The old sayings are true, we have to look into the past to predict the future. We have created a list of the most valuable players in NBA history to help us forecast Fanduel’s NBA player futures odds. Each of these players have done amazing things for the game in their time, but which one was the most useful, and how did it change the games!
1. LeBron James
It doesn’t take an expert to know that LeBron James is the most valuable basketball player of all time. Suggesting he could be anything else would be insulting. His only real competition is Micheal Jordan.
Everything that James has done has empowered the game. At this point, just entering the court is enough to put power behind his team. He’s percentile shots are astonishing, his possession is dominant, and he has more titles than Daenerys Targaryen!
To some, the performance that really proved his value, was his 2016 game against the Golden State Warriors. The Cleveland Cavaliers crawled back from a 3 – 1 deficit all because of LeBron James’ impressive skills.
Off the court, James has been a valuable role model too. He has built a school in his hometown, and encouraged others to be active, educated and live a healthy lifestyle.
2. Michael Jordan
Some might think that Jordan should be above James, but he left the game to play baseball while he was still in his basketball prime!
Jordan won three tournaments in a row, and then decided that he needed something new and challenging. He switched to baseball, dominated there too and then returned to show his old colleagues how it was done. On his return Jordan won three in a row again! He retired to a life of peace and quiet, only to rejoin the games for a final time. Jordan was the oldest player averaging 20 points per game.
This amazing feat showed viewers and players alike that you can live life on your terms, putting value in the games but also in our mental health.
He was definitely a player that will be remembered for all of time.
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Just because we have left the legends behind doesn’t mean we are left with poor players. Abdul-Jabbar is one of the greatest players of all time. He is the NBA’s all time best scorer and even invented the most lethal shot in the games.
Over his career, Abdul-Jabbar has scored a whopping 38,387 points, which is a total that none have been able to beat!
Some predict that LeBron James will beat this record in a couple more seasons, but so far, Abdul-Jabbar is reigning supreme.
This phenomenal player has won the title of All-Star 19 times, and he has finished the season in the top for MVP 15 times!
If this list was for the greatest center of all time, Kareem would be number one!
4. Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson cannot be ignored when it comes to the most valuable player in the NBA; the magic man changed the game of basketball forever! In 1979, Johnson’s first season in the league, Magic dropped 42 points and started in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
He played all 5 positions in the game, which was next to unheard of, and basically dragged the Lakers to their first title win in almost a decade!
Just like the beginning of his NBA career, Magic Johnson’s scores, numbers, and titles still look unreal today. He had won 5 championships, 3 Most Valuable Player awards, and 9 All-NBA First Team selections. Johnson’s career has been one of the most shocking and amazing in the whole of the NBA’s history!
5. Kobe Bryant
Although Magic Johnson did so much for the Lakers, he believed that Kobe Bryant was the greatest Laker of all time. Not only did Bryant impact the game of basketball, but he also created a culture around the games that cannot be measured. He brought basketball back to the kids and taught them how to be great athletics in their hometowns. In a time when basketball became all about the points scored, Bryant showed us all how it should be a game of fun first.
Like the others in the top 5, Bryant had a long list of accomplishments, including MVP, 5 time champion, 2 time Finals MVP, and fourth-leading scorer! The list goes on, which is why we couldn’t pick anyone else for our number 5 spot!