NBA
5 Greatest NBA Small Forwards Ever + Fan Rankings
Create your own all-time rankings of the top 5 greatest Small Forwards in NBA history from LeBron James to Larry Bird to Kevin Durant
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LeBron James etched his name in NBA history as he achieved the greatest individual accomplishment in sports history by passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer on February 7, 2023, so it’s a great time to look at NBA’s top 5 greatest small forwards ever with him highlighting the list.
Over the last decade or so, the influx of talent in the NBA has influenced a lot of buzz around the idea of “position-less basketball.” In today’s game, the league has never been more talented and the emphasis on versatility and shooting is at an all-time high. The modern era features guards shooting the ball with insanely deep range alongside big men who can dribble it a little bit while also having the confidence to step out and shoot jumpers at a high rate.
Between all this skill at the guard and big man spots, small forwards have become the perfect medium and the elite ones have become high commodities. The best small forwards have created their own lane in this league as the top-tier guys have the size similar to big men like power forwards/centers plus have the skill and versatility to handle the ball like guards, all while being able to defend on the perimeter.
This elite combination has taken over the league as a requirement for the position and many even believe that having a player of this caliber is part of the blueprint for building a championship-caliber club. With influence from other legends on this list, the 21st century has seen the rise of modern-day wings like Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, Brandon Ingram, and others who are built at 6-foot-8 or taller with the ability to do it all.
Honorable mention includes: John Havlicek, Dominique Wilkins, Scottie Pippen, Rick Barry, and Kawhi Leonard. It’s very possible Kawhi & Paul George could move up this list in the future.
Here are the top 5 greatest NBA small forwards of all time. Create your own rankings below!
– 4x NBA MVP | 4x NBA Champ & Finals MVP | 18x All-Star
– Most All-NBA Team Selections (18) & 1st Teams (13)
– Most Playoff Wins (174), PTS (7,631), & STL (454) ever
Many believe that when it comes to the NBA GOAT debate, the conversation should both start and end with LeBron James. With his unique combination of physical gifts and basketball IQ, James has easily cemented himself as one of the most unique players the league has ever seen.
LeBron James HOF resume:
– 18x All-Star, 3x ASG MVP
– 18x All-NBA (most ever)
– 5x All-Defense 1st Team, 2014 2nd Team
– 4x NBA MVP
– 4x NBA Champ & Finals MVP
– 2008 NBA Scoring Champ
– 2020 NBA AST (10.2) leader
– 2004 NBA ROY
– NBA 75th Anniversary Teampic.twitter.com/h2Isjn9nYh— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) June 19, 2022
– 3x NBA Champ, 2x Finals MVP | 12x All-Star | 1980 ROY
– Only F w/ 3 straight MVP | 10x All-NBA (1st 1st-Team Rook)
– 1st season of 50+ FG%/40+ 3P%/90+ FT% | BOS retired #33
Nobody can even think about talking 1980s NBA basketball without mentioning Larry Bird. As a key member of one of the most storied rivalries in sports, Bird helped set the groundwork for establishing worldwide interest in the sport of basketball.
Larry Bird's HOF resume:
– 12x All-Star
– 9x All-NBA 1st Team, 1990 2nd Team
– 4x NBA FT% leader
– 3x NBA Champ, 2x FMVP
– 3x NBA MVP
– 3x All-Defense 2nd Team
– 3x 3PT Contest Champ
– 1980 ROY
– NBA 50th & 75th Anniversary Teams
– #33 retired by #Celticspic.twitter.com/ybFBssWfVl— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) September 19, 2022
– 2x NBA Champ, 2x FMVP | 12x All-Star | 10x All-NBA
– Youngest (21) NBA Scoring Champ | 4x Scoring Champ
– 2008 ROY | 2014 NBA MVP | Most PTS (48) in a Game 7
With the unique build of being 6-foot-11 with guard skills, Kevin Durant is already considered to be one of the most prolific scorers and unguardable forces the league has ever seen.
Kevin Durant's HOF resume:
– 12x All-Star, 2x ASG MVP
– 6x All-NBA 1st Team, 4x 2nd Team
– 4x Scoring Champ
– 2x NBA Champ, 2x Finals MVP
– 2014 NBA MVP
– 2008 NBA ROY
– NBA 75th Anniversary Team
pic.twitter.com/9iQ3dRSdoy— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) June 28, 2022
– 1983 NBA Champ, 2x ABA Champ | 12x All-NBA/ABA
– Only MVP in NBA (1) & ABA (3) | 2x ABA Playoffs MVP
– Only player with 15+ ASG & 0 non-All-Star seasons (16/16)
Whether it was pre-merger or post-merger, it did not matter to Julius Erving who dominated in multiple eras and associations. Arguably the greatest ABA player of all time had no trouble translating his skills to the NBA where he cemented his legacy as “Dr. J” and one of the greatest ever.
Dr. Julius Erving's HOF resume:
– 11x NBA All-Star, 5x ABA, 2x ASG MVP
– 9x All-NBA/ABA 1st Team, 3x 2nd Team
– 1981 NBA MVP, 3x ABA MVP
– 1983 NBA Champ, 2x ABA Champ
– 2x ABA Playoffs MVP
– 1976 ABA All-Defense 1st Team
– 1972 ABA All-Rookie 1st Teampic.twitter.com/unaYLDLAsn— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) August 2, 2022
– 11x All-Star, 1959 ASG MVP | 10x All-NBA | 1959 ROY
– 4x Playoff PPG leader | Most PTS (61) in 1 NBA Finals game
– Most career REB (11,463) & RPG (11.5) by a SF ever
To this day, Elgin Baylor is still viewed as one of the greatest players to never win a championship, although his Lakers finally won it all to cap off the year Baylor retired midseason. He still owns the most points (61) during a NBA Finals game ever as one of the best scorers during the pre-3-point era.
Elgin Baylor HOF resume:
– 11x All-Star, 1959 ASG MVP
– 10x All-NBA 1st Team
– 1959 NBA ROY
– 4x Playoff PPG leader
– Most PTS (61) in 1 NBA Finals GP ever
– 2nd most Playoff PTS (3,623) without an NBA title
– #22 retired by #Lakerspic.twitter.com/H0zW4b6hoO— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) September 13, 2022
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