The GOAT In Every Category: Michael Jordan Is The Greatest Scorer, Stephen Curry Is The Best Shooter

The NBA has changed so much as each era comes to a close and a new one starts. Since the beginning of the NBA, centers have altered the games to include deep-range shooting while point guards have shifted from being playmakers to the top scorers of the league as seen with Stephen Curry with the Golden State Warriors. On the other side, the very best forwards in the game are often the players winning rings as evidenced by what Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, and, and Kawhi Leonard have done over the years.

But one thing has remained intact, the best players in every era have incredible skill sets that make them invaluable to their teams. Specifically, some of the best players in NBA history have dominated the most important categories relating to basketball. It is time to rank the best player in NBA history per category, and it might yield some interesting results for fans whose opinions might differ. There will be competition for each category, but there can only be one player who is truly the GOAT of a certain skill.

Scoring - Michael Jordan

In terms of putting the ball in the basket, Michael Jordan is the best ever and this shouldn't be questioned. He can score at will around the paint, using his speed and vertical to finish his drives and flush them over his helpless defenders. MJ also had a perfect mid-range game and used this shot to win games in clutch moments countless times.

Michael Jordan is simply the most dominant scorer ever, and his 10 scoring titles should put this to rest forever. The legendary shooting guard has a career average of 30.1 PPG that ranks 1st all-time among players, and he did it with extraordinary efficiency (49.7% FG). Even when at the line, Jordan averaged 83.5% from the stripe and was generally unstoppable when he attacked the rim or used his patented fadeaway jumper.

Shooting - Stephen Curry

This one is not very close. Stephen Curry is the most dominant perimeter scorer in NBA history. He is a long-range sniper who will end his career with the most 3-point field goals made in history. Even his pre-game rituals are abnormally great and make you wonder if he is like every other human. Curry can literally drain shots from half-court and has to be defended extremely tightly as soon as he touches the ball. Over his career, Curry averages 3.8 threes made over 8.9 attempts which constitute 42.7%. Even at the line, Steph is a career 90.8% shooter and that also ranks 1st all-time.

Reggie Miller and Ray Allen were recognized as the best shooters ever, but the rise of Stephen Curry surpassed these two shooters and ultimately changed the NBA game forever. The point guard is already the leader of most threes made in a career, and at age 34, he has a few more seasons to keep topping up his numbers. With an incredible 3,270 three-pointers made, Curry is ahead of Ray Allen (2,973) and will forever be the greatest shooter ever.

Rebounding - Wilt Chamberlain

There are clearly many great rebounders that have played professional basketball. Bill Russell has a very strong argument, thanks to his ability to snatch down 20 rebounds in a game with ease. Even Dennis Rodman can put up monster rebound numbers and might be the flashiest rebounder ever. But with all things considered, Wilt Chamberlain is the best rebounder of all time and even the legendary Russell had to place Wilt (and himself) on another tier to Dennis Rodman.

Nobody as tall as Wilt could leap as he could, and he just dominated the league with his extraordinary rebounding. Wilt once put up a whopping 50 rebounds in a single game, and that record will probably never be broken. The superstar center had a career average of 22.9 RPG, which ranks 1st all-time ahead of Bill Russell (22.5 RPG) and also leads all players in total career rebounds. Wilt owns the rebounding records and is the best rebounder ever because nobody did it better.

Playmaking - Magic Johnson

Many great playmakers have arguments for this one since many players average a ton of assists and create countless opportunities for teammates to score. But Magic Johnson is the most gifted playmaker ever. He can read the floor better than any point guard in history and can set up plays thanks to his leadership and basketball I.Q. Magic had broad shoulders and could guard the ball very well, flicking the ball to anyone making cuts to the basket.

Perhaps most importantly, Magic had the most success out of any player in using his playmaking to lead a team to NBA titles. Magic was the best superstar playmaker that won 5 NBA titles, led the NBA in assists 4 times, and had a career average of 11.2 APG which ranks 1st all-time ahead of John Stockton (10.5 APG) and Oscar Robertson (9.5 APG). No doubt, Magic is the best passer we have ever seen.

Ball-Handling - Kyrie Irving

We have seen so many tremendous ball handlers in NBA history, so this is a very difficult category to rank. Jamal Crawford had one of the best crossovers ever, while Stockton and Nash had the ability to keep possession of the ball under pressure to find open players all game long. Even James Harden and Allen Iverson knew how to beat their man off the dribble and score every time down the court.

But no player in history can pull out magic tricks with the ball like Kyrie Irving. He simply has the ball on a swivel all the time and can create space whenever he wants. The closest we have seen to him is Iverson, but Kyrie edges him with his ability to spin and turn even when defended in tight spaces. Kyrie is the flashiest dribbler and is box-office because he has broken so many ankles in his career it is criminal.

Post Defense - Bill Russell

Many great players in the NBA have a case for claiming to be the best defensive player of all time. Bill Russell is probably the most widely acknowledged defender, but unfortunately for him, Defensive Player of the Year Awards was not recognized during his time. But that should not be held against him, because his dominance on the defensive end inside the paint was the main reason the Boston Celtics won 11 NBA titles in 12 years.

Bill Russell could shut down bigs, keep up with guards, and always be in the right position to challenge shots. He was also a very powerful man and one of the best two-way players ever because he played much larger than his size. Russell stood 6’10”, led the NBA in rebounds twice, and was the NBA’s best shot-blocker although the stat was not tracked. Had blocks been tracked along with DPOY awards given, Russell would be the greatest defender in everyone’s eyes.

Perimeter Defense - Scottie Pippen

There have been many incredible perimeter defenders in NBA history, and those varied from guards to forwards. To be logical, the best perimeter defender has to be a forward because that allows a player to defend at least 3 positions on the court, and sometimes 4 positions when including the power forward spot. Out of all the dominant defensive forwards, Scottie Pippen has to be the best perimeter defender ever.

Scottie was Michael Jordan’s infamous sidekick during the Chicago Bulls 6 championship runs and was the primary defender against the opposing team’s best player. Pippen made a whopping 10 All-Defensive Teams, led the NBA in steals in 1995 (2.9 SPG), and had strong career defensive stats. Scottie averaged a career 2.0 SPG and 0.8 BPG and had the elite quickness, length, and athleticism to handle three positions at the greatest level ever. Michael’s scoring gets the most praise for Chicago’s title runs, but Scottie’s defense is right behind it.

Shot-Blocking - Hakeem Olajuwon

Shot-blocking is an art for dominant defensive big men, and there have been a select few who have specialized in swatting shots. Bill Russell is one of them, although blocked shots were never tracked, while Dikembe Mutombo is yet another center who made blocking shots fascinating with his “finger wag”. But as the all-time leading shot-blocker, Hakeem Olajuwon has to be recognized as the best player who blocked shots at a high level.

Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon averaged a career 3.1 BPG which ranks 3rd all-time behind Mark Eaton and Manute Bol. Olajuwon also leads all players in total blocks in a career by quite a margin (3,830) ahead of Dikembe Mutombo (3,289). Hakeem was quick off his feet, had impeccable timing, and knew how to protect the rim. The stats prove that Hakeem is the best shot-blocker ever.

Post Moves - Hakeem Olajuwon

Nobody had better post moves than Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon. The legendary Houston Rockets center was known for the infamous “Dream Shake”, as he stunned even the best defenders with his pump fakes and pivot moves. Over his career, Olajuwon averaged 21.8 PPG on 51.2% from the field and his scoring was the main reason the Rockets won back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995.

Olajuwon is widely regarded as a top-12 player of all time because his skill in the post was beyond everyone else’s level. The Nigerian superstar had to be double and triple-teamed inside constantly because if he wasn’t, his teammates would always be found. The constant was Hakeem’s post moves because he was extremely efficient down low with hook shots, spin jumpers, and easy putbacks.

Footwork - Kobe Bryant

Anyone who watched Kobe Bryant throughout his career knows his footwork was impeccable. The shooting guard had every move in the book that involved pivoting and spinning, and no player ever had his dedication to that craft. For a shooting guard who spends most of his time on the perimeter, that is truly impressive.

One might mention Hakeem Olajuwon as the biggest competitor, but the center did most of his damage in the post while Kobe Bryant could utilize his footwork from anywhere on the court. One of the biggest reasons Bryant was so unstoppable was his perfect footwork, and it only got better with time.

Steals - John Stockton

There have been some incredible talents when it comes to playing passing lanes and stealing the ball, but nobody was better than John Stockton. The Hall of Fame point guard famously owns the record for most career assists (15,806), but he also leads all players in total steals which indicates the Utah Jazz legend was a top-5 point guard ever. Alongside Karl Malone, Stockton helped the Jazz achieve great success over the 1990s.

Stockton averaged a career 2.2 SPG, and he was adept at playing passing lanes and pushing the break when he stole the ball. Even in one-on-one situations, Stockton was capable of staying with his man and was capable of poking the ball away. The crafty guard could also snatch the ball from unaware bigs, and was always looking to push or feed a trailing Karl Malone. The numbers back up the fact that Stockton is the best ever at steals, and he has over 581 more steals than the second-place Jason Kidd.

Athleticism - LeBron James

In terms of pure athletic ability, LeBron James is a different breed. He is powerful, quick, and has the incredible ability to dominate a game through his athleticism. There isn't a player in history with the build of LeBron James that can move and jump like him. Giannis Antetokounmpo comes close, but he doesn't have LeBron's power and brute force to do whatever he wants to do.

Wilt Chamberlain also comes close thanks to his inhumane leaping ability, but James can literally play any professional sport because he combined Karl Malone’s physique with the explosiveness of some of the most elite guards. At 6’9” and 250 lbs, James is a locomotive and that has helped him become the greatest attacker of the basketball ever who is also a triple-double threat. The fact that his body never breaks down is also a testament to his inhuman athletic gifts.

Triple-Doubles - Russell Westbrook

Oscar Robertson was the first player to ever average a triple-double, but then Russell Westbrook came along. Nobody will ever claim that Westbrook was a better or more impactful point guard than Robertson, but there isn’t a player in NBA history who could pull triple-doubles as easily as the former Oklahoma City Thunder star.

Westbrook is the all-time leader in triple-doubles in a career, with a whopping 198 triple-doubles in his career ahead of Oscar Robertson (181) and Magic Johnson (138). Russ is the most athletic point guard ever, and that allowed him to pull down rebounds while creating shots for others and scoring so easily. There will likely never be a point guard as athletic or unique as Russell Westbrook.

Clutch - Michael Jordan

When it comes to clutch, two players can only truly be mentioned. Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. They have built legacies off of clutch shooting, and there hasn't been a player with more game-winners in NBA history than Kobe Bryant. He always takes the final shot, no matter how difficult the circumstances are, and has the utmost faith that he can make them every time. Some might argue for Kobe in this category, but Michael Jordan is the most clutch athlete of all time.

MJ was a perfect scorer and had the scariest killer mentality we have ever seen. MJ even edges Kobe here because he knew how to be a bit more efficient. Kobe could take some wild shots in his day, while MJ seemed always in control of what was happening and could get a good shot off whenever he wanted. His track record and unbelievable clutch play in the postseason give MJ the title of the most clutch player ever. The fact that Jordan hit the game-winner in the 1998 NBA Finals to end the “Last Dance” and capture his 6th NBA championship means he was as special as they came.

Heart - Allen Iverson

Nobody had a heart like Allen Iverson. The reason was that Iverson was very undersized for an NBA player at 6’0” and 165 lbs, yet he attacked the rim as if he was 6 inches taller and 60 lbs heavier. Iverson was a professional scorer who loved to score, and that meant he was willing to take any hit possible to make a difference for his team.

Perhaps no other player could have taken the 2001 Philadelphia 76ers team to the NBA Finals the way Allen Iverson did, as he did the unthinkable by even defeating the Goliath Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1. Iverson was known for his tenacity and willingness to never stop competing, and while he was extremely skilled with inhuman handles, his heart was his biggest strength.

Leadership - Michael Jordan

There is quite a few players in NBA history who are considered exceptional leaders. Magic Johnson had the special ability to be the best player on a championship team, and make everyone around him better at the same time. LeBron James has the same qualities that Magic does, albeit with a stronger frame. Even point guard legends like Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Steve Nash, and John Stockton can feel like they have floor leadership abilities that made others around them better. Of course, Kobe Bryant had a strong leadership style that forced his teammates to be better.

But Michael Jordan is once again the best player of all time for a specific category. He expects the same effort and dedication from every one of his teammates as he puts forward and that is why he is a 6-time champion with a flawless Finals record. Jordan’s leadership style was the opposite of Magic and LeBron’s in terms of being forceful with teammates and challenging them to be to his level even if it came across as negative sometimes. It worked because even if some of Jordan’s teammates hated him, 6 NBA rings on his fingers prove he was the man, and everyone needed to follow him to win.

Work Ethic - Kobe Bryant

No player got every inch out of his career more than Kobe Bryant did with his. He put his heart and soul into the game, becoming one of the greatest scorers ever and an obsessed winner. Besides Michael Jordan, no player was more competitive than Kobe Bryant and the resume speaks for itself.

Bryant was blessed with supreme athleticism as a 6’6” shooting guard, but he worked his way to become arguably the greatest mid-range scorer ever who had perfect footwork and counter-moves. As the only player besides Wilt Chamberlain to score at least 80 points in a single game, Kobe had a one-of-a-kind work ethic. Even Team USA members had to rave about Kobe’s work ethic and that in itself was a form of leadership.

Winning - Michael Jordan

Who else would appear in the winning category? Sure, Bill Russell won 11 NBA titles and is often hailed as the greatest winner in NBA history because nobody won more rings. But Russell played in an era in which there were only 8 teams and had the greatest teammates ever. That is no knock on the great Bill Russell because he is only behind Michael Jordan.

MJ went to 6 NBA Finals and won each series without ever playing in a single Game 7. At the same time, MJ was by far the best player in every series and always came through in the clutch. His quick cross-over on Jazz forward Bryon Russell before nailing the game-winning jumper in the 1998 Finals will forever be the final piece of evidence that Jordan was the best winner of all time.

Longevity - LeBron James

How in the world is LeBron James still going strong in his 20th season? The King is posting 29.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 7.0 APG at 38 years old and continues to defy Father Time. With a whopping 20 seasons in the league doing everything from scoring to playmaking, LeBron James simply has the greatest generics of any athlete ever.

But LeBron is more than blessed. He is extremely dedicated to his craft, and nobody takes care of his body better than The King. LeBron is lucky to have never suffered a severe injury in his career and does not seem to get old enough to slow down. As still a top-10 player in the world at 38 years old, LeBron James has surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as longevity king just as he will surpass him in total career points this season.

Dominance - Shaquille O’Neal

No player was as dominant as Shaquille O’Neal, the most physically imposing force in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain was dominant in his era, but he used a mix of length and vertical in an era where there were a bunch of “slow white guys”. In other words, Chamberlain was far more dominant than any other player he was playing against for most of his career. But Shaq was dominating bigs that were 7 feet tall and somewhat large in stature.

Obviously, nobody was as large as O’Neal and that means he completely dominated the NBA in his prime with the Los Angeles Lakers. With 3 straight championships and Finals MVPs to prove it, Shaq destroyed the league. Even as he aged when he joined the Miami Heat, his size and presence down low made it impossible to focus solely on Dwyane Wade on the perimeter. As the most dominant center and one of the most successful, Shaq used his 7’1”, 325 lb frame to punish defenses year after year.