Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson has made his picks for the five greatest NBA players of all time.
During his heyday, Iverson played as a shooting guard and point guard and was renowned for his scoring and ball handling. Though he never won the NBA Championship, he was named the MVP in 2001 and was an 11-time NBA All-Star from 2000-2010, which marked the end of his run with the 76ers, and included stints at the Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, and then back to the 76ers for his penultimate season.
Throughout his career, and whether as NBA teammates, in the Olympics, or in All-Star Games, Iverson played with some of the best players in history like Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O'Neal, while also playing against Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Suffice to say, Iverson knows first-hand all about greatness. But who made his final cut for the five-best players in basketball history?
Allen Iverson Picks 5 Greatest Players in NBA History
Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls
It was no surprise to hear the first name out of Iverson's mouth, when talking to CBS News earlier this month.
"Michael Jordan," he said, before adding the following players in the following order.
"Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Steph Curry, Shaquille O'Neal."
Though the five players Iverson listed won 23 NBA championships between them (with Jordan winning 6, Bryant winning 5, and the remaining three each winning four), his list misses off some giants of the game.
With Jordan, there can be no argument. And Bryant and the others make a modern case for inclusion, too, in a list that reflects Iverson's era and influences. However, notable omissions include Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, and Wilt Chamberlain. Some fans might even argue that Iverson alone is worthy of inclusion, in the same sentences as old guard players like Johnson and Bird.
Iverson's list makes sense, though, and shows his emotional hierarchy — guys he feels are the killers, rather than with respect to those who achieved statistical greatness.