3. PLAYERS 4 - 2
4. Michael Jordan - 29,277 points
What can we say about "Air" Jordan that you don't already know? He is the most recognized media and sports icon in the world, even in countries where they don't play basketball, thanks to the tireless marketing and merchandizing efforts of his good friends at Nike.
The man had an almost supernatural competitive fire and a gnawing urge to win. He won 6 championships, 5 league MVPs, many scoring championships, his name in the record book in all sorts of areas, and the megabucks that other players only dreamed about 'til he came along. He had to retire because he unfairly weighted the league by himself. If Mike hadn't gotten bored, who knows how many more points he would have scored? He was arguably at the peak of his game.
3. Karl Malone - 30,599 points
One of two active players on our top ten list (along with Dominique Wilkins), Karl "The Mailman" Malone became the third person in NBA history to score over 30,000 points on January 29, 2000. The 6'9" power forward is part of the dynamic duo of Malone and Stockton out in Utah, though the pair might still be playing because they haven't been able to win the NBA championship yet. They have twice made it to the Finals, but lost both times to Michael's Bulls.
In his mostly unspectacular style, Malone just consistently gets the job done. You can count on his 20 plus points a game and 10 rebounds, just like clockwork. During his spare time, he likes to drive the long haul rigs, and pictures of his famous truck have been in many sports magazines.
2. Wilt Chamberlain - 31,419 points
Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain was another of the players who can legitimately be called the best ever. His utter dominance of high school, then college, then professional basketball can hardly be understood by fans of today. He was bigger, stronger, and more athletic than the competition wherever he played, and his statistics show it.
His name is in the record book more than any other player: most points in a single game (100), most points in a season (4000), most rebounds in a game (55), highest season scoring average (50.4), most career rebounds (23,924), most career sexual conquests (10,000, he claims), and many more. In a time when goaltending was legal, he tipped or stuffed in countless shots, and blocked or cleared out as many more on the defensive end. If stats were kept on blocked shots when he was playing, then he would have had many seasons where he averaged a triple double.
When Oscar Robertson was asked if Wilt was the greatest player of all time, he replied simply, "The books don't lie." Wilt passed away last year at the age of 63.
