicks title in 1970, it was Frazier who made it all happen.

Frazier seems to be under-appreciated, but his all-around abilities make him one of the greatest to ever play the point.

25. Allen Iverson

Rating: 147

Allen Iverson is one of the most exciting guards ever. Barely breaking the 6’0” barrier, his ability to light up the scoreboard was second to none.

He is easily one of the most prolific scorers of all time, and his small stature makes it all the more impressive.

Iverson was never known for sharing the ball with others or his defense, but his resume—which nearly matches his rap sheet—is good enough to place him among the greatest at his position.

24. Gary Payton

Rating: 162

Gary Payton is perhaps the best defensive point guard of all time.

Not only was he selected to nine consecutive All-Defensive First Teams, he is the only point guard in league history to have won Defensive Player of the Year.

While Payton’s lone title came as an aging role player on the Miami Heat, it was a suitable way to cap off his Hall of Fame-worthy career.

23. Jason Kidd

Rating: 179

Jason Kidd is without a doubt one of the most versatile players to ever suit up. He was a nightly triple-double threat through the prime of his career, and he was one of the rare specimens capable of hurting the opposing team without having to score.

Kidd was robbed of a regular-season MVP award, just narrowly losing to Tim Duncan, but he still has enough accomplishments to rank him among the most decorated.

Kidd finally won a much-deserved NBA Championship with the Dallas Mavericks last season, and an eventual Hall of Fame bid should only help to push him higher up this list.

22. Bob Pettit

Rating: 186

Bob Pettit has the distinction of being the very first recipient of the NBA regular-season MVP award—an award he managed to win on two occasions.

He spent his entire career with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks—now known as the Atlanta Hawks—and delivered a title to the franchise in 1958.

Up until Kobe Bryant recently managed to take home his fourth NBA All-Star MVP award, Pettit held the record.

21. Dennis Rodman

Rating: 190

Dennis Rodman is easily one of the most controversial players ever, if not the most. If awards were handed out for wild antics, Rodman would challenge the top players on this list for supremacy.

It’s only fitting that one of the most accomplished players in league history was finally recognized for his abilities, landing in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

His two Defensive Player of the Year awards certainly helps to boost his stock—not to mention his fixture on the All-Defensive Teams.

More than anything else, his contributions to championship teams and his uncanny ability to corral rebounds put him in rarefied air.

20. Jerry West

Rating: 197

Jerry West is perhaps best known as being the outline for the NBA logo. However, he accomplished far more than that throughout his career.

West was a prolific scorer and one of the best guards in the league throughout his career—as evidenced by his scoring title and place on 10 All-NBA First Teams.

While he eventually ended up winning an NBA Championship with the Lakers, he is the only player in league history to have won the NBA Finals MVP award while being on the losing squad.

19. Scottie Pippen

Rating: 200

Scottie Pippen is one of the most divisive figures in NBA history. There are those that believe that he was just a sidekick riding the coattails of Michael Jordan, while most seem to fully recognize his pivotal contributions to Jordan’s and the Bulls’ success.

Even discounting the championship titles he won playing alongside Jordan, Pippen would still rank among the top 25 most decorated players in league history—he has his defensive expertise to thank for that.

18. Karl Malone

Rating: 206

Karl Malone joins the lengthy list of players to have never won a championship thanks to the sheer dominance of Michael Jordan.

Even so, Malone is easily one of the greatest forwards to ever pick up the rock.

He holds a record 11 selections to the All-NBA First Team and is tied for third for All-Star Game appearances with 14.

Malone also holds the privilege of being one of the few multi-NBA MVP award winners.

17. Moses Malone

Rating: 211

Moses Malone is one of the most successful preps-to-pros players in league history.

While he played in the ABA for the first two years of his professional career, that didn’t impede his progress or hold him back from filling up his trophy room.

Malone is in elite company, being one of only a handful of players to take home at least three regular-season MVP awards.

16. Oscar Robertson

Rating: 213

While Oscar Robertson’s most impressive individual accomplishment may have been averaging a triple-double over the course of the regular season, they don’t give awards for that.

Even so, Robertson was an absolute statistical monster and a fantasy basketball player’s dream.

He is one of only three players—joining John Stockton and Bob Cousy—to have taken home at least seven assist titles.

His regular-season MVP award and NBA Championship help to round out his already noteworthy career.

15. David Robinson

Rating: 215

David Robinson played against some of the greatest big men to ever step foot onto the hardwood.

Despite the strong competition, Robinson managed to be among the most accomplished at his position.

However, the greatest moments of his career didn’t come until Tim Duncan came along and helped deliver titles to the Spurs.

14. John Stockton

Rating: 221

It’s a bit surprising to see John Stockton ranked ahead of his partner in crime, Karl Malone. However, his record nine assist titles quickly dispel any trepidation with his ranking.

Stockton was never a perennial selection to the All-NBA First Team, but he was consistently among the best at his position throughout his illustrious career.

The only thing missing from his resume is an NBA Championship.

T-12. Kevin Garnett

Rating: 222

I must admit that I’m a bit surprised to see Kevin Garnett ranked so high.

Although, if you look at the list of accolades he has racked up over his career, it all starts to make sense.

Garnett is arguably the most versatile power forward to ever play the game. His all-around prowess and skill made him one of the most feared players in his prime.

Even nearing the twilight of his career, Garnett is still one of the best defensive players in the league and he can still score with the best of them.

T-12. Larry Bird

Rating: 222

While Larry Bird is behind his long-time rival, Magic Johnson, he’s still in elite company.

Of his three NBA Championships, Bird managed to take home two NBA Finals MVP awards. Then there are his three regular-season MVP awards, which are enough to warrant his inclusion in the discussion of the greatest players of all time.

Bird is also only one of two players on this list to have taken home a three-point title.

11. Shaquille O'Neal

Rating: 235

Shaquille O’Neal is arguably the most distinctive player to ever play in the NBA.

This physical monstrosity is a true once-in-a-generation-type of player.

While his four NBA Championships are nothing to scoff at, imagine how many more he could’ve won if he remained with the LA Lakers.

Also, if Shaq was motivated and fully dedicated to the game throughout his career, he could have accomplished so much more.

10. John Havlicek

Rating: 238

One of many Boston Celtics on this list, John Havlicek is one of the most legendary members of that particular group.

He had the luxury of playing alongside Bill Russell and Bob Cousy for most of his career, where he managed to capture eight NBA titles.

While Russell and Cousy helped to make him look good, Havlicek could more than hold his own.

He was consistently in the conversation for the best at his position. Not only was he a more than capable player on offense, his defensive skills were top-notch.

9. Bob Cousy

Rating: 253

Bob Cousy may have been lucky enough to play alongside Bill Russell for the majority of his career—he captured six NBA Championships during his tenure with the Celtics.

However, Cousy played a pivotal role in orchestrating the team’s offense and helping to lead the Boston Celtics to near complete domination in the late '50s and '60s.

Dubbed the “Houdini of the Hardwood," his fancy passing paved the way for point guards such as Pistol Pete, Magic Johnson and many more.

Cousy’s eight assist titles are second only to John Stockton.

8. Magic Johnson

Rating: 259

Magic Johnson is widely deemed to be the greatest point guard of all time, so to see him ranked appropriately as the most decorated at his position is suitable.

If Johnson’s career wasn’t cut short by his bout with HIV, who knows what other awards he could have won?

However, one thing is for sure: This five-time champion and three-time regular-season and finals MVP would certainly be higher on this list.

7. Hakeem Olajuwon

Rating: 271

Hakeem Olajuwon is arguably the most skilled center to ever play in the NBA, so it should surprise no one to see him rank this high.

Although it can be argued whether or not he would have taken home two titles and two finals MVP awards if it weren’t for Michael Jordan’s brief retirement, Olajuwon’s greatness cannot be denied.

Olajuwon played in the golden age of big men and he was always ranked among the best, if not No. 1 overall throughout the majority of his career.

6. Kobe Bryant

Rating: 280

Kobe Bryant is easily one of the most accomplished and well-rounded players of all time—as evidenced by the various awards lining up his trophy case.

While he only has one regular-season MVP award under his belt, his consistency on both sides of the ball has garnered him numerous honors.

Bryant is a perennial All-Star and consistently finds himself a part of an All-NBA and All-Defensive Team.

However, the Black Mamba isn’t quite done just yet. Expect to see him climb this list when his career is all said and done.

5. Tim Duncan

Rating: 287

Tim Duncan has been about as consistent as they come over the course of his career.

This four-time NBA champion and two-time regular-season MVP has ranked among the top players in the league—and among the best at his position—since his rookie season.

While Duncan is on the decline now, his Hall of Fame-worthy career is not yet over.

He doesn’t have many opportunities and years left to add more awards to his resume, but there are certainly a few accolades within reach.

4. Bill Russell

Rating: 288

Bill Russell’s record 11 NBA titles make him the greatest champion in the history of the sport.

If the All-Defensive Team awards were around before his final season in the league, Russell would surely be on the first team every year.

Not to mention, the Defensive Player of the Year award wasn’t around until the early '80s—another award Russell easily could’ve won nearly every year of his career.

Despite not being afforded the opportunity to win those awards, he still manages to rank in the top five—a testament to his greatness.

3. Wilt Chamberlain

Rating: 356

Wilt Chamberlain is the first player in what I consider to be the very top tier of players on this list.

As you can see by the gap between him and Bill Russell, he’s part of a very special group of players.

If all the various awards part of the equation were available during his heyday, his rating would surely be much higher.

2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Rating: 407

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's illustrious career spanned 20 years and through three decades.

Of his 20 years played in the league, Kareem managed to make it to the All-Star Game a record 19 times.

He also was selected to the All-NBA First Team 10 of the 20 years he played.

Of all the players on this list, he's the only player to remotely approach the man that sits atop this list.

1. Michael Jordan

Rating: 468

The gap between Michael Jordan and Kareem is absurd. Compared to everyone else on this list, it’s not even fair.

Jordan’s five regular-season MVP awards and his six NBA Finals MVP awards helped to really set him apart from the rest of the crowd.

Jordan is widely considered the greatest player of all time, so it’s only fitting that he has the accolades to back up that title.