Discover the ultimate NBA dream team with our breakdown of the greatest starting five of all time. From Magic Johnson's court vision to Michael Jordan's scoring prowess, we analyze the legends who define basketball excellence at each position.
Drew Coleman
Welcome to the ultimate NBA history lesson – one where we’re picking the best of the best at each position to form the greatest starting five of all time. This is no small task. Every NBA era has given us icons, from the towering giants of the 1960s to the fast-paced superstars of today. But if you want an all-time dream team, you have to be prepared to make some tough cuts.
Below, we’ll walk through each position and highlight the one player who, in our view, stands above the rest. We’ll also offer up a couple of honorable mentions – legends who came close but ultimately couldn’t knock the top choice off the throne.
So, lace up your (Air Jordan) sneakers. We’re diving right in.
Magic Johnson is often hailed as the greatest point guard of all time, and it’s easy to see why. At 6'9", he didn’t just reinvent the point guard position – he seized it and made it his personal playground. His court vision was second to none, dishing out dazzling assists and no-look passes that defined the “Showtime” Lakers of the 1980s.
Magic’s influence stretched beyond Hollywood flair. He introduced a style of play that placed ball movement and uptempo offense at center stage. Perhaps his most iconic moment came in the 1980 NBA Finals when, as a 20-year-old rookie, he started at center in Game 6 (in place of an injured Kareem) and exploded for 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists to clinch the championship – a performance that cemented his legend from Day One.
He was a leader, a winner, and a once-in-a-lifetime playmaker. Magic led the Lakers to nine NBA Finals in 12 seasons, collecting five rings and universally earning recognition as the top point guard in history. Stephen Curry may be challenging that throne in the modern era, but Magic’s size, playmaking genius, and championship pedigree give him the edge.
No debate here. Widely labeled the GOAT (Greatest of All Time), Michael Jordan dominates the shooting guard conversation. He’s the NBA’s all-time leader in career scoring average, a relentless competitor, and a six-time champion who never let a Finals series go to a Game 7.
It’s hard to find an aspect of the game Jordan didn’t master. He won scoring titles as routinely as he laced his sneakers, terrorized opponents on defense, and delivered some of the most clutch moments in league history – from the 63-point playoff masterpiece against Boston (where Larry Bird called him “God disguised as Michael Jordan”) to the last-second dagger in the 1998 Finals.
Off the court, Jordan’s star power skyrocketed the NBA’s global popularity in the 1990s. The Air Jordan brand remains iconic worldwide, and the Jordan mystique only grows with time.
Stats. Rings. Defense. Clutch gene. Cultural impact. No shooting guard matches Jordan’s combination of all of the above. Kobe Bryant came closest, but even he acknowledged chasing Jordan’s legacy. MJ’s extra MVPs, higher efficiency, and perfect Finals record seal the deal.
LeBron James is the ultimate do-it-all forward: part unstoppable locomotive, part floor general, part scoring machine. He has proven he can carry any team to the Finals, doing so in eight consecutive seasons (2011–2018). His ability to adapt over time and remain a dominant force well into his late 30s is unparalleled.
LeBron’s combination of size, speed, and skill is something the league had never quite seen before. He’s big enough to dominate in the post, but agile and cerebral enough to run the offense as a point guard. Off the court, his decision to form a “Big Three” in Miami ushered in a new era of player empowerment. And by continuously evolving his game, he’s been at the forefront of the league’s style for nearly two decades.
His main competition is Larry Bird – who was a three-time champ and three-time MVP – but LeBron’s numbers, longevity, and extra ring push him ahead. Statistically, he’s a top-five scorer and top-five in assists all-time. No other small forward has ever matched that mix of sustained excellence, leading three different franchises to titles along the way.
Tim Duncan is “Mr. Fundamental” – the quiet cornerstone of the San Antonio Spurs. While not flashy, his pure efficiency, defensive mastery, and unwavering consistency made the Spurs one of the most stable dynasties the sport has ever seen.
From winning Finals MVP in just his second season (1999) to capturing a fifth championship in 2014 – 15 years later – Duncan’s career is a testament to sustained greatness. He never missed the playoffs, anchored an elite defense, and seamlessly led new generations of Spurs rosters as stars came and went. In every sense, he was the model franchise player.
Duncan’s five rings, multiple MVPs, and dominant two-way play are unmatched at the four spot. Karl Malone might be higher on the all-time scoring list, and Dirk Nowitzki revolutionized the stretch-four role, but neither can top Duncan’s combination of consistent excellence and abundant postseason hardware.
When you retire as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer (a record that stood for nearly four decades), earn more MVPs than anyone else (6!), and compile 20 years of sustained dominance, it’s tough to leave you off any all-time list. Kareem’s skyhook remains arguably the single most unstoppable move basketball has ever seen.
From his early days in Milwaukee (winning a title alongside Oscar Robertson) to anchoring the Los Angeles Lakers’ “Showtime” dynasty, Kareem was a force at both ends. His longevity stands out: he was Finals MVP in 1971 at 23 years old and again in 1985 at 38. He influenced generations of players and remains a respected voice both on and off the court.
At center, we have a Mount Rushmore of big men: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal, and more. Yet Kareem’s unique blend of peak production and longevity – plus 6 titles and 6 MVPs – give him a serious claim to top billing. Russell has more rings (11), but couldn’t match Kareem’s dominant offense. Wilt put up cartoonish stats, but didn’t win as often. Kareem had it all.
Putting together an all-time starting five means celebrating the titans of the sport. These are the players who changed the game, piled up championships, and left us memories that continue to define basketball greatness.
Each player on this team was a league-shifting talent in their own right, but together they form a dream lineup that spans the entirety of NBA history. Their legacies aren’t just measured in stats and rings – it’s also about how each one transformed the sport and inspired future generations.
So, who’s your pick for the greatest at each position? You might have a few names you’d swap in (we see you, Steph Curry fans!), but one thing’s certain: there’s no wrong way to honor the legends who’ve elevated basketball to the global phenomenon it is today. After all, the debate is half the fun. Game on!
