Top 5 Best Small Forwards of All Time!

Coming in at number five is Elgin Baylor. Elgin Baylor is an 11-time all-star, 10 time all NBA selections, Rookie of the year winner, and Hall of Fame inductee. Baylor has the same dilemma as Wilt Chamberlin and Bill Russell. He put up amazing stats, but he was not at all playing against elite-level basketball players. 

Coming in at number four is Dr. J, Julius Erving. Erving (with the exception of Wilt Chamberlin) was really the first elite-level athlete the NBA has seen. At the time, a dunk from the free-throw line seemed impossible but Dr. J made it a reality. He is an MVP, 11-time all-star, 7-time all NBA selections, and a hall of fame inductee. Despite only having one championship, Erving was a team player. He did not have a lot of help on his team, yet overcame that challenge with his excellent play and eventually won a ring.

Coming in at number three, Larry Bird. Bird is a three-time MVP, two-time Finals MVP, 12-time all-star, 10 time all NBA selections, three-time all-defensive selections, and Rookie of the Year. Larry legend brought something to the table that no one had seen before at the time, shooting.

During Bird’s rookie year, the NBA decided to make a drastic change, add a three-point line. Bird took advantage of this change and during his rookie year, he cemented himself as one of the best players in the league. Despite only playing 13 seasons, Bird broke seemingly every three-point record there was. Obviously, he does not own those records to this day, but he was revolutionary to basketball itself.

Coming in at number two is Kevin Durant. At 32 years old, Kevin Durant is widely projected as one of the best basketball players ever. Although some belittle his rings, he was the second-best player on that team, which was the greatest team of all time. Kevin Durant is now playing for the Brooklyn Nets with Kyrie Irving and James Harden and is the undisputed best player on that team despite being older than the other two all-star level players. 

Coming in at number one is Lebron James. In spite of being the most overrated player ever, he still is the best small forward ever. For Lebron to access his full potential, he needs certain role players on his team. When he does not have those certain role players, he is in the top five to top ten range for all-time small forwards, but when he does have those role players he plays like an all-time great.