The famed host of ESPN’s “First Take”, Stephen A. Smith, has recently garnered the attention of NBA supporters as he shared his assessment of the five best players in the NBA.
In the “First Take” special episode, which is broadcast from Smith’s Winston-Salem State University, he shares his top-five list.
According to Fadeaway World, “No. 5? The one and only Bill Russell. You can’t have a list of anything in regards to winning and ignore the man who won 11 titles in 13 years, not just as a player but also as a player-coach… No. 4? The one and only Earvin Magic Johnson. The greatest quintessential point guard in NBA history… No. 3 on the list is the one and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.”
“Shannon tried. LeBron James is the greatest small forward ever, 6’9, 260, can run, can pass, and give us a show. Those early years where he struggled where the dog that’s in you now wasn’t there are a problem. No. 1? The one and only Michael Jordan. An assassin the likes of we’ve never seen, the greatest in history., Michael Jeffery Jordan.”
The NBA court has seen the endless talent of athletes showcasing their best performances, and when it comes to the list of top players, one always considers Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and LeBron James, among others.
.@stephenasmith's top five all-time NBA players ✍️ pic.twitter.com/tmKcDeBg6u
— First Take (@FirstTake) November 7, 2023
Smith has ranked Jordan as the first player on his top-five list. No one can argue with that, as Jordan is the GOAT of the NBA and has taken basketball to the level it enjoys today.
LeBron James, who has recently broken the NBA’s all-time scoring record, gets the second spot, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar takes third. The greatest point guard of all time, Magic Johnson, takes the fourth spot and Bill Russell takes the last one.
The fourteen-time NBA All-Star Jordan takes the top spot as he is the greatest in the NBA with six champions, six final MVPs, five regular season MVPs, and nine-time defensive among other accolades.
