About This Quiz
Throughout the history of the NBA, there have been thousands and thousands of players lucky and talented enough to make it to the big leagues. These players come from all around the world, all walks of life and come in all different shapes and sizes. Some will only play for a year or two, while others will enjoy careers that span multiple decades.
However, very few of these players ever end up reaching "legend" status. Those who have been lucky enough to be seen as one of the greatest of all time have shown throughout their careers that they weren't your average NBA player.Â
Whether they scored a ton of points, grabbed a lot of rebounds or won a lot of NBA championships, these players have accomplished things that very few players are ever able to. They have rewritten the history books and many have been enshrined in the Hall of Fame.Â
There is no question that many legends have taken the court in NBA uniforms, but the question is, how well do you know who they are? You might know the names or what they have done, but can you recognize these 40 NBA legends by their faces? Without any further ado, get ready to test your knowledge of NBA legends. How many will you get right?
Barkley was a tenacious rebounder and is often named one of the best NBA players ever to never win a championship.
Shaq would caused headaches for coaches everywhere as he was unstoppable in the paint, and won 3 straight Finals MVP awards from 2000-2002.
With his 6 NBA championships and numerous NBA records, Michael Jordan is one of the single most legendary players ever.
Advertisement
Larry Bird was one of the biggest reasons for the massive success that the Celtics enjoyed throughout the 1980s.
Tim Duncan played his entire career with the San Antonio Spurs and helped them win a whopping 5 NBA championships.
Kobe Bryant is perhaps the best pure scorer in league history and, along with Shaq, helped the Lakers win the NBA championship three times.
Advertisement
Allen Iverson was among the best scorers and dribblers in NBA history, and despite never winning an NBA championship, is often seen as one of the greatest ever.
While he played in a much easier era, the numbers that Wilt put up throughout his career (over 30 ppg and 20 rpg) simply cannot be ignored.
Magic Johnson was one of the most versatile players in history and could play all five positions with the best of them.
Advertisement
Abdul-Jabbar is one of the most decorated players in history, as he won 6 NBA championships, 6 MVP awards and made it to 19 All Star games.
Erving was one of the most flashy players in NBA history and was a huge fan favorite in the ABA before coming to the NBA.
After making the National Championship three times in college, he went on to play in the NBA for 18 years, making 11 All Star teams.
Advertisement
Malone, along with John Stockton, led the Utah Jazz to many amazing seasons in the 1990s. Malone won 2 MVP awards and made the All Star game 14 times.
In addition to winning 6 NBA titles with Jordan, Pippen also made eight straight 1st team NBA All-Defense teams, proving his tenacity on the defensive side of the ball.
In addition to being an outstanding rebounder, Moses Malone was also a capable scorer and won 3 MVP awards and an NBA championship back in 1983.
Advertisement
Hakeem Olajuwon was a large man, but was capable of moving as quickly and effortlessly as men much smaller than him. He helped the Rockets win 2 NBA championships in both 1994 and 1995.
All Bill Russell does is win. At nearly every level of basketball he has played at, he has been victorious many times. For example, he won 11 NBA championships, including 8 in a row from 1959-1966.
Stockton has wide leads in both the Most Assists and Most Steals NBA records, and we will likely never see either of them get beaten.
Advertisement
West made 14 NBA All Star teams in his career and had the unique pleasure of having his silhouette featured in the NBA logo.
Robinson played his entire career with the San Antonio Spurs and made 10 All Star Teams, won 1 MVP award and helped the Spurs to win 2 NBA championships.
Elgin Baylor not only dazzled Lakers fans with his acrobatics and skills, but also wasn't afraid to get down and dirty for rebounds. Through his career, he was an 11-time All Star.
Advertisement
While many know him for his off-the-court antics and relationships, Rodman was an outstanding rebounder and defensive presence on every team he played for.
After playing his entire career for the Celtics, and winning 3 NBA championships to go along with 7 All Star appearances, he had a multi-year coaching stint with the Houston Rockets.
After a successful collegiate career at UCLA, Bill Walton achieved a lot of success in the NBA, despite his injuries. He would win two NBA titles, win an MVP award and even make a few All Star games.
Advertisement
Parish played in the NBA from 1976 to 1997 and played a total of 1,611 regular season games. He won 4 NBA titles and was known for his strong defense and clutch rebounding.
While primarily known for his outstanding dunks, Wilkins was also a great scorer as he averaged nearly 25 points a game throughout his career, which helped him make All Star teams 9 different times
In addition to making 10 All Star teams, winning an NBA Championship and taking home several other accolades, Clyde Drexler also was a member of the 1992 U.S Olympic Men's basketball team, known as the Dream Team.
Advertisement
George Gervin, whose nickname is the Iceman, was one of the coolest and most collected players in history. He was capable of scoring in bunches and would always remain level-headed. His scoring and focus helped him become a 9-time All Star.
Walt Frazier spent a decade with the New York Knicks and it was arguably the best period in the team's existence. He was a great all-around player who scored, assisted, rebounded well and made 7 All Star games in his career.
Reggie Miller was about as clutch as any 3-point shooter in history, especially against the Knicks. While he never won a title and made only 5 All Star games, many believe he is the greatest player to ever play for the Pacers.
Advertisement
While he might not be the most decorated Celtics players of all time, he is one of the most popular. Paul Pierce was a prolific scorer for Boston and was one of the best players of the 2000s.
Whether you needed defense, scoring or a leader, Kevin Garnett was your guy. He made 15 All Star teams in his career and led the Timberwolves to eight straight appearances in the playoffs, before going to Boston and winning a championship with the Celtics.
While he was also capable athletically, Ray Allen was known most for his three-point shot, which featured an incredibly quick release. Despite a title escaping him for the first decade of his career, he would end up winning two in his career, in 2008 and 2013.
Advertisement
Oscar Robertson is one of the most well-rounded players in history, as evidence by the fact the averaged a triple double. In addition to making the All NBA first team nine times, he also took home an MVP award in 1964 and a championship in 1971.
Lebron James has basically done it all on the basketball court and to many, he is the greatest of all time. He can score, he can pass, he can rebound and do everything in between.
Hal Greer made 10 straight All Star games as a member of the Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers, and even won a championship with the 76ers in 1967, with some help from Wilt Chamberlain.
Advertisement
Despite being only 6'7", which is relatively small compared to many in the NBA, Unseld grabbed 10 rebounds a game in nearly every season he played in the NBA.
Ben Wallace went from being an undrafted free agent to being one of the best blockers, rebounders and defenders in this history of the NBA. He also helped the Pistons win the 2004 NBA championship.
As one of the leaders of the "Bad Boys"-era Pistons teams, Thomas won back to back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990. After his playing career, Thomas worked as a coach and executive for different teams, most notably the Knicks.
Advertisement
Nicknamed "Big Game James", Worthy would always show up for his team when they needed him most. This helped him win 3 NBA championships and make 7 All Star game appearances during his career.