Basketball is one of the most popular sports, not only in the USA, but all over the world. It is one of the most spectacular sports, with nail biting action that lasts until the last second of the game. Some of greatest players to ever play the game have become role model, on and of the court. I believe that the greatest basketball legends of all time have a duty towards all the fans of the sport to encourage and help children to get interested and practice this sport. So here is my list of the greatest basketball players in history:

1.        Michael Jordan: Also known as “Air Mike” he is widely regarded as the greatest player to have ever played the game. He is best well known for his amazing slam dunks, sometimes starting his jump from close to the free-throw line. He also was extremely accurate from mid-range, and incredibly cool under pressure, winning many games for his team, with last second throws. Hs carrier is linked to the greatest period in the Chicago Bulls history. He was drafted in 1984 by the Bulls and played for them until 1998 when he retired for the second time. His first retirement, between 1993 and 1995 was a very weird one, because he took up baseball for a period playing in the minor leagues. He later stated that this retirement was a combination of factors, both the fact that his father who always envisioned Jordan playing major league baseball, was murdered, and because of a lack of motivation to play basketball. He won in the periods he spent at the Chicago Bulls six World Championships, as well as appearing fourteen times in the All-Star Game where he won the MVP title three times. He also won the most valuable player award for every final he won with the Bulls and most valuable player of the league five times. He played two more seasons for the Washington Wizards after coming out of retirement in 2001. He donated his salary from this period to the relief efforts following the attack of September 11. I believe that he is one of the greatest basketball legends of all time.

2.        Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Considered alongside Michael Jordan as the greatest player of the sport, he won the NBA title six times, once with the Milwaukee Bucks, and five times with the Los Angeles Lakers. His birth name was actually Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, but he later changed it because of his chosen Islamic faith. He also won a record six times most valuable player of the league, three times with the Bucks, and three times with the Lakers. He was named the most valuable player for two out of the six finals he won, and was drafted a record 19 times for the All-Star Game. Despite his exceptional skill, Kareem was not very good at handling the press. He was very reticent in giving interviews. He was very introverted, and later declared that he always thought that reporters were always trying to pry. This kind of attitude culminated in events like not stopping reading the paper while he was giving an interview, or intentionally snuffing reporters. This proved a mistake, when, form 1995 onwards, he tied to get a head coaching position. He drew the penalty for his past attitude, and only managed to obtain low-level assistant positions. Nevertheless, I believe that his talent and skill were incredible and that without a doubt, he is one of the greatest basketball legends of all time.

3.        Magic Johnson: Nicknamed “Magic” Earvin Johnson played his whole carrier for the Los Angeles Lakers, after getting picked as a rookie in 1979. H played alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in one of the greatest periods in the Lakers history. He managed to win 5 NBA titles with the Lakers, while getting the most valuable player award three times, at the end of the ‘80’s. In 1992 he retired, and went on to become head coach of the Lakers in 1994. After loosing 5 out of 6 games, he decided he was going to resign at the end of that season, and in stead bought 5% of the shares of the Lakers. He later staged a comeback as a player in 1996, but it didn’t prove to be the best decision, after the Lakers lost in the first round of the play-offs. After that season he retired permanently, but he is still considered one of the greatest basketball legends of all time.

Now that basketball has reached ever more people all over the world, the NBA has become an international brand. European, South-American, and Asian players have made it thru to becoming NBA stars. But the greatest basketball legends remain American players. I believe that they left a legacy that will be hard to match by any of the stars of the sport of today.

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