Stephen A. Smith Named His 5 Greatest NBA Players of All-Time

Through his various work with ESPN, Stephen A. Smith has become one of the most recognisable faces on American television. A journalist who worked his way up to become a cornerstone of one of the USA’s biggest sports networks, Smith has enjoyed a successful and lucrative career in the business.

A television personality and analyst for ESPN’s NBA coverage, Smith has been around the league for a number of decades now, and whether it’s voicing controversial opinions on First Take, or getting into verbal sparring matches with his fellow pundits, the 57-year-old has become must-watch TV.

Given his breadth of knowledge and vast experience covering the NBA, Smith is often tasked with leading ESPN’s roundtable discussions, including debates surrounding who is the greatest basketball player of all-time.

Smith has notoriously been reluctant to name a definitive list of his top 10, despite suggesting that numerous players would get in. However, on a podcast back in September 2022, the ESPN pundit did finally put down his best five in NBA history, with additional quotes on the players he selected included below.

5

Magic Johnson

Widely regarded as the greatest point guard in NBA history, Magic Johnson’s tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers saw him pick up a number of championships and engage in a fascinating rivalry with Lary Bird and the Boston Celtics. A towering guard who could handle the ball exceptionally well and with the passing and vision skills to match, Johnson’s physique made him a unique specimen for his position, and he used his advantages to the absolute maximum. Even in a franchise with multiple Hall of Famers, Johnson stands out.

It is a testament to Johnson’s IQ, that not only did he thrive as a point guard, but he also acquitted himself admirably when having to step in for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the de facto center for the Lakers too. Indeed, Magic’s ability and growing responsibility with the Lakers saw him go from being a star among other superstars, to being the main man and taking over the crown from Abdul-Jabbar.

4

Bill Russell

The most successful player in NBA history, Bill Russell’s work on the court saw him dominate the league with his monstrous rebounding and incredible defensive IQ. Having lifted the NBA trophy a whopping 11 times, Russell also earned the distinction of being named the league’s MVP on five separate occasions, including for three years in a row between 1961 and 1963. The NBA’s rebounding champ four times, Russell anchored the Boston Celtics defense and pulled in the boards left, right and centre.

Meanwhile, Russell’s work off the court and his socio-cultural impact should not be forgotten, and the fact he was able to perform at such a high level in the NBA despite facing significant adversity was a testament to his character and skill. While fans of the NBA brought up on watching Jordan and LeBron dominate the league might not be able to appreciate Russell’s greatness from so many years ago, there’s no questioning the Celtics legend – one of the greatest in franchise history – has left a lasting legacy on the game.

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3

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Master of the sky-hook shot, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s longevity in the NBA is something that is rightly heralded even to this day. One of the bona-fide stars of the NBA before the likes of Michael Jordan and LeBron James emerged, Abdul-Jabbar’s success first with the Milwaukee Bucks, then with the Los Angeles Lakers, saw him win championship after championship, and MVP after MVP award.

It was only until James finally did it that Abdul-Jabbar lost his crown as the all-time leading scorer of the NBA, but that does not detract from the fact the center is one of the greatest to ever play his position. It is a testament to just how well he is viewed and respected by the wider basketball community and his peers, that even modern NBA greats like Shaquille O’Neal have repeatedly insisted Abdul-Jabbar sits above them in the GOAT list.

2

LeBron James

Despite his incredible longevity that has seen his NBA career span over two decades, LeBron James does not make the number one spot in Stephen A. Smith’s list of the five greatest basketball players of all-time. The now Los Angeles Lakers star has enjoyed a stellar career, winning rings with the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and his current team.

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Whether it is surpassing Abdul-Jabbar to become the league’s leading scorer, or being one of the most dominant players and scorers the game has ever seen, LeBron’s legacy is etched into folklore. One of the arguments perhaps against James and his case for being no.1, is that he ‘built’ a super-team in Miami after struggling to get over the line in his first spell as a Cavalier.

Given that he is still playing into his 40s, and the Lakers’ trade for Luka Doncic, James will surely be hoping for one last hurrah of an NBA title before he signs off and rides off into the sunset.

1

Michael Jordan

The undisputed GOAT in many people’s eyes including that of Stephen A. Smith, Michael Jordan’s list of credentials and achievements are virtually unmatched in the NBA. His hold on the title of the league’s best player during the Chicago Bulls’ legendary run of success in the 1990s underlines his status as being the best of all-time, winning numerous MVPs, Finals MVPs and championships too.

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Along with Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, and coached by one of the best of all-time in Phil Jackson, Jordan had the league at his whim, and even despite going through a mini-retirement to venture into baseball, could return to the league as unquestionably the NBA’s best player. Whether it was sinking shots in the clutch, or coming up with defensive stops against some of the association’s best offensive talent, Jordan could do it all, and it is unsurprising that Smith, like many others, has him at the top of his list.

Below is Smith’s exact verdict on his top five when speaking on the podcast, including detail on just why he opted to go for Russell over Chamberlain, and the two other NBA players who seemingly narrowly missed out on his ranking.