NBA
Top 5 NBA Power Forwards Ever + Fan Rankings
Create your own all-time rankings of the top 5 Power Forwards in NBA history from Tim Duncan to Giannis Antetokounmpo to Karl Malone
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Dirk Nowitzki cemented his legacy on November 11, 2014 by becoming the top foreign-born scorer in NBA history, passing Hakeem Olajuwon for 9th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. This makes it a great time to look at the top five NBA Power Forwards ever with him cracking the list.
Power Forwards are one of the more important positions in basketball, known for their versatility and ability to play both inside and outside. They are typically taller and stronger than Guards and smaller than Centers, which allows them to play a variety of roles on the court. They are responsible for both scoring points and rebounding the ball, as well as playing defense. The position of Power Forward has evolved over the years, with players becoming more versatile and skilled.
Today’s Power Forwards are expected to be able to handle the ball, shoot from long range, and even make plays for their teammates. This has led to the creation of “stretch fours” who can step out and hit three-pointers, and “point forwards” who can bring the ball up the court and initiate the offense. Power Forwards are also known for their physicality, as they often play in the paint and are involved in a lot of contact. They are expected to be able to battle for rebounds, set screens, and make it difficult for the opposing team’s big men to score. This requires a combination of strength, quickness, and agility.
Overall, the position of Power Forward requires a unique combination of skills and athleticism. It’s a challenging position that requires a player to be able to do a bit of everything on the court. From scoring to rebounding to playing defense, Power Forwards are expected to be able to contribute in a variety of ways in order to help their team succeed. Honorable mention includes: Charles Barkley, Bob Pettit, Kevin McHale, and Elvin Hayes. Anthony Davis will likely join this list or at least the honorable mention section one day and Zion Williamson certainly has the potential to do so as well.
Here are the top 5 greatest NBA Power Forwards of all time. Do you agree? Create your own rankings below!
– 5x NBA Champion | 3x Finals MVP | 2x NBA MVP
– 15x All-NBA Team | 15x All-Defense Team (Most Ever)
-15x All-Star | Only Rookie PF selected to All-NBA 1st Team
Otherwise known as “The Big Fundamental,” Tim Duncan utilized elite footwork down low and incredible basketball IQ to become one of the most dominant two-way threats in NBA history from the Power Forward position where the bank was always open.
Tim Duncan's NBA records:
– All-Defense Teams (15)
– Wins (1,001) with 1 team or 1 HC
– 5+ NBA Championships/3+ Finals MVP/2+ MVP
– Rookie PF selected to All-NBA 1st Team
– Career REB (15,091) or GP (841) of 10+ PTS & 10+ REB in 3PT erapic.twitter.com/eZ5C13hs0q— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) September 29, 2022
– 2021 NBA All-Star MVP, NBA Champ, & Finals MVP
– 6x All-Star | 2x NBA MVP | 2020 NBA DPOY | 6x All-NBA
– Only player to win MIP & MVP | 4x All-Defense 1st Team
Giannis Antetokounmpo, otherwise known as The Greek Freak, has quickly become one of the NBA’s greatest rags-to-riches stories. After being drafted 14th overall as a scrawny 18-year-old, he has since developed into one of the most dominant, physical forces in NBA history.
Giannis' NBA records:
– Won MIP & MVP
– Seasons (4) of 25+ PPG/10+ RPG/5+ APG
– Lowest MPG (30.4) in MVP-winning season
– Consecutive Postseasons of 5+ RPG/10+ RPG with 25+ (3) or 30+ (2) PPG
– Non-American ASG MVP
– ASG PPG (29.0)pic.twitter.com/9XxbqNcGPN— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) September 15, 2022
– 14x All-Star | 11x All-NBA 1st Team | 3x All-Defense 1st Team
– 2x NBA MVP | Most career PTS (36,928) by a PF ever
– Most career PTS & MIN (54,852) without a Title
Although he never reached the pinnacle of the NBA mountain by winning a championship, Karl Malone etched his name in history as one of the greatest scorers this league has ever seen.
Karl Malone's NBA records:
– Career FTM (9,787)
– 60+ PTS/80+ FG%/80+ FT% in 1 GP
– Consecutive seasons (11) of 2,000+ PTS
– Oldest (40) with a Triple-Double
– Oldest (36) with 50+ PTS in 1 Playoff GP
– GP (80) of 30+ PTS after age 35pic.twitter.com/wMqqC2OHVE— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) November 17, 2022
– 2004 NBA MVP | 2008 NBA DPOY & Champion
– 15x All-Star | 4x All-NBA 1st Team | 4x NBA REB Champ
– 9x All-Defense 1st Team | 3x All-Defense 2nd Team
As one of the most passionate and competitive players in NBA history, Kevin Garnett played with a special amount of exuberance while demonstrating that indeed “anything is possible.”
Kevin Garnett's NBA records:
– 25,000 PTS/10,000 REB/5,000 AST/1,500 STL/1,500 BLK
– Seasons (4) finished top-25 in PTS/REB/AST/STL/BLK
– Leads any franchise (MIN) in career GP/PTS/REB/AST/BLK/STL
– 30+ PTS/20+ REB/5+ BLK in 1 Playoff GPpic.twitter.com/eq1ZquS9hX— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) May 20, 2022
– 2007 NBA MVP | 2011 NBA Champion & Finals MVP
– 14x All-Star | 2006 3PT Contest Champ | 12x All-NBA
– 1st European NBA MVP | Most Seasons (21) w/ 1 team
Well-known for his patented one-legged fadeaway jumper, Dirk Nowitzki brought a European flare that revolutionized the NBA by emphasizing shooting and ball handling at the big man position rather than physicality and inside scoring.
Dirk Nowitzki's NBA records:
– Seasons (21) w/ 1 team
– 1st European NBA MVP
– 1st #Mavericks All-NBA player
– PTS (31,560), 3PM (1,982), FGM (11,169), FTM (7,240), MIN (51,368) by international player
– Seasons of 100+ 3PM (9), 90+ FT% (3) by 7ft playerpic.twitter.com/EKyvqWP5V4— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) November 9, 2022
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