Every NBA player has dreams of making it into the hall of fame, where they can rub shoulders with the likes of Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and others. But only a select few truly have what it takes to become a sporting legend.
The Action Network analyzed a variety of factors, including the number of championships and MVP awards won, to rank 2021’s top 10 basketball players, as well as the top 10 historical NBA players, to see who truly is destined to gain NBA legend status over the next few years.
| Rank | Player | Status | Total Score |
| 1 | Lebron James | Current | 5.17 |
| 2 | Michael Jordan | Legend | 5.10 |
| 3 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Legend | 4.84 |
| 4 | Magic Johnson | Legend | 4.75 |
| 5 | Kevin Durant | Current | 4.49 |
| 6 | Larry Bird | Legend | 4.29 |
| 7 | Bill Russell | Legend | 4.25 |
| 8 | Wilt Chamberlain | Legend | 4.10 |
| 9 | Kobe Bryant | Legend | 3.93 |
| 10 | Stephen Curry | Current | 3.86 |
| 11 | Nikola Jokic | Current | 3.76 |
| 12 | Shaquille O’Neal | Legend | 3.59 |
| 13 | Tim Duncan | Legend | 3.44 |
| 14 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Current | 3.42 |
| 15 | Jerry West | Legend | 3.34 |
LeBron James poised to be the next NBA legend
LeBron has won four championships and four MVPs, and with his Olympic glory, it is not surprising that the current great would be considered a legend in the eyes of the NBA.
Michael Jordan is a close second on the list. Possibly the world’s most well-known basketball player, The Action Network team examined Jordan’s most successful season in 1990 to determine where he ranks among the all-time and current greatest. According to the data, Jordan has won 6 championships and 5 MVPs, and in his best season, he had the 5th highest average points among the ranking.
Third place goes to Kareem Abdul Jabbar. During his 20-year career, he has won the most MVP awards, a total of six, and has also won six championships while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers.
NBA’s current players to watch out for
Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets ranked 5th, having 3 gold Olympic medals, and averaged around 30 NBA points per game – and this success is not expected to stop. When put up against the legendary Larry Bird, he only averaged 24.3 points per game in his best season, also having only won 1 gold medal at the Olympics.
The other current NBA player to make it into the top 10 list is the Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry. At the age of 34, he’s often referred to as the greatest shooter in the history of the NBA and has won three Olympic gold medals, with an average score of 30 points per game.
Despite many of 2021’s best players being sat at the ‘bottom’ of the list, it’s clear that some players’ 2021 game stats alone are enough to make them feature alongside the NBA’s GOATS.
The full breakdown can be found on site here: https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/predicting-the-next-nba-legends-by-the-numbers
